New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-13
CHRISTIANS MUST UNITE
TO WIN CHINA, HE SAYS
Bishop Roots Declares Denomi.
national Differences Are Hin
dering Cause of Christ.
DEEP. GROWING Discomfort
Native Missionaries and Clergy
Sending Appeals for Unity to
Home Churches, Eastern
Prelate Says.

The urgent necessity Of concerted action
in the missionary field OF China to dispeI
the difficulties created by the differences
J between the Christian sects was inn
pressed upon his hearers last night by the
! Right Rev. DR. Logan II. Roots. Bishop
of Hangkow. China Bishop Roots had
been chosen TO preach the sermon at the
! triennal missionary service Of the Board
of Missions at st. Thomas's Church.
which was held I'm recognition Of the tri-
ennial convention OF the Protestant Epis-
copal Church, now in session.
The Rev DR.. Ernest VI. Stires, rector
of the church, conducted the regular
evening service, and Bishop Tucker read
the lesson. In the number who thronged
the church We're many Amercanized
Chinese. who had come to hear the East
ern prelate speak.
II take as my text" said Bishop Roots,
the prayer OF Christ that they may all
be one What this ideal may be must be
approached from every side, though We
may expect that this idea OF Christian
unity will be long Of realization But |
want TO ask your attention tonight to a
consideration of the subject Of Christian
unity. particularly as II concerns foreign
missionary work. and more particularly
as IL concerns the situation In China.
Let us ask: DO the secular differences
mako any difference in the work in the
Chinese mission field? Some may imagine
that the Chinese would be long since In
ured to secular differences among the
missions.
For long time the missionaries have
found they had to pass the denomina-
tional barriers TO do good. The old )eaI-
ousies have been rooted out among those
who have stood shoulder to shoulder
nursing those wounded in battle, and VINO
are feeding the starving.
II bring you this word from the mis-
sionaries themselves. They declare tha'
these divisions in Chrstendom are MIN
dering I'm the most vital way the cause
Of Christ in China"
DR.. Roots told OF the Chinese viewpoint
and explained the aptness OF the Chinese
10 notice the national and racial diner
ence in the missions. But they are not
unintelligent enough TO fail to realize the
denomlnational differences, too he saiu.
And they ask, in their Oriental logic
Is Christ divided
There IS a deep growing dlscon'en'
among the native Chinese missionaries
and not only them. but among the en-
nese clergy and laity and they are sehu-
ing forth their appeal to the nome
churches. II is not an appeal from those
I'm open revolt but from those under
deep sense OF gratitude OF what even thls
divided Christendom has done for them
We want TO bring home. II possible, 10 the
Western world that II is necessary 20
unity. TO get together the missionary
forces for tho salvation OF China.
I'VE are working In state or DANGER
from the State and the ron-Christian SO
cietv But in addition to this we are
working against the failures or some chi
nos. Christians. These have been unable
IN reconcile our divisions OF sects ana dlt-
ferences between denominations.
Deepest Of all is the thought that the
Chinese Christian is making CHINA a
Christian nation. Those who thlnk reau
English history. for instance, and. learn
ing that the Church standing by the
state solIdined and converted England
into one great kingdom. apply that eN-
annie TO the prospects in the future Tor
China. But until that time comes IL Is
our duty 10 stand by with our help until
tho Chinese Church is come 10 manhood
and is independent II will be many years
before the foreign Christians can re,'I
and leave the Chinese Church to It's WORK