South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-08-05

A great blessing is pOss bic 80
result ~ THIS war said Rev. Al
fred 81 Eeus. u H.. OF the West
minister Presbyterian church. bra his
sermon delivered Sunday morning
Dr Eelis chose the following text
from John J.. Z0-21- u pray for
them which shall believe ou me.
that thev an may be one
Dr Eells strongly advocated a
union OF different denominations as
war measure and o. means 20 more
efficiently spread the gospel He
said
a great blessing IL possible as
result of this war Railroads
have ceased To- oe competitors. but
under government control hey are
com nined 10 eliminate waste and
duplication Express companies
have been combined so that the
number OF employees has been re
dlced and efficiency has been in
creased. Last Thursday an order
went into effect whereby an tele-
graph and telephone compe nies are
brought under the management o.
our government That means bet
ter and cheaper service than under
the former system OF competition.
UnifNing Armies Of I. =.
Just last week Gen March chief
OF staff of our armies. announced
that soon there would be no more
distinctions i'm the service, such as
the United States regular army. the
United States reserves. the national
army and the national guard. but
that soon ali would be merged into
one army. with one name and un-
der one unified command
Church should BE Likewise.
Shall the church he behind in
this spirit Of consolidation and eff
cheney Was this not what Chris
meant when he went before God
! and said in behalf Of His followers:
T i pray for them which shall he
/ lieye on me. that they an may he
one.
Members Must Take Initiative.
An organic union of denomina-
tions depends on the church mem
/ bers They must take the initiative
The general assem- bly, OF the Pres
7 byterian church IN It's last annual
meeting in Columbus passed reso-
luton recommending the unifying
of an evangelical churches Thus
the Presbyterian church went on
record AS being the first 10 cham
! pion such p movement Now that
/ the suggestion mas been officially and
/ the mem bers of the different demon
netions 20 carry the idea into eXeS
cution
Governed nv Laity
lin such q unified church democ-
racv and not autocracy must rule.
The government viii not be by the
clergy but by the laity The pastor
viii not he appointed by a depart
ment on general head. but he must
I be elected by the congregation ne
ministers to. our boys who have
zone broad 10 dethrone autocracy
will not be content 10 ally them
selves with any kind OF autocracy
when they come back home IL will
not be government from the top
down. but # will be a government
from the bottom up. II will be
representative government i'm which
no measure will be adopted or Of
nee created without a majority vote
pf the local congregation.
VIII Wreck Many Traditions.
"AU the pastors OF all denomi-
nations viii not be In favor Of such
consolidation. II will mean the
wreckInc Of many traditions II will
mean a great reduction in the mum
IL
each candidate for pulpit will have
20 stand on his own merits 10 will
mean that many who are now pas
tors would be without charges
But it would also mean the elimina-
ton of an enormous waste caused
by the duplication and competition
or different denominations. 10
would mean the doing away with
much sectarian controversy and
jealousy And 10 would mean that
the world would see a church sin
cereIy exempifying the spirit %
Christ
Congregation Most Bcncftted
Thus the rank and file Of the
church members are the ones 60
take the initiative in such move
ment They will Toe the ones the
most benefited And it was for
them that Christ plead when He
said. Il pray that they may all be
one
secondly. note what such union
means 70 would ne i'm accord with
the spirit of prosress To used 90 be
said Competition is the life Of
trade But you and know that
D. IS the death of trade
Practical Viewpoint.
LET AS look 40 U in prsctica
manner Instead OF each family
having well OF water We have
municipal vaterworkS system which
supplies the whole citv with better
water and ar cheaper cost than
80 there were thousands 81 wells.
each subject 20 contamination and
negligence Instes 81 or each family
having Dts own system ~ lightning
we have ONE -eueraI system thet
supplies every home WITH better
end cheaper illumination than 9TH
ervIse
Combined schools.
THE time was when every dis