New Britain herald., 1918-12-07
League of Churches

| The Christian church has come
| forth with new message of unity
! and inspiring revelation. Though the
! common fight and heartrending suffer-
| ings Of ell races during the great war
| Never before in the history of the
| world the various denominations of
| the universal church, were brought
| to realize the vital necessity of CO.
| operation in service for the common
| task of enforcing the ideals of free
| dom, justice and righteousness, which
are the foundations of the Kingdom of
| God on earth. And today at the
! dawning of reconstruction, there is a,
! silent but firm demand by the
| people of all churches for CO.
! operative and united work.
| In the political life of the nations
we are Witnessing a gigantic co-opera-
| ton and alliance for the common
| cause and purpose of securing justice
| for all. The League of Nations can
| truly be realized only through the
| League of Churches, all over the
world. 1t would be a pitiable and
/ sarcastic sight to see a church teach
; ing the idea of brotherhood among
| nations, when her own efforts at unity
of action are limited to but a few
minor organizations. Is the work of
| the Christian church of less in1por-
lance than the other activities of man
kind, that we need not bring to it
the same united effort which has
worked wonders of success in other
| fields? Can we rightly be followers
of Him, who said: Love one another"
if we allow our little and petty differ
cnces to keep us away from united
action, at this time of the worlds
crying for the united work of the
churches, can we still say: II am of
Paul, or l am of Apollos?" There is
one task, one Lord, one allegiance,
and to that everything else must be
in subjectiOn Our noble armies were
sufficiently strong to defeat those of
our enemies but to conquer a people
we must bind the hearts, as we'll as
their hands. 1t is the love of Christ
and His Kingdom which in the end
will thoroughly conquer the world.
What a wonderful opportunity to-
day lies before the church of Christ!
The spirit of the Invnsnble Captain
has worked in the hearts of all the
Allied troops and their leaders in the
four long years Of the great war.
In his response to the message Of the
Federal Council of the Churches of
Christ in America, delivered by Rev.
DIR. Mcfarland, General Pershing de-
clared: THE ideal of the nations and
of the churches is constantly before
us. We know that mere wealth Of re
sources or even of technical skill will
not suffice. The invisible and uncon-
querable force let loose by the prayers
and hopes and ideals of Christian
america is incalcuIable. 1t furr shes
the soul and motive for the military
body and it's operations" Thus DIR.
Macfarland found Foch, Haig, Per
shing and Joffre, not only great gen
erals, conducting the campaign of
ineVita BILE victory, but men who them
selves humbly walked with the living
God possessing that spiritual reVer-
ence and faith which is the soul of
the Christian church. 1t is said that
Marshal F'och never failed in his
daily devotional and prayers. Now
who knows or who particularly cares |
what are these generals denomina-
tional affiliations? What the world
knows and what the world cares about
Is that the Christian spirit is enjoy
ing a vigorous life in the souls of |
these great men whose committal to
the principles of Christian liberty, |
justice and righteousness mean as |
much to the world of the next gem |
Grafton as those of any man now |
living.
There is today new Interpretation |
of membership in the Church of !
Christ, whether Catholic or Protes +
tant; a new appreciation of the minis |
ter as a real prophet To be a MEM |
Der of any church today is no mere [
profession Of faith or certain creed. !,
1t is and will be the possession by !
faith, which is alert enough to drive |
the human soul with eagerness of |
mighty and worthwhile attraction to
it's appointed place for service.
These immediate days and years
for the members of all churches are
full with unprecedented opportunity.
May God give us the eye to see, the
heart to love, and the will to do the
divine bidding, that what the spirit
saith to the churches may be inter
preted by each church in its own
tongue, delivering the great common
message to the world.
REV. G. M. MISSIRIAN.
Stanley Memorial Church,
December z, 1918.