Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-11-30
R. H. GARDINER
GIVES ADDRESS
CHRISTIAN UNITY

There was a large attendance Sun
day forenoon at the Congregational
church to listen to the distinguished
layman, Hon. R. H. Gardiner, speak
on what is today one of the greatest
IL not the greatest branch of Chris
tan work Christian unity. Mr.. Gardi-
ner is secretary of the Worlds Con-
ference of Faith and Order, with
offices in the Maine Trust and Banking
building in this city and it is the work
of Christian Unity that this organiza-
ton is engaged in.
Few realize the magnitude of the
work for it covers the entire Christian
world. Immense quantities of circulars
and other matter are mailed from the
Office, over 100000 pamphlets being sent
out very recently and over 10000 let
tiers recently received. In opening, Mr.
Gardiner briefly stated the magnitude
Of the work and invited all present to
have their names put upon the mailing
list.
MIR. Gardiner said that the question
of Christian Unity would never be
solved until it was put upon some 9TH
er basis than an ecclesiastical one
and could only be brought about by
an uprising of the entire Christian
church. He referred TO that amazing
conference held at Edinburgh, about
Ave years ago, when at least 1900 mis-
sionaries from all sections of the globe
were present and it was definitely de-
cided that it was almost an impossible
task to preach true Christianity while
there were so mary "isms.' At GER
tain Episcopalian convention there
were four speakers and all wanted to
speak on the Edinburgh conference
and before they ceased speaking each
finally drifted to the subject of Chris
tan Unity.
At the time of the creation of the
Conference of Faith and Order the
members found much misunderstood
ing and indifference which is gradual
" being overcome as the people be-
come enlightened regarding the work.
No attempt has been made to def1ne
Christian Unity other than it is the unity
that God desires, and this the speaker
believed is something more than unity
of spirit, something visible to the eye.
It must allow for differences in taste
and freedom for the inclusion of that
which is best in all nations The dlstln-
guished speaker sought to impress upon
his hearers the distinction between unity
and uniformity. which is as wide as that
of life and death. 1t is not question of
time, strength or money. but the funda-
mental difficulty appears to be that our
Christianity is not real and vital, for
Christianity is the personal relation of
a personal sould to a personal God. The
conception that the church is the body
of Christ is gradually being lost sight of
and we fail to see that If we are one
with Christ we must be one with all his
followers.
MI Gardiner during last June, July
and August was seeking to arrange meet
ings all over Europe and was at Con-
stance when war was declared. and nat
uraily the movement halted for while.
The conference has received letters since
the war started from Scotland, Sweden,
Norway France, Greece, Australia and
Persia. and all say that this war ought
to bring home to the minds of all the
great need of Christian Unity. Mr.. Gar
diner thought that the war would pro-
duce a new Christianity-at least new TO
us-and that prayer would come to mean
the entire elimination of human will and
the unreserved acceptance of God