Milford chronicle., 1948-06-11

tnaC 1OunQatlon on
which all Christian
churches were built. Those details
were of but little real consequence.
AS a small boy in the 1905 and
1SSOs I lived in a Methodist par
sonage. Father was a Methodist
preacher. In our small village were
two churches, Methodist and Pres
byterian.
ReligiOuSly the members of the
two congregations did not mix.
The members of each were firm
ly convinced that those who at
tended the other church were
travelling the highway Is perdi-
tiOn. To them creed, an inter-
probation, was Of greater impOr-
tance than the foundation on
which both denominations were
built. Religious evolution, not
revolution, has changed that con-
ditiOn.
Some years ago, I have forgotten
how many, I attended, as a news
paper writer, a great religious con-
gress held on the Iron Pier at At
lantic City, N. ]. Every state, every
denomination, was represented
among the more than 5000 people
present. The purpose was to unity
by a revolution the efforts of the
Christian churches. It was pro-
posed to reduce the number of
churches, retaining in each COM
munity only what its needs called
for, and those retained to be with
out denominational creeds. Mis-
sionary work in pagan lands was
to be consolidated. One strong
mission was to replace the many
weak ones.
well remember the ardor and
enthusiasm with which non-existent
and unavailable billions Of dollars
were appropriated to carry out
such a revolutionary program in.
Guiding more than a billion for for
eign missions and more than half a
billion to propagandize the program
in this country. It was a noble con-
ceptlon, but as a revolution it was
impractical. It did not get any
farther than the voting Of those nom
existent dollars.
What revolution did not accom-
plish evolution is accomplishing.
Faith, not creed, is today the
dominant factor in the work of
the Christian churches. There are
now few, if any, religious ha-
treds; few if any, intOlerances.
Creeds remain, to be sure, but to-
day they are but secondary to
that foundation of religious faith
on which the Christian religion is
built.
Today the ministers and the
members of practically all de-
nominations work together for a
common purpose. The details of
creed Interpretation are largely for
gotten. Ministers and !aymen now
recognize that the foundation, built
on the rock Of faith, is supporting
all the denominational superstruc-
lures; that all are travelling the
same highway, leading to the same
end. The bitterness between de-
nominations, a bitterness caused by
the details Of Interpretation, has
largely given way to unified effort
and all join together in one spiritual
advance. Yes, evolution is accom-
plishing what revolution, as l saw
it planned at Atlantic City, failed
to accomplish. Evolution has done
that desired job without sowing any
seeds Of bitterness that revolution
undoubtedly would have planted.
Today creed, the Superstructure
Of the Christian faith, means but
little. It is the foundation that
counts and the foundation is the
same for all Christian churches.
Juke box manufa cturers are fear
ful that the nations rearmament
activities will cut down on mate
rials used in production Of luke
boxes. May their fears be we'll
founded.
Corn has replaced cotton as the
holder of first place in the use of
store bought fertilizer.
An evidence of culture-serving
on radio quiz crew.
It is far more profitable for
the builder to sell the $1,000 cost
house for $12, 900 or better than to
rent it on the basis of a $1,000
value. Especially is that true
when the banks, backed by a fed
eral government guarantee, will
supply the purchase price and the
buyer assumes q mortgage, with
monthly payments of $40 and mp
running for a period of 25 or more