The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-29
DIR. Williamson's Address


DR.. j. W. Williamson, pastor of the
Third Baptist church of st. Louis, made
the closing address of the evening and
as he mounted the steps leading to the
rostrum, said: II am not going to speak
on the subject given in the printed pro-
gramme; my subject is to be The Inter-
national Sunday School Association and
Christian Unity
The speaker said that the trend of the
times was towards Christian unity, but,
he also stated, I'VE are not now ready
for it and l doubt If we ever will be-"
He described the differences between
union and unity by quoting friend of
his who said: you can take two cats
and tie their tails together and throw
them across clothes wire. You will
then have a brilliant example of union
without unity" DIR. Williamson said that
if unity of the churches ever did come 1t
would be at the expense of weak doc
trines. The fittest would survive. for.
he said, all could not live Some must
die and the weakest would be the first
to go. He advocated Christian unity.
but said that Christian unity did not
necessarily mean union of the churches.
The Christians of any community can get
together and work for the common good
without the sacrifice of a single principle.
he said.
DR.. Williamson finished his address with
these words:
Birmingham can never be taken for
Christ by the denominations working
separately. We must stand shoulder to
shoulder in the task. We may-not yet be
ready for Christian union. in fact think
We are not, but this organization is not
concerned with doctrines; it deals solely
with methods and there is here a large
field in common. I shall never give my
allegiance to any interdenominational or
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upbuilding and vitaizing of the local
church. for the local church is God s
ordained institution for bringing in the
Kingdom of God: and for this reason
am always exceedingly careful about go
ing into any interdenominational organi-
2ation.
but this is precisely the reason why
l believe in and love the International
Sunday School association and it's work,
because 1t Is free from every objection
that Is made AGAINST other interdeno nina
tional organizations. This international
Sunday School organization stands in a
class to itself; it has always appealed
to me and | love it devotedly. / do not
believe 1t possible to be too loyal in our
support of it. 1t does not attempt any
permanent organization independent Of
the churches. The whole field of its
operation is in the local church. 1t meas
ures all the results of its activity by
what it can do for the local church. 1t
bears all its fruit In the local church,
the individual Sunday school and even the
smallest class in the Sunday school. And
because whatever fruit the international
Sunday school organization bears is in
variably in the local church of the liv-
ing God. 7 love it and have always loved
it. The field and SCOPE of its operation
is methods. net doctrines, and there is a
vast field of methods which do not touch
denominational matters. 1t throws it's
life and influence back of the church
The school will open at $3.50 o'clock
this afternoon for the third days work.
w. c. Pearce will be the first speaker
and will address the matriculates on
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