New-York tribune., 1918-01-20
Ancient HISTORIAN Church
Melting Pot of Religions
In Remote Persia Roman and Greek Catholic,
Protestant and Anglican Faiths Unite to Aid
Stricken People-Old Church Once Swept
Known World

for a visitor from the West is an
event in this city. None of these con-
ferences has beer arranged by me-
or for me. with any thought of church
union in mind. The callers represent
ed merely Syrians, come to express
the thanks of their people for the re-
lief sent to them in their present dis
tress by the Chr 1lstians of the United
States and Canada.
A Roman Catholic bishop. Russian
Church or Holy Orthodox bishop, Mes
torian priests. Presbyterian preach.
+ ers and an Episcopal Clergyman, con-
nected with tne archbishop of Can
.erbury's mission, have been here at
the same tine, IN fullest friendlness
and fellowship, accompanied by repre-
sentative laymen, several of whom are
Canadian. and American citizens. The
Roman Catholics, for instance, arc
called Chaldeans, ard, while in fellow
ship with Rome and in subjection to
the Pope, preserve and use the old
HISTORIAN liturgy and language, and
their priests marry. Likewise the
Orthodox Church, which had a sudden
accession OF strength with the advent
OF Russian power IN Western Persia Il
few years ago. uses the Syrian Ian
guage and resembles the HISTORIAN
Church in its worship more than it
does the Russian. J he Anglican Mis-
sion, who's, only representative here
man Of the Protestant Episcopal
Church. educatel in America, and sup
ported by a group of New York church
men, has all alcne taken the position
that It would not make proselytes, but
would seek TO serve and to purify this
branch of the ancient Eastern Church.
Ihe Presbytarlans. also who have q
great and venerable work here, no
longer seek to get members from the
HISTORIAN Church, but they have an
agreement with The after whereby
they VIII not reoaptlze HISTORIANS, but
VIII Keep shose whom they have infu-
enced in the old church. the latter
agreeing to let the Americans hold
services in their churches. Thousands
OF HISTORIANS nave, during the war.
taken communion at the hands Of
Presbyterian clergymen, who have also
baptized their children.
Religious Bigotry
Practically Unknown
TO my surprise. found not trace
OF religious bigotry among anysof the
replese ntatives of these diverse groups.
They frankly said, after | had put the
question, in varying forms, to each in
turn, that they were all willing and
eager to go back to- the HISTORIAN
Church, with the large measure of in
dlvldual liberty that would surely he
allowed, and make one religious body.
lhc one condition to which they ad-
verted constantly was political and
physical safety. There is, they sav.
absolutely no real barrier to q reunion
OF all Syrian Christians within one
ecclesiastical body.
From this the deduction is clear that
Chrlstendom has. in this remote. vet
anclently great, corner Of the earth. an
opportunity for an experiment in
Christian union that will be of price
less value to recorganized church.
such as the war may make necessary.
have already gone far enough in this
series OF investigations to discover that
IN several Of the large units of Chris
tendon there is at work d spirit and
programme of change that presages
something like an ecclesiastical trans
formation. In any such change, the
question OF union is bound to bulk
large. Here is the experiment station
ready to hand. The way that has been
Pioneered by the Prcsbyterians and the
Angllcans will surely be followed by
an ecumenlca!ly minded churchmen.
instead of making proselytes from the
old bodlcs-a step that may have been
necessary IN the past-the most cath
oIlc-splrlted Christians will endeavor
TO unity the sorc!y divided body Of the
Church. '''N