The Detroit times., 1915-01-11

SAYS CHRISTIAN
CHURCHES OUGHT
TO AMALGAMATE
CONTINUED from Page one3

corner who Is willing 10 tie the knot
for the customary fee.
What might not the church do to-
ward cleaning UP rotten conditions in
city governments everywhere, if the
various denominations were 10 stand
together as the Holy Catholic church,
AS it is she counts TOR little in the
great fight for better conditions.
Every year immigrants are pour.
ing in upon US from non-Christian
countries, great heather mass at the
heart OF nominally Christian nation
Our individual denominations have
their foreign missions, supported al
great cost, but they touch but a tassel
on the outermost fringe of the prob.
lem that confronts us
AS one example OF the need for q
united church, Bishop Williams cited
the instance OF small city of 1000
in Michigan, which he did not name
One good, big strong church would
meet all the needs of this commun.
ity, at least OF the Protestant popult
ton, he went on. There are six
there now. Six jangling bells break
the peace Of the Sabbath morning
with their discordant notes Six pull
pits pour out their messages, often
belaboring one another with criticism
and sometimes vituperation. Six poor
parsons starye along on meager sal
aries, irregularly paid, eked out BY
subsidies from diocesan, conference
or district boards. Six handfuls OF
the faithful saints gather in their re-
speetive houses of worship while the
mass OF the population takes to the
field, the woods, or the water, II not
TO the saloon.
How can we expect the church to
go on and thrive under such condi-
tions? That she survives at all Is
proof of her divine origin and the
special providence OF God Almighty
over her.
And the same conditions that exist
in the rural district with respect to
the churches are found in the cities.
Statistics recently compiled show that
in Michigan at least, Professionalism is
steadily losing ground People no
longer go to church because they are
Bsptlsts or Methodists, but because
Mr.. Jones. or Mr. Smith or Mr.. Brown
goes 10 this or that particular church.
And when Mr.. Jones or Mr.. Smith or
Mr., Brown decides to attend some
other church they flock with him. The
churches are not making converts to
Christianity; they are proselyting, one
from another
The history OF Christianity in this
country is closely analogous TO the
history of the nation. For a long time
after the signing CT the Declaration of
lnde pendence this ration existed only
on paper. The conquest OF a new
land. threats OF foreign invasion and
other common tasks and perils grad
ually drew the independent states to.
gether until the Civil war finally ce-
mented them. The Christianization
of the world is our common task and
we are trying to face IL with divided
host made Up OF mutually Jealous and
suspicious denominations. This land
cannot be won TO Christianity under
such conditions any more than the
allies could win the present war II
each was 10 wage an Independent
campaign. But the Christian church
has had some pretty hard bumps OF
late and may need more before II
awakens to a full realization OF the
necessity OF united effort
I'VE spend too much strength in self
service and self-maintenance to give
the attention we should to spiritual up.
lift. The church has lost touch with
the Characteristic religion Of the day.
II is setting men OF big faiths to little
tasks and everywhere we feel sadly
the need of spiritual motive"
bishop Williams was given rising
vote of thanks in appreciation of his
talk