Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-05-22
UNCONVENTIONAL UNION

What is described as the most important action taken
by any religious denomination in years was that taken
at Columbus, Ohio, yesterday, when the general assembly
of the Presbyterian church adopted resolutions urging
the organizations Of all the evangelical denominations in
the United States.
Something Of the significance Of this action may be
appreciated when we reflect on the fact that it is not
long since the spirit of Reconsideration was so strong
that it was not at all uncommon for the pastor Of one de-
nomination to refuse to sit on the same platform with the
pastor Of another in the same community, and on the fur
Their fact that the Presbyterian church is not only one Of
the strongest but one Of the most conservative religious
bodies in the country.
1t is true that in some measure the denominations
have always been in a state of flux. New denominations
were created because OF differences of opinion among the
members Of an existing organization on points of doctrine
or Of church government. Often the new denominations
grew in numbers and influence, and several might origi-
nate from the same parent stem. Then, when there had
been time for old antasonisms to fade, efforts at reunion
were quite common, and in several cases some form Of
reunion has been effected. A quarter of a century ago
in Canada the half dozen groups into which the Method
list church had been divided were united in a single or
sanizauon. There is now in progress in that country a
movement for a union of three of the more important
churches. In this country the Civil war caused many
divisions. and we still have the Methodist church and the
Methodist church South. and the Presbyterian church
and the Presbyterian church South.
As a rule the efforts at union have been confined to
those churches which were really branches Of the one
great organization, as in the reunion Of all the Methodist
churches in Canada, and the recent union of the three
great branches of the Lutheran church in this country.
The plan now soberly proposed, and approved by the
Presbyterian assembly, goes much farther than this, for
its purpose is to include in a single organization all the
so-called evangelical churches.
One effect of the application Of this plan would be
to facilitate the movement which has already gained con-
siderable Roadway under the form Of church federation
where. in a particular locality, several weak churches are
combined into one strong one, and in the working agree
ment under which one church will rot establish a So
ciety in a field which is already we'll covered.
To the casual observer it does not appear probable
that such a revolutionary movement would be carried
to completion in the very near future. But the action
just taken by the Ptesbyterians is likely to have a strong
influence in that direction. Further, we are moving
prettiy rapidly in these days, and the spirit which is pro-
ducing swift and tremendous changes in our social, poMt-
ical and. economic life is also at work in the field of re-
ligious thought, and the great federation which is now
solemnly proposed may be much nearer than many Of us
think, ii.