The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-03-31
HOW CHURCHES
!. Of FA|R |'N|
/. ......: Gan UNITE
FROM SERMON PREACHED BY
v,lGR1sso. AT CENTRAL
CHRISTIAN}G CHURCH.

CHRISTIAN GHuRCH.
Pafbnsswho do not understand the
pleasot tile Disciples or Christ some.
times say to me; ION, I know you
Christian church, people make great
'auo about fclfriStAlhltnnity' as. YOU
cali it, and you really would nike to
see the Christian world united, pro-
yided all others would come over and
join you; but such plea with such
8 provision. is the very essence OF
isclfisllncss. and selfishness is entire.
ly foreign to the spirit of Christ"
Dcvout serious minded persons
make this charge honestly. and 1t is u
serious accusation. But It is made in
Ignorance of the position OF the Dis
ciples. want to set the people Of
lFairmont right in the premises, that
they may reach a right conclusion.
! have not consulted the official
board of the Central Christian church
but will submit to the churches in
Fairmont this proposition: that each
in the city, excepting the Central
Christian, APPOINT a coinmitt2s OF
ttlifcel reprGschtatlyc1 rmEehmberg,a ana
| tlat thGse seYerai repr Sentative com
lhiittees Meet and choose Moderator,
and as n committee of the whole on
I"Christian Unity" bring in Il report
Of AGREEMENT. on four ftlndahiental
points, as follows: h"sn'o'a ndf i'iM!
n LAS a united body OF believers.
in Fairmont, what name shall we
take?
.. AS united body, what shall we
teach?
9. As united body, who shall be
eligible TO membership? and how?
4. As a united body, how shall we
be governed?
Ny further proposition is, that
having no voice In the matter, for the
Central Christian church is not to
have representation on the commit
tee, so that the churches aside from
the Central Christian may have the
whole matter in their own hands.
that when the committee has agreed
OIL these four fundamental points,
and brought in Its report, and the re-
Fort has been ratified by the church.
cs OF Fairmont, the Central Christian
Will come over and join the union.
There is nothing Godlike, Christ
like, or divine to prevent such un-
ion In your city. The only difficult
ties are human and may be overcome.
| 1t is but n common problem In ad-
dition OF religious fractions. a frac-
lion is Il part Of anything. 1t con-
sists or two parts-tle parts conSid-
cred and the numerator expresses the
number Of parts taken. Addition is
the synthetic-the building together
process of arithmetic. The church in
Fatrmont is divided into great relig-
ious parts or fractions Just as is man
kind In general the world over. Let
Its go out into the world and add to-
Sether five religious fractions. Note
the numerators, and denominators in
each. Now let us add 20 Confucian-
lists. plus 90 shintoists plus 90 Budd-
hists plus 20 Mohammedans plus 90
Mcrmons equal 100 what? You can
not answer? certainly not; neither
can God nor the angels in heaven,
We must be done with common frac-
lions having different denominators
ceforc they can be added: Reduce
them to common denominator. Yes
that is right boys. Now let us pro-
coed, and YOU older fractions, in this
good city, with varying denominators
listen. Let, us take Confucil,ss' for
the COMMON sdenominaf6r." No. the
otlierSWil hot aeeSpt lifm.,' BIddha?
Not,"hr' is objeetiSnaBleF to ali liz 9th!
s.ers:" Which ole thSh? None. foorr' not
ono Of them IS satisfactory 10 'i aiiy of
1.-THE others: who tl,en can We lave
fcr. common denominator? a'T
Christ-"the only name given un-
der heaven. and among men whereby
we must be saved" Christ, then, is
the great common denominator, for
he Is acceptable to all. and mission
aries make disciples Christianity
the thousands every year from these
great heather religions.
Let the numerator stand as before,
but let Christ be the common dcnom-
inator. Now add: 20 Christians plus
20 Christians plus 20 Christians plus
90 Christians plus 90 Christians
equals 100 what? Christians" why.
certainly; "And a little child shall
lead them" All the young people
believe and rightly. that all Gods
people ought to be one.
Now let us get closer home and
add some, Of The common fractions Of
Gods people inn' Falrmont. Let US Us SC.
leet as an experiment some Of the re-
llgious fractions representing the
more Influential followers of Christ;
Say the Catholics. Enisconol;a ne