Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1911-07-29
POWERFUL PLEA
FOR CHURCH UNITY
Ur. Thomas Z. Green Declares IL II
Economically Ridiculous to nave
AZ Different Sects in the [. ;.

Ia IN article headed .Nhat Is -
Eoeezl O.. the PreacAers?9 in the Au-
gnsf t.5n.pton's Magazine. DR.. Thorn
as /. Green, lang noted as preaeh-
cd :; me Middle West and now pun
lie te4turer, makes a strong plea IoF
he rnion of churches. He says;
outside of various independent
congregations, there are in the Uhlteo
States a hundred and forty different
sects and sorts large enough to MAIN
tain a definite organization. IL Is
questionable whether the average
reader has ever given a serious
thought to the reason why there are
sn many religious denominations
whv to use the ordinary phrase,
there are so many different churches
in the town in which he lives! were
It anything else he would brand IL
at once as foolishness as suicidal.
Attempt the same plan in education,
in business, or in politics and it would
be self-evidently absurd. Judged py
any standard of practical efficiency
the religious condition of the average
town would be ridiculous were it not
so pitiful.
There are In the United States
fourteen kinds of Baptists: twenty
four sorts of Lutherans; fifteen types
of methodists; twelve subdivisions OF
Presbyterians. Between the minor d.
visions the differences are often IN
finitesimal, their beginnings SO long
ago that they have been absolutely
forgotten. Once begun they continue
not because the issues of whose dis
cussion they are the monuments still
exist, or have any earthly value, but
because no one has the courage to
challenge their value of usefulness,
or reyerently to lay them away among
the other relics of antiquity.
"In a town near the border OF
Manitoba there is Southern Metho-
rist Church, its very name a relic OF
the Civil War, and on the Gulf Of
Mexico an anemic, starving, Northern
Presbyterian congregation in struggl-
ing to keep itself alive.
Between the great denominations
there were originally tempermental
differences of expression and of wor-
ship, depending largely upon the root
stock upon which they grew. Eng
lish, Scotch, Dutch, Saxon and Latin
peoples naturally differed in many
traits of character. But there be-
ginnings are long past. With most
unique and unprecedented capacity
Tor assimilation, an ethnic digestion
that is one of the wonders of the
worlds life, we have made a COM
posite temperament in which ths,,5est
and the most virile from every
whittier have endlred. and the weak
er and local peculiarities have
sloughed away.
"No one will dispute the fact for
which Plutarch contended, that reli-
gion-a religions necessary for the
well-being of humanity. No one will
dispute the fact that from at least
our viewpoint Christianity is the
highest in ideals and accomplish
ment of all the world religions. No
one will dispute the fact, apparent on
every hand, that the present condi-
ton of organized merican Christian
ity is neither satisfactory nor prom
Using.
"The people of America are still a
Christian people. When Christianity
expresses itself through church
which answers the peoples needs,
they will support that church, just
as at present they support foreign
missions, social settlements, hospitals
humane institutions of every kind
They are waiting for the church of
the future. Whatever that church
will be, 1t will eliminate the narrow
ross of denominationalism.
The people are waiting for church
3l''N, hut not as the term is general
y used. No one will Venture for
CT $50 helieve, what was once
= lection during generations of
'e+zit#9 discussion and dogmatic
Watt t.st1 any one of existing de-
nominations will be the ultimate form
to which all others will come. That
kind of church unity, long INDUCED
in by visionary enthusiasts, is mere
ly an 'iridescent dream The prae-
teal proposition is combination by
elimination, the seeking of a common
round, framed by the fundamental
syllables Of common belief.
Already farseeing leadership is
realizing the necessity of eombina-
ton. The many sorts of Methodists
are reaching out to a greater Metho-
dism; Presbyterians, Lutherans. Bap-
lists ara houipnsp~