The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-06-05
THE INTER-CHURCH DRIVE

AS announced recently thirty
different denominations have
launched a huge campaign to raise
considerably over one billion dol
lars for the purpose Of "Christian-
izing' the world. As one writer
expresses it, this tremendous sum
will form a crystal lake of golden
waters into which the chief gar
deners will dip freely and deeply
to sprinkle the whole earth. The
result, presumably, will be the rem
ovation Of the human race.
Is it not just possible, however,
that the race will 90 on it's way
unregenerated, in spite Of the
magic stream that will irrigate
it's surface. Christianity, if it
means anything, surely means the
doctrine of Christ, the saving
teachings given by the Redeemer
to lead men to salvation. Chris
tianity is not divided into vari-
Gus brands all equally good, like
so many makes, for example, of
typeWriters. each of which is serv-
iceable and able to produce excel
lent results. The code left us by
Christ the Head of the Christian
Church, is one and one only.
Now, according to the plan Of
the inter-church movement, a col
ossal sum of money is to be turned
into the channels of thirty differ
ent forms of what they please to
call Christianity. This money
will vivify the stream of religion,
will raise the tide and cause it to
overflow upon the arid lands
where paganism, atheism, ration
alism (and perhaps Catholicism
thrive. The pagan will see the
error of his way and will pitch
his gods into the junk heap. The
Buddhist will have his eyes open
ed and will consign Buddha to
the realm Of broken toys. The
dragon god will go the way of
worn out automobiles, and the
negro of Africa will stand the
medicine man on end and feed him
to the sacred serpent. For all
these peoples will be ''Christian-
ized,' at least in a negative sense
they will have been deprived of
their false gods and outlandish
beliefs.
But just what will these new
"Christians' believe positively
Will they accept one or two or
more sacraments as some OF the
denominations do? Will they
join with the Presbyterians and
shout predestination, or with the
Unitarians, or the Methodists, or
the Seventh Day Adventists, OF
the Episcopalians, or other forms
of "Christianity?' Will theil
patron saints be John Knox, OF
Charles Wesley, or Henry VIII
or Calvin? Presumably each con
vert will be handed a bible and
told to 60 to it. Some Of these
neophytes may possess sufficient
acumen to see in the bible men
ton Of the Real Presence, and they
will fall in with the High Church
people. Others may find justlfica
ton to retain their numerous lie
male chattels and dignity these
with the title of wives. At any
rate, if deluded African become:
peeved with his Malinda he cal
turn her loose and marry another
after a little legal parley, just az
is done by so many "Christians
in civilized lands.
| 1t is not quite clear just how
the various denominations are go
ing to make the natives under
stand that one religion is as goo(
as another. To be sure, they dc
| that now in mission lands to SOM
extent; but this drive is going t.
bring all together, and there shall
be thirty folds and the Lord onl,
| knows how many shepherds. Ap
parently outside Of this one scor
and ten folds there will be NJ
salvation, and woe betide the be
nighted infdel who hopes TO
eternal bliss in any religion no
| sanctioned by the committee 0
/ thirty.
! Seriously, one grieves to thin]
| that these so-called Christian de
nominations have spent so mucl
money in perpetuating their dis
| sensions and infnsing them broad
cast into the spiritual being Of IN
told millions Of their fellow mel
Z