The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-05
POPE SENDS PLEA
FOR CHURCH UNITY
Protestant Conference at Gar.
den City Hears POntiffs
Prayer.
WORLD PEACE Is SOUGHT
Applause Follows Reading,
Members of 20 DenOm-
nations Joining.

| GARDEN CITY. L. l.. Jan. A letter
from Cardinal Gasparri, Papal secre-
tary OF State. expressing Pope Bene-
diets hope that unity OF faith and COM
munion may at last prevail thronghou.
the world, created a gratifying impress
sion to-day at the opening OF the North
American Preparatory Conference for
/ the purpose Of combining churches OF
all denominations.
| The letter was regarded as indicative
OF closer relations between Catholics
and Protestants. although no Catholics
attended the conference. Cardinal Glib
bons sending word that he was unable
to be present.
Cardinal Gasparri's letter follows:
Your project of an International con-
vention OF all who believe In Jesus
! Christ as God and Saviour to accom-
plish the speedy fulfilment OF the Anal
| prayer of the Lord. that all may be
one. ! have. In obedience TO your re-
| quest submitted to the Most Blessed
Father | need not here describe the
! affection with which | saw the august
1 pontiff kindled for YOU. for YOU well
| know that the plans OF the Roman
pontiffs. their cares and their labors
/ have always been specially directed TO
4 the end that the sole and unique church
/ which Jesus Christ ordained and sanct-
hed with His divine blood should be most
zealously guardeu and maintained.
whole pure and ever abounding In love.
/ and that IL should both let it's light
shine and oran wide It's door for all
who rejoice In the name of man and
who desire to gain holiness upon earth
! and eternal happiness in heaven.
Pope IL Pleased.
THE august pontin therefore was
! pleased with your project OF examining
/ in sincere spirit and without preju-
dice the essential form Of the church.
'or the inner essence Of the church.
and he earnestly hopes that under the
! spell Of its native beauty you may
settle all disputes and work with pros
porous issue TO the end that the mys-
teal body of Christ I've no longer SUI
fered to be rent and torn, but that by
harmony and cooperation OF mems
minds. and likewise by the concord Of
their wills. unity OF fa!th aud COM
/ munlon may at last prevail throughout
the world OF meiL
VI
thought well to request the aid and sup
port of the Roman poutif in expediting
your worthy project. his Holiness eN-
presses his earnest desir. that the end
may answer your expectation. He asks
the same OF Christ Jesus with fcrvcnt
prayers. all the more because. with the
voice of Christ Himself sounding before
and bidding him. he knows that he him-
self az the one To whom all men have
tn h..f f.I
and cause of the unity OF the church
Cardinal taspaTli also " rute In regard
| to "A request to publish his letter;
"Th. august pontlff therefore kindly
permits that copies Of my letters, which,
: thougl faithful, are Yet but faint
portrait OF the pontitical' love. shall be
sent to all 10 whose wolfar. and peace
YOU believe they will contribute
at Is pleasure 70 repeat the en-
couragempnt that the aid and earnest
prayers OF the Roman pontin will never
be lacking 10 any one who. having freed
himself from pr.judiced opinions. with
a true and sincere will strives with all
his strength that the unity OF faith and
fellowship instituted by Christ and built
upon Peter may he restored and that all
who are enrolled in the name of chris
,ian may betake themselves to the bosom
of the one most loving Church, and may
be Joined and associated as members
with Christ the head"
Planned before the War.
The Right Rev. &. II Anderson.
/ Bishcp Of Chicago. said in addressing the
convention and outlining its work tina {
the question might we'll be asked would
not "A united church have prevented the
war Robert II. Gardiner. secretary of
the conference. stated that il was just
two days before the war started that a
deputation was TO have sailed to see the
Pope TO talk unity Of faith and COM
munion.
The present meeting is the third at
tempt to arrange plans for "A ",r!c con-
ference looking toward church unity
throughout the world. The late j p.
! Morgan left 100000 for the further
ance Of this work. and the Rev. Or. W.
/ 7. Manning, rector of Trinity parish
is chairman of the executive committee
OF the joint commission appointed TO
arrange for a conference on faitr and
order.
The conference Is attended by leading
representatives of twenty determinations.
including the Protestant Episcopal
Church the Baptist. Congregational, Dis
ciples of Christ. Lutheran. Methodist,
Moravian. Presbyterian, United Preshy
terian. Presbyterian Reformed and tho
Society of Friends,
Strangely enough. though the confer
ence is being held In the cathedral town
| OF Bishop burgess, no ndtice was
given to the Bishop, II had been in
correctly reported that the meeting
would he called at st. Pauls Cathedral
instead of the hotel. DR. Manning quickly
paid a call upon Bishop Burgess soon