The Penn's Grove record., 1913-05-09
CHURCH UNITY
Writer in UniversaIist Leader
Puts the Subject Before All
DenominationaIiStS.

mere is a u desire, which Is
approaching the universal, in Chris
tian churches of every name, for some
form of unity, in which the forces Of
the Christian faith held in common,
may be made effective. But the de-
sire has in a large measure proved
fruitless, because Of the unwillingness
on the part OF any to sacrifice their
cherished inheritance Of denomina-
tional history, tradition, practices,
dogama and autonomy.
This stubbornness of integrity has
successfully withstood every assault
and every appeal; and really, it is
to the credit Of those having convic-
tons, to hold them sacredly, and yet
because of this, the movement to-
wards unity is stayed at this point.
And therefore it appears hat goal
SO earnestly sought must be APP
preached by another path; a path
through which all may walk without
surrender of s~elf-respect, and yet
with entire abandon to the spirit Of
unity.
1t should be noted that whatever the
detail of practical opposition to unity,
really it comes back finally to pride Of
n loyalty to the denomination; that
Is, the n word which stands in
the way of church unity today, is
the word denomination; the word, re-
CARELESS of it's genealogical meaning,
which marks the boundaries of in
ctusiVeness and exclusiveness, and for
bids any union which is not ABSORB
ton.
And yet no word SO entirely mis-
represents the spirit which dWells
within the church for it builds the
wall which prevents hat federation
of forces which is already in the
hearts of the great majority. The pre-
Vailing spirit recognizes that the
Christian churches are already n
in purpose and are kept apart by
UNCONVENTIONAL barriers. How to
preserve the good in the denomination
al organization, to maintain church
self-respect, to encourage specific
loyalty, to conserve every existing
force, and yet to bring them into a
working whole, is the problem.
And this problem, we believe, finds
its solution in a single word. Every
sect recognizes that it is but one
member of the Christian church, it
strengthens itself that it may contri-
butte larger service to the whole church,
and this recognition needs but to be
made actual and practical and the way
to real unity is open for use, for we
have but to strike out from ecclesiasti-
cal literature the word, "denomina-
tion," and substitute in it's place the
word department"
How would it look?
The Congregationlist department.
The ~Episcopalian department.
The Methodist department.
The Baptist department
The Presbyterian department.
The Unitarian department.
The Universalist department of the
Christian church, ETC., etc.
Straightway all are united in the
Christian church and serving through
the department which gives to them
g~reaest efficiency. The success of one
is the success of all. Deadly competi-
ton is measurably eliminated, and
even personal relations of members
are affected for the better, for both
belong to the same church and are
simply working in different depart
ments.
OF course all this is true already in
the minds of many; is it true enough
to be proclaimed? And by the chang
ing of a word can We not set forward
nightly the supreme purpose of this
Christian hour?-Universalist Leader.