Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-12-12
PRACTICAL CHARACTER OF CITY
WIDE CHURCH FEDERATION
The Problem of Overlapping and Question Of Economy IN
Means and Time.

federation idea first dawned. Under
this plan a new community is can
vassed to determine the prevailing
church prejudice, and that denomina-
ton is given the field, all others re-
framing to enter until it is clear that
the growth of the community requires
another church. Where too many
churches are found in a town union
of congregations is encouraged until
the number adequate to meet the
needs of the people is reached.
By this method money and energy
are released for use in other ways for
the development of the religious field.
But the economic phase of federation
presents only a beginning of the pos
sibilities of it. The result OF the idea
on the churches spiritually Is of con-
siderable Importance. The days OF
ecclesiastical competition are past.
The demand of the age Is for the rull
force of the thought and moral and
spiritual energy of the churches on
the special and critical problems Of
this time. Cooperation and unity are
ideas that are displacing competition
and church divisions with their costly
consequences. To say that sectarian-
ism is superseded by UNCONVENTIONAL
LOYALTY sounds well, but means very
little advance.
The Obvious Task.
Denominationalism may have, in
fact. all the characteristics of older
sectarianism. The sharp lines of de-
narration. the unfriendliness, the
credal battles, and what sometimes
appeared to be unchristian attitudes
OF mind and conduct, and even bitter
ness of spirit, have gone largely, and
4.,r- 4e- crl
substitute denominationalist Is to get
under cover. when the obvious task
is to form compact church of Christ
broad enough to include a variety OF
views and convictions, church tenn
peraments and Christian experiences.
The federation idea is the nearest
present approach to this ideal 1t
provides opportunity for cooperative
effectiveness in providing and foster
ing Christian work and life.
The mind of 1.-THE man on the
street." who has not studied church
history and therefore knows no just-
fication for so many different kinds
of churches, is as much muddled in
an enlightened Christian land as are
unchristian peoples in foreign mis-
sion countries when they are obliged
to make a selection from number
of choice varieties OF religious bodies.
Missionaries have found it necessary
to keep their UNCONVENTIONAL divisions
in allegiance and to cooperate and
federate in order to present Christian
truths most effectively. THE man on
the street" sees so many denomina-
tions appealing to him to become q
better man and to enlist his energies
in Christian service he knows not
how to choose among them all, so he
chooses none. If he can be Impressed
with the idea and fact that the
Church of Christ is one, he will see a
new light. He will feel the intenser
unity Of actual Christian fellowship.
instead of the nominal type. 1t Is
this spiritual effect on an individual
and on a community that is the SUI
premely important matter. The fed
Grafton tends to develop this Christian
fellowship and to promote this spirit
ual effect. For Essex county fed
GRAFTON was undertaken, but to Its
appeal there was little response from
the suburbs. For the city alone there
is the likelihood that the plan can
be made a success. The beginning
already humbly made, a timid VEN
ture into fields UNEMPLOYED, may be
extended to include functions only
now dreamed of. The old adage,
Nothing venture nothing have,
applies as well to institutienalizing
the federation idea as to anything
else. GLORIOUS.