The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-09-01
THE RELIGIOUS RAMBLER
.By VILLA M T. ELLIS

credible submergence of all sectarian
distinctions.
Protestant soldiers grow enthusiastic
over their Roman Catholic chaplains.
and Catholics praise their Protestnt
padres. These men have discovered
something bigger than any church. They
find themselves comrades and soldiers
in one cause. with one God, one Savior,
one heaven.
In wonderful accession Of tolerance
and fellowship, they simply disregard
the pre'war rivalries and divisions. All
reports make 1t clear that old individu.
alities have been subordinated At the
front. There is no attempt made to
treat the boys as members of any spe-
cial communion. except that Catholics
desire and need confession and mass,
which cannot be supplied by Protestant
cha plains. There are no exclusively
Baptist or Episcopal or Methodist or
Presbyterian services held in the Ameri-
can EXpedit!onary force. Many soldiers
seek baptism and communion: and the
chaplain who believed in immersion ia
likely to bGptise them that way, while
his brother in the next regiment may
baptise by sprinkling. The rite of bap-
tism, and not its mode. is what interests
the soldier. Similarly there are no
closed communions in the army: the
men going forth into battle care moth
ing for ecclesiastical regulations but
everything for the sacrament oommem-
Grating the Savior slain.
As 1t Works Abroad.
Because of her nearness to the bat
tie groundse. Christianity in Great
Britain has been able to interpret close
ly and carefully the Significance of the
deN e'cpments IN the army. Many hun
dreds Of clergymen have been to France
personally. Practically every leader
has done special work among the men.
lnnumerab!e articles and dozens Of
books, as well as thousands of address,
es and scores of conferences, have been
devoted to the religious significances of
the war. The result has been such
spirit OF open.mindednes and tolerance
among the men. Innumerable articles
and dozens of books. as well as thous-
ands of addresses and scores of con
ferences. have been devoted to the reli.
gious significances of the war. The
result has lecn such a spirit of open
mindeGness and tolerance among Christ
ian leaders as Great Britain has never
known before. All the churches have
been clustered and humbled.
Now the Professionalism of Great Brit.
ain has set itself seriously to the task
or ERECTING union of forces. Kindred
bodies VII surely get together. The
union OF all the Scotch. .Presbyteria
churches, for instance, is apparently as
sured. The "Nonconformist" bodies are
busily considering how they may share
in a new conformity to the great ideals
OF Jesus for one church. There are lead
ers in the Established church who free.
ly predict that disestablishment win
follow the war and that the Anglican
church, in new union with Christian
brethren Of all names. is to come to a
new estate of spiritual power.
\ group of leading free churchmen
nave pat forth set of proposals Of q
possible basis for church union in Great
Britain in which they even go TO the
length of admitting that the episcopacy
should be accepted as the form pre-
valling among the majority of English
men. Such a confession from free
churchmen is significant. 1t does not