El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-04-09

TIVE OF six years ago The Herald advocating closer
church unity, printed editorial asserting that the
church as institution the most wastetu oganiza-
lion II America, Of its Implications and overlap
ping efforts. At that time, practically every minister
then IN the CITY took issue win Inc heIal As memory
recalls, Rev. Perry J. Rice stood alone IN support Of The
Heralds declaration
Today the churches Of FL Paso are following the plan
The Herald then suggested Monday night they had vel
attended meeting IN the Sheldon dining for the
purpose Of furtheTng it. The movement Is national
awaste must be eliminated; duplication must cease" is
the battle cry.
This is lust what The Herald said in that uuch-crt-
cised editorial five OF six years ago.
The Herald decried then as the ministers are doing
now the astefulness of competing churches II comun
ties unable support than such organization It
deced the efforts Of denominations to proseyte
in missionary districts not large enough for one The
church organizations are themselves decying this very
thing today.
Why Just think Of it, At Monday nights meeting,
Methodist minister serving small congregation IN Orchard
Park asked for help to better the people In his
ueighborhood and Presbyterian minister made motion
that be be helped and Christian minister seconded It An
Episcopalian Presbyterian and Christian layan
look the project with him and make recon-
7nendations This is practical Christianity The Metho
dist established and is doing work that is worth while
The Others without attempting to get into the field,
going to help him increase the value of his work One
church be left to DO the work In that neghbohood
which is It should be- Now, then, let Presoyterla
be helped ont somewhere else IN similar work; Chris
tan somewhere else Baptist somewhere else Then every
dollar contributed fOr church work VII be made TO count
with the little church IN Orchard Park would sooner OF la
ter have found himself working for members AGAINST
Baptist a Presbyterian and probably Methodist Of
other denomination Church money would nave been
WASTED in a duplication Of work; energy would have
been WASTED IN the way There would have been
several struggling organizations none OF them able to pay
pastor As one speaker at Monday nights meeting put
It. asuch thing is crime against religion" instead Of
help religion But it has existed Tor years and years
and years
In the broad sense It should be and Is the first duty of
the church to bring people God The Herald does not
believe God concerned about how they brought to
Him Just long as the people themselves I've night and
do night
AfffHatiou With a church makes nan woman bet
ter Il he she lives mp to its teachings and preps But
is something that IS disgusting IN ne sight OF the non
converted He she is liable to think and
say: "Wel when the churches divided among them
selves, how to know what IS the ught church, what
the night beIef? Isn't this fair assumption for the
When the churches, as another speaker said Monday
night think about service to and less about
service church. they VIII be reaching higher ideal
They VII be getting upon plane where they do the
most good It the duty OF the church to combat EVIL
and church fight EVIL, how muck greater fight
can the combined churches put up? By lettering civic
conditions BY combined action the churches making
better community and sowing the seeds for better o
zenshp They doing the work that their creator would
If Cod is the God we all profess to believe Hin to BE-
He IS not going 10 judge woman by his denOmi
national connections He is going to judge BY deeds
man live in the image Of God q Baptist Catholic
Methodist believing In any Of the other creeds so
numerous IN the Christian world
And becoming Of these does not change wo-
unless they themselves changed IN heart Mere
utilization with organization does not make Chris
tan as from example the world well knows There are
many good men and wOmen-Chrstians every that
Cod demands Of men and women-who not members
OF churches. But the church keeps woman IN
touch with his religion it is reminder Of his duty;
him others who trying do night and that
reason alone, there other would make It the
greatest influence In the world for civilization. Every
should affiliate with church and live
up to its Christian demands.
Divided it has been, and yet standing as an in /
uencs that has swayed the world much greater
influence be If 1t unitesi Only the far vsionsd