Evening star., 1932-02-21
Millions Are Affected
By Church Unity Move
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CONTINUED From Third Page.)
| bodies looking toward organic union. ="
Progress has been made particularly
with the Reformed Church of America
and the Presbyterian Church OF the
United States of America.
Baptist Church Movements.
A proposal to bring closer together
the Northern Baptist Convention and
the Disciples Of Christ brought favor
able reports in 1929. but in 1880 the
Baptists took q negative action and
decided not to continue its negotiating
committee.
In Canada the union of the Metho-
dist. the Congregational and the Pres
byter1an bodies In united church Is
well known, and after six years Of ex-
istence has apparently worked to the
satisfaction OF q majority.
In China there Is now In existence
"The Church of Christ in China" a
! union Of l6 denominational groups,
! representing missionary efforts by the
churches Of the United States, Canada,
England, Scotland. Ireland and New
Zealand. 1t includes the Baptists, the
! first time this group has united with
n-Baptist denominations. With 49,
900 members. each local church is au-
tonOmOuS.
In 1929 the United Evangelical
Church Of the Philippines was formed
by the union Of the Presbyterians, the
Congregationalists and the United
Brethren In the islands.
Perhaps the most significant union
proposal and one that will determine
to q large measure the future Of large
unity movements is the plan of church
union proposed by South India. DR..
Cavert. writing in "The Handbook Of
the Churches" published every few
years as a Survey Of the churches in
action" describes this important prof.
ect as follows:
If the plan should be consummated
it would be the first union combining
churches that emphasize the tradition
Of the undivided church with churches
that emphasize the heritage Of the
Reformation. To state the situation
more precisely, the South India pro-
pOsal contemplates q union between
the Anglican Church on the one hand
and the Methodist. Presbyterian and
Congregational groups on the other.
Path Long Prepared.
1.-THE path for such an experimenting
union was prepared more than 20 years
ago by the formation Cin 1909 Of the
South India United Church. itself q
union Of the Presbyterian. Reformed
and Congregational bodies in that area,
growing out of American. English and
Scottish missions. Subsequently the
congregations Of the Basel Mission en-
tered into the united body. The new
plan for q much wider union would
provide for the merger Of this United
Church Of South India with the Church
Of England in India and Ceylon and
the Provincial Synod OF the wesleyan
Methodist Church"
The proposed scheme Of union took
the official governing bodies OF the
respective ecclesiastical groups for their
approval or disapproval. The union. II
ratified, would bring into the one
church over 448.0O0 baptized Chris
tians with additional adherents. bring
ing the total constituency up to nearly
| 100000.
In England, the Church of Scotland
and the United Free Church both Pres
byterian, came together again in 1929
as a single body after a disruption
dating from 1843.
Remarkable progress has been made
in uniting Methodist churches in Eng
land. Not many years ago there were
five: the Wesleyan. the Primitive, the
United Free. the New Connection, the
Bible Christian. Later there were only
three: the Wesleyan, Primitive and the
United. In September of this year
there will be but one. The last stage
Of reunion is nearing its close.
In foreign lands many denominations
find themselves united in missionary
work. In Japan, for example, the Pres
byterian and Reformed Churches form
one Church of Christ. All branches of
Methodism in Japan similarly conSti-
tute single church. In India the Lu-
therans are united into one family Al
most everywhere abroad there is CO.
operation.
International Agencies Work.
It would be a mistake to discuss
unity trends without noting the inter
national agencies working to promote
closer relations. In 1925 the interna-
tional ''life and work" conference was
held in Stockholm; in 1927 the meet
ing on faith and order in Lausanne
broke the way for free discussion of
theological approaches to organic
union; and in 1928. the Jerusalem con-
ference brought together worldwide
that each of these gatherings should be
repeated in ten years. Already plans
are being made for another world con-
ference of the Stockholm type in 1885
In America there are the following
agencies for Christian Unity: The Ad
Interim Committee on Organic Union.
the Rev. Joseph A. Vance, Detroit,
Mich, president: the Association for the
Promotion Of Christian Unity. with Of
! fees at Indianapolis, Ind: the Chris
tian Unity Foundation. 70 Fifth avenue;
the Christian Unity League, an active
group headed by the Rev. DR.. Peter
Ainslie Of Baltimore, Md: the American
headquarters of the Continuation Com
Faith and Order. and the Federal
Council of Churches.
Add to these groups such ecclesiaS-
tical Protestant agencies as the ALI
ance Of Reformed Churches Through
out the World Holding the Presbyterian
/ System. the Baptist World Alliance of
10 1000, 900 Baptists, the Ecumenical
Methodist Conference, the sixth OF
which was held last Fall in Atlanta,
bringing together all the Methodists OF
the world: the International Congrega-
tional Council, the International Con-
gress Of Religious Liberals. the Inter-
NATIONAL Missionary Council. the LAM
beth Conference tmeets every decade
and brings all bishops Of ANGLICAN
communion together), the World
Brotherhood Federation, the Universal
Christian Conference on Life and
Work, and the Lutheran World Con-
vention. Of 100000 Lutherans, OF
which the Rev. DR.. John A. Morehead
Of New York Is president.
The religious lives of millions OF
Christian believers are affected in some
Vay or another by this tremendous
move for unity, and millions of dollars
in missionary funds and budgetary
needs Of the superstructures are in
| volved.
St. Pauls Safe at Last.
Altar IT voare of uork costing nearly