The Raymer enterprise., 1919-01-23
PASTOR FORECASTS
CHRISTIAN UNITY

w thc same toliiiHulltN' Suen us IN,
Methodist Churches. North anC
South. and the various branches o
the Baptist and other churches II,
declared there is no room for TAG
churches of the same name and creed
in small community. and to estab.
lish them is an economic burden and
injustice to the community
/ The writer's only disagreement
with such statement Is that /, Is
not radical enough. We would ask
the question. Why, in amail eo.l-
munity. should there be two or more
churches with no essential difference
in creed and doctrine, even though
they bear different names? For 9TH
er denominations to force Int msetges
into community where tlrcre Is ono
church already meeting the neots of
the people, is, in our opiulsn. not a
mere economic burden-,t il a sin
and a crime. .0ne of the darkest
pages in the history Of Protestant
Christianity is written With the sto-
ry of bigoted quarrelins between its
, various branches, In which communl-
ty after community has been asked
to sacrifice its wealth, and every
other interest that conreiins COM
munions might be established upon
on opposite corners We recently
heard of a town Of few hundred in.
habitants that had ElG1 churches
No wonder the community yas not
prosperous! One nHrYels that The
town was also able to 3uppht ei1ht
saloons-until The que4liu arises In
the mind whether the saloens were
not a logical outcome OF sleh d cor
dition. .
But brighter 1ay Is In si-ht. VI
indeed, It has not already dawned.
For several years there has been Il
working agreement between leading
denominations In Colorado. that
none Of them will enter II ii,aa al
ready occupied by one Of the others.
But now We are Dassr ~ out of the
mere negative stage of the move
ment. In last SATURDAYS Denver pa
per was the outline tf plan being
now entered into Ey tbs leading
Protestant denominations in this sec
tion. looking forward to the auual
taking out Of all hlt one of Two or
more struggling churches in many
communities. eS lb!ishing one strong
community church IN the place cf
several weak ones The details of
the plan are not clear, but the results
sought are very evident II is Il lie
hoped the plan will be put into sue
cessful operation
Some such plan is already in OPP
alton in certain district in Ohio
Just last week the account came to
our desk. of how the Methodist and
Presbyterian churches in that sec
tion are now at work on a consalida-
tion movement. In several towns
and rural communities the Metho-
dists are going over TO the Presby-
terians. and in others the Presby ter
ians are going over TO the Metho-
dists, making in each case a strong
community church on denomina-
tional basis-a very successful plan
The same plan is to be put in opera
tion in other places between the
Methodists and Baptists, and other
denominations.
But we need not look at far away
districts TO see the movement in op-
Grafton. Within the last few months
the Congregational and Methodist
churches at Julesburg, Colorado,
have formed a federation. worship
ping in one building, and under the
leadership Of one pastor. Moreover,
at Fort Morgan, Brush and Akron.
we are informed. the Methodist and
Presbyterian churches have effected
union for the period Of the war.
Temporary, you say? Granted; but
who would say not prophetic? When
Christians learn they can get along
together better than they can sepa-
rated, how long will they remain di-
vided?
The spirit Of unity has worked
out in many western towns as ii
has in the community in which we
.live-the denominational church es-
tablished there has refused to be
bound by narrow sectarian policy,
and the result is that people OF all
denominations freely unite with it.
and the result Is a true community
church on UNCONVENTIONAL basis.
The economic result has been more
than saving OF wealth and man
power. The unity thus engendered
has fostered a community spirit.