Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-10-30
CHRISTIANS
IN STRIFE.

The discussion and partial sclnsm
that has developed in the Protestant
Episcopal Church on the question Oh
foreign missions has attracted con-
siderable attention.
The Richmond Journal In speaking
of the friction says:
Several Of the extreme high chuTcn
Episcopalians, who really are DIVIDED
from the Catholics by hardly a halrss
breadth. objected to having delegates
from the American church sent, 10 the
missionary convention at Panama
The ground Of objection was that tne
Catholic church practically Is N con-
troll of the religious and moral AFFAIRS
of the Central and South American
countries and that it would be an un-
Unnecessary and gross atfront to that
church for Protestants to assume thas
! il is not doing its duty and send mis-
sionaries to work against 1t, or IN
territory it is supposed to occupy.
In ethics and in theory, there is some
ground for this contention. AS mat
ter of fact, there is room ana wofA
in Central and South America TOR ali
TIE Christian missionaries OF real
niety and ordinary human sense VINO
can be sent there, provided they Will
do team work. The great majority OF
the members of the Episcopal missions
convention, sitting in New York, voted
against the bishops and other dele
rates and decided to send represcn'
tatives to Panama.
IF we can imagine the ,Archange!
Michael, described by great poet as
a military genius, looking down at the
course of the warfare against the pow
ers of evil the Christians of the
world are supposed to be waging, he
must be filled with indignant scorn.
So much strength and nervous force,
so many of the years of the lives OF
GOOD men, so much thought anc
money, are wasted on internal strifas
and rivalries, on Implications at one
point meaning neglect at others.
Christianity is Ike an army broken
into squads, without concert of ac-
ton or effort attacking common
!. enemy;each squad turning aside fire.
ouently to do battle with some other.
1t is in missionary work exactly as il
is here at home We send to an in
telligent people Ike the japanese or
the East Indians men representing a
dozen different church organizations
all under the banner Of the Cross but
} each in conflict with all the others
and trying to belittle and thrust them
aside. 1t is no wonder that the japan
csc say derisively that they will be
prepared to accept Christianity when
the Christians settle among them
: selves which has the true faith brand.
And here at home we have hundreds
of communities each with three or
four times as many churches as It
needs or will support properly because
each denomination must have its own
building, congregation and preacher.
however poorly they may be support,
ed. Instead Of cutting down the Devil
and his works. the Christians busy
themselves iostling and starving and
throttling each other.
1t is said that on one occasion an
enthusiastic Christian approached
Nathan Straus, an israclite, and at
attempted to interest him in the faith
After Straus had listened artcntWely,
asked the arduous missionary to en-
tighten him as to true Oh, iStianitv.
as there are over one hundred dh-
ferent sects, all claiming an exclusive
heavenly mission. Straus told the
Christian when you people definitely
settle the question as to which de-
nomination really has the keys of thc
Kingdom Of heaven, will give the
matter some attention"