The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-02-07

is extremely doubtful
Almost within our time a number
Of denominations have sprung into
existence
II has been less than a century
sine the Mormon or Church OF Lat.
ter Day Saints" was founded. It had
: its birth within the very hearing Of
the daily newspapers and under the
very shadow of our higher institutions
Of learning, though its founder is said
10 have been entirely illiterate; he
had dreams and saw visions, yet so
conceived, this church has drawn into
its fold some very wise men and able
statesmen and its adherents are busy
in many parts Of the country on pro
selyting tours
Alexander Campbell, the founder Of
the Christian church, or Disciples
of Christ" but for long time known
as Complexities" died since the
close of our civil war.
This church is now to be reckoned
with. 1t numbers its membership by
hundreds of thousands and is particu
larly strong in Virginia Tennessee
and Kentucky. Its growth has been
marvellous
The Salvation Army, whose drum
and tambourine are now heard
around the world, is of comparatively
modern origin and the Christian
Science church is of yet still later
origin.
In Chicago alone the Christian
Scientists have sixteen big congre.
cations; their churches are very mag
nifcent and have a seating capacity
Of several thousand.
Notwithstanding the tendency for
differentiation in religious matters,
now that il seems possible TO diffuse
the blessings Of democracy over the
world. some few faithful ones believe
that it is possible 10 have "unif-
cation of the churches"
There was recently held in New
York City a meeting Of a number Of
very eminent members of quite a
number of different religious bodies.
There was one delegate from Cairo,
Egypt
DR.. Arthur L. Brown Of New York
was the first speaker.
"A divided church." he said can
never save the world"
Further along he said:
at is treason to set the various
creeds against each other just as it
would have been treason to set the
allies against each other"
He concluded by saying:
Let US have a united church Of
the living God"
DR.. E. Earle Taylor, chairman of
twenty odd Protestant denominations
throughout the country reported that
the committee had unanimously adop-
ted a report for an interchurch world
movement to be participated in by
the home and foreign mission boards
and societies Of the churches of the
United States and Canada The pur
pose is TO present uniform program
of Christian service and 10 unite tho
Protestant churches Of North Ameri-
ca into the performance of a common
task, thus making available the value
Of spiritual power which comes from
unity and coordination Of Christian
efforts TO meet the unique opportuni-
ties of the new era"
Sc along the same lines in recent
sermon, DR.. John Hayes Holmes of
New York, pastor CT the Church of
the Messiah, spoke to his congrega-
ton as follows:
IF the great world war has reveal
ed anything in religion it is that the
sectariap divisions CT Christendom
are no longer to be tolerated; in the
furious fires of battles, Presbyterians,
Methodists, Episcopalians, Unitar.
lans, Catholics and Jews have been
melted and now flow in a single fam
ing stream into the mould which shall
fashion them into single casting
So one Of our Ocala pastors is op-
tlmistic enough to believe that some
Of US viii live to see a "unifcation Of
the churches
AND he said in substances that
when that time comes how much net
Ter it VIII he than to see the followers.
OF Christ going TO worship in opposite
directions handful here and a little
bunch over there. instead Of the
! whole community going 70 one crowd.