Putnam patriot., 1927-12-29
CAN THE CHURCHES UNITE" PASTOR ASKS
Rev. E. s. Lyon, Thompson, Urges Unity As Means To
 Greater Efficiency
Says Divided Church Can Never Over
 come Colossal Problem

Rev. Everett S Lyon. pastor of the church q Thompson Hill preach cd last Sunday on the topic "Can the Churches Unite 9'' He took his text from John 15s2i-.I pray that they may all be one.
 This is he mamentous question of the day Forty percent Of our ru- raj churches today are actually los ing ground. and The chief reason is that there are t80 many churches and too much Ve.stcful denoutnatianal rivalry kaaW If one town of only sdD peoYle Ho are striving 10 sup mort five ehurehHs The result is that all Avr ekdrehts are rendered help Iess and inefficient. l heiieVe that the churches oa#ht to take definite sfgps f8Wafd dniHHg heeaase ' weuHd make for far n re efficient church. Abraham Lincoln after h#s mafriaee became interested in religion and de eidcd fo jon I certain church. But his eiHe discover tHat # was mol q church sf her denomination wept all thai night and iineein as a result never Joined any church Denomina tfona1ism has kept great many from the Christian church We sing allke mighty army maFes the church q God. But we cannot sing | with sincerity The Christian church rather marches iH several detached regiments each With its nwn leaders and is own program fhis eughi never to b.. l believe that thc churches ought t5 unite because the doctrines that divided them are no lenger essential We are slowly learning that it is not what man be lisves but what he is chat counts. am not particularly interested in your creed but am interested iH your lIfes The dividing lines, the denomination nj barriers are happily breaking down <. Parks eadman was once asked @bg he changed his denominational pre- ference He replied The fence Was sa chm that l fell through - That is exactly what k happening today The -eetarian fences are getting s5fz thin today believe also that Che churches ought to unite because # wa the prayer and the plan Of 1esus hat jhey should be united He Effs= cd that "thes might all be one.
 Victory h Unity
 The recent conference tt Eaa san ne Nas disapp to many. T. seem as f sha repre- eatatkes who Vaff Ihere stressed Their differences rather than thar imilar.ties. The conference as f-.r as ean see has done
 hiHu tB aHi#e me eseral dean= niaaliaa. under tbs banner If Christ B8 diEided church in the faee of zHe colossal problems of today can a =Ver eauQa t6e world of Christ. Gu'v [ united church can emerge vic erjauz In eaf 3eu1miHananal dIs= pat=s of the Razf We have made the as5sfafe of throwing away the pearl and uelfiHe each other with shells. Nc have been qHarreline about the shape ai the glass into which the water Of life should be poured We ail believe iu Jesus and that is enough. Loyalty ta Christ lS the one requi- site In the wonderful age m which We live when sclence Is making amaz- ing strides. let the church also ven tura nto new and unexplored country and dare 10 attempt the seemingly impossible and match the modern miracles af science by uniting all it's forces under one great spiritual brotherhood. with q power which will shake empires from their hinges and topple thrones of mammon. For only united church can lift the world tp God