The daily sentinel., 1914-05-23
REV. LANES REPLY
Editor Daily Sentinel:

Editor Daily sentinel:
VIII you please allow final word
in answer to the article of Mr.. Moses
in last nights Sentinel?
1t will be plainly seen BY all who
read Mr. Moses article that he had
not read with care the statement in
the article which called forth my ar
ticle. The author of the statement
l objected to did not state that l
expressed decided opposition to
church federation" but to church
union" There is a vast difference
between these words when rightly un-
derstood. If what | have said is a
man OF straw as Mr. Moses calls
IL, the statement in the paper is re-
sponsible for il, and that is all my
article was intended to deal with.
Either Mr.. Moses does not under
stand what the committee having this
matter in charge have in mind. or the
committee, at least some memb bers of
II, do not understand. In a CONVEX
sation with one of the members of
the committee | was told that the
Disciples church could not enter this
union without compromising their
principles. Evidently there is at least
one of the committee who does not
look upon this proposed arrangement
as federation" but "union."
But be that as it may, my article
was directed against what | was rep
resented or misrepresented as oppos-
ing.
A federation" within limits
have never opposed, but fedora
tion" which makes it necessary to
'soft-peddle" what | believe is Gods
truth, tand Mr.. Moses comedies that
this would be necessary, for the
things which differentiate denomina-
tions are important, or they are not,
and If important must be upheld, but
could not be in a federated church).
such federation could never have
my sanction. The fact of the matter
is that there has been too much
soft-pedaling. The very existence
of the multiplied sects today is due
to the demand for "soft-pedaling"
and the failure of the pulpit to de-
clare the whole counsel of God
To federation" in moral and civic
movement, as well as combined re-
ligious effort where no compromise
of principle is involved, | have no OBJ
lection. This | have proven in my
nearly five years residence in this
city by my earnest and enthusiastic
cooperation with my brethren of the
other churches in every united ef-
fort. Not a minister in this city
during the last temperance cam
paign stuck to the job, put in more
hours or sacrificed as much as the
writer of this article. No minister
has endeavored more persistently to
unite the ministers of other churches
in union eyangelistic campaign than
n m 1inf CT
succeeded in getting more of his peo-
pie in proportion to their member
ships. to attend the union PRAYER
meetings last winter and the union
summer services of last summer than
i. In every united effort for the
moral and spiritual uplift of this city
have done my full share and my
people have supported me in it. AL
low me one more paragraph. You
will notice | said above brethren. i"
Mr.. Moses insinuates in his article
that because of the attitude and my
people take against church union
mot against church federation with
in limits) that we do not believe
that people outside of the Baptist
church are saved or "regenerate." II
Mr.. Moses has lived so long and does
not know what Baptists believe and
openly declare on this point, 1t would
be well for him to study church his
tory The Baptist denomination as a
denomination or this local church has
never believed or taught and does not
now believe or teach that ceremony
or church membership ever saved
anybody. They have believed and
taught that every person within every
church, and those outside of all
churches, who trust in the Lord Jesus
Christ, as the bearer of their sins to
save them is on condition of that
trust, saved, and they acknowledge
such as Christian brethren"
Earnestly do we pray and sincerely
will we labor with all Christian peo-
pie who love our Lord Jesus Christ
in sincerity and truth, that His gos-
pei which the power of God unto sal
vation to every one that believeth
may prevail. We will endeavor "to
keep the unity of the spirit in the
bond of peace, until we all cone unto
the unity of tie faith unto a perfect
man, unto the measure of the stature
of the fullness of Christ"
Sincerely and brotherly,
EDW RID q LAME