The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-09-01

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the wise men are being cut by the
sword of Mars. What the socioogists
and economists and POLITICIANS and
churchmen could not encompass is be-
ing effected by the irresistible tides
OF the all-dominating war. There is an
irony about the fact that some dis
tinctively religious achievements, with
which the theologians and ecclesiastics
have struggled in vain. are being
brought by grim awful war.
Already it is clear that the present
condition of the world crisis has done
more TO bring about closer relations
tbetween different religious bodies than
decades of distinctively religious effort
definitely directed toward church union
although the latter forces are, natur-
ally. factor in present conditions.
This seems TO be the day of the ful'
fillment of many undertakings which
before the war, appeared destined to
drag tedious course through long de
cades.
Church union is one of the Oldest
Aerplexities of Christendom. Divisions
entered the Christian fellowship be
have continued and multiplied ever
since. This western world has been
has been the most productive soil for
them. There are more religious denomi-
nations here than anywhere else on
earth. We have made new sects by the
score. Probably there is not man nv
ing who can give offhand ~ names OF
even hunderd of the religious bodies
now existing in America. In addition
to our own product. we have importa'
tons of all the Christian divisions OF
tho Old world with the possible eX-
ception of congregations of Abyssinians
and Chaldean Christians. The old old
tragedy of divided Christianity mas
reached its most acute form in North
America at the present time.
WHY Churches DO Not Unite.
1t is a barren month that does not
bring forth some utterance in the
religious or secular press concerning
church union: and ever and anon IT
is reported that the great consumma-
ton is on the verge OF reallzatloh'
Sometimes. it must be admitted the
knowing ones suspect that certain PRO-
jects and plans for union are pohtico'
ecclesiastical manueverS meant primar-
ily to Justify the body making them
or to put the onus of dsunion upon the
other organizations. recently
very eminent ecclesiastic told me, con-
cernng a fair-sounding proposal for
church union was entirely one Of eX-
ultation, as a shrewd player of game
who has outwitted his opponents.
There has been more of this spirit
IA
of Christians, operative among the
churches than we would like TO confess
Every denomination is an organHa-
ion with vested interests as well as
yShh members who have deep affection
for the fulfillment of Christ's prayer
that they all may be one viewed
in the abstract, church union should pe
one of the easiest goals to OBTAIN
practically, it is one of the most uilll-
cult Each denomination has certain
,xc.usive terms and practices anu
some of the larger bodies have scarce
ly gotten beyond the idea that union
is to come by their own ABSORPTION oil
all the others. There have been recent
exhibitions of intolerance and arros-
ance, i'm the name of Cristian Umon'
mat have been Aell night incredible
One finds the conviction rather widely
entertained, especially among layneh'
that sastically-promoted unions Oh
different denominations are really
futile and undesirable. They simply
do not work. The union of the larger
mart of the Cumberland Presbyterian
church with the Northern Presbyter-
inns resulted in an increase of sec
tartan rivalry, and is said to have de-
layed the nartural merging OF the
northern and southern Presbyterian
bodies. There is still a Cumberland
PRESBYTERIAN domination. Likewise, the
discussions of the ANAL
gamation of the Congressioilailsts'
United Brethren and Methodists Pro
testants has been abandoned, having
come to nothing. Even the great "a
madam consolidation of Presbyterians'
Nethodists and Congregationalists mas
nor eyentuated, despite years Of discus
sion.
Seeing the Thing in :hc Large.
Evidently, the doctors of the law are
ore not the ones who are going 20 bring
Christian union to pass. Instead the
thing seems likely to come, at least to
degree, by the common
mind of the people. as worked upon by
the war. The lessons learned in France
and in training camp are being impart
ed TO the home folk. Already the mind
of the soldiers, who one day are 10
dominate all spheres of lie is being
reflected IN the opinions and activities
Of the homeland. Today the world is
follow, ne in the train of the sold.c.. In
this one particular. it has come to pass
that g PASSION of patriotism mas brought
in common service churches
togethe +. Some of these joint COM
munity religious services are far larger
and more vital than the combined serv-
ICES of all the churches. In one New
Augland town. Baptists, Unitarians and
are workshipping
together. and even sharing the same
table.
Less than five years ago the num-
Der of Americans who thought of
churches in any other terms than Pro-
testant denominations and Roman Cath l
Dlics was negligible. They were used
% degree of rivalry between denomin-
atoms, and also between Protestants
md Roman Catholics. Now, in the red
ichool house of war myriads have had
heir religious horizons enlarged. They
ave been introduced TO the State
'hurches of Protestant European
Countries, and to the Greek Catholic :
.hurches. as well as to the Roman Cath =
,IicS They have found figuring ro- |