The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-03-14
Conference of Christians Of
All Countries
PLANS DELAYED BY WAR
No Proposal Made Yet To See The
Pcpe-committee Will Doubt
less BE Sent To
Rome.

New York.--A deputatiOn OF the
World Conference of Churches left
here for Europe and the Near East
to make plans for a worldwide con-
ference of all Christian churches of,
all countries. The committee includes
Bishop Charles p. Anderson, of Chi
cago; Bishop Brent, the chaplain
general of the American forces; Bish-
op b. Weller, of Fond du Lac,
Wis; Bishop Vincent, of Cincinnati;
the Rev. Edward Parson, of Cali
fornia, and the Rev Dr.. B. T. Rog-
ers, of Racine, Wis. Bishop Ander
son before leaving made the follow
ing statement:
The general church conference
which met in Cincinnati in 1910 un-
dertook to promote a conference of
all Christian churches, to discuss the
things which separated the churches
as we'll as united them. 1t was the
belief that such a conference would
be the first step toward the unity
and moral efficiency of the Christian
church.
''The congress secured the coop
Grafton of all the, English churches
and all of the leading Protestant
churches in the United States and
the Non-Conformist churches of the
British Empire, as well as that of
the old Catholic churches of Europe.
A deputation was about to visit Eu-
rope and the Near East when the
war broke out. This stopped pro-
ceedings in the meantime, but while
the war has delayed the work it has
created an atmosphere which brings
it more nearly within the bounds OF
practicability.
This deputation is now proceeding
to Europe and the Near East to take
the matter up where it was left off
in 1910, at time when nations are
discussing league of nations the
Christian churches may well con-
slider ways and means of closer CO.
ordination and cooperation and of
giving utterance to the international
Christian conscience"
Bishop Anderson said that no plans
as yet had been made to see the Pope,
but that no doubt the committee
would proceed to Rome. When asked
if he expected the conference to be
able to establish an International
church, and If there were not cer-
tain creeds that opposed the idea he
answered, that extremes were often
more comparable than similarities.
Bishop Weller delivered an address
in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin,
in West Forty-sixth street, in which
he outlined the forming of the
church league along lines similar to
those embodied in the proposed
league OF nations, in which Roman
Catholic, Greek, Russian and Prot
estant might get together and CO.
operate in Christian work as
brethren
"The people here may think it inn
possible for such league to be
brought about" said Bishop Weller.
They may believe us engaged in an
impossible task, though hoping that
our mission may not be futile.
THE idea of a league of nations
was laughed at, yet our beloved Pres
ident Wilson said that 1t was not an
impossibility and the conferees at
Paris actually agreed upon pro-
posed constitution for such league.
Things that seem impossible become
possible when men work single-mind-
eddy for the good of their fellows and
to the glory of God. so let us humbly
beseech Him for His help and guild
ance, for the presence of His Spirit
and the overshadowing of His cloud
by day, His pillars of FIRE by night,
that in His strength we may go for
ward"
Bishop Weller has been working
for nine years to bring churches to-
gsther.