Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-11-25
ONE CREED FOR
ALL CHURCHES
NOT POSSIBLE
Rev. Mr.. Leavens of the 0pin.
ion That Christians Cam
not All Fight Under
One Banner.

Speaking on "Evangelicals, and Ii
berals," at the First Unitarian
church Sunday morning, the pastor
Rev. Robert F. Leavens, in part,
said:
Nations and churches are pass
ing through the same process, try
ins to find way to live and work
together without fighting. Imperial
ism is impossible for the churches
of Christendom as for the nations
of the earth. They will never unite
under the dominion of one divinely
appointed ruler, or under the BAN
ner of one creed.
"A happy beginning has been
made in Omaha in the federation OF
the churches. The terms of member
ship were as liberal as could be de-
sired until motion was passed re-
stricting the membership to Evan
gelicals," which was defined as
meaning those who believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior
of the world"
Some Modest Claim.
Someone has said that the Uni
tarians disciaim being either Chris
tan of evangelical. Where did he
get his authority? If to be a
Christian means to measure up to
the fullness of the stature of the Man
of Nazareth, we are not Christian,
nor is any church or any nation.
But if it means to honor and revere
the name of Jesus, to try to follow
his example and live as he lived.
we have some modest claim to that
title.
But the principle for which we
stand in this issue is that for which
the Pilgrims came to America, re-
ligious liberty, 'feedom to worship
Cod Any official creed, any doc
trine imposed as a condition of
membership is a violation Of re-
ligious liberty. Creeds have been
the cause of strife, persecution, dis
honesty, and have impeded the
growth of mems minds and souls.
1t is for the sake of honesty, spir-
itual growth, and unity of purpose
that we appeal to all churches to
rid themselves of the incubus of
creeds. 1t is a moral principle and
not a doctrinal question for which
we are contending.
Back Turned on Church.
"This sticking for creeds is an
illustration of the pettiness, weak
ness. and inefficiency of the church.
From France come many reports
that our young men in the army
have forgotten their creeds and
found God, and are bitter against
the church for having done no bet
ter by them than it did. Not only
soldiers, but also wage-earners, bus
mess men, and professional men in
large numbers have turned their
backs upon the church. are bitter
against it, disguised with it, or hold
it up to ridicule. Whose fault is it
that the church has not done its
duty? 1t is first of all the fault of
the people in the churches, but not
theirs alone. Even more to blame
are the men and wome outside the
churches for permitting it by their
neglect to be inefficient.
Especially the men and women
of ability and vision, of big minds
and big hearts, are at fault, for they
can see that the church is not what
it should be, yet never lift a hand
to help in making it what it might
be.
"The church is not a private en-
terprise; it belongs to the public.
Less than one-half of the public rs
inside the church; more than one
half is outside. And the response
bility for its weakness is divided
between the two in exactly that pro-
portion. The outside public is more
than half to blame.