Evening star., 1960-12-05


delphia, stated clerk Of the CT
able response from numerous
other church leaders, among
them Methodist Bishop John
Wesley Lord Of Washington.
The plan put forth by DR..
Blake, speaking as a minister
and not as q church official,
in his sermon at Grace Episco-
pal Church envisioned union
Of the United Presbyterian
, Church, the Protestant Episco-
pal Church. the Methodist
Church and the United Church
Of Christ. 1t came as the Ma
tional Council Of Churches pre-
pared to open Its triennial
convention here. IS
10 Million Total
1.-THE plan. said Bishop Lord,
"is as shocking as it is Chris
tian. It overcomes with stark
simplicity many of the prob
lens that have perplexed the
separate communions over the
years."
In the world in which we
live, anything that points to-
ward a more effective Christian
, witness is good" the Washing
ton Methodist Bishop said. But.
he added, q great deal Of edu-
cation and study would have
to be made before the proposal
could be adopted by local con-
gregations.
The churches involved have
q combined membership Of 49,
311.587 in 63.58l churches hav-
ing 41,802 ministers. Their in
dividual figures are the Method
ist Church. s,S15,460 members.
1926 churches, 24.381 minis
ters; United Presbyterian. s.
145.733 members. 9.145 church,
es, 1855 ministers; Protestant
Episcopal. 3,126.622 members.
TOLL churches. 4.093 ministers;
United Church of Christ. 2.223.-
1872 members. S.1S9 churches.
5,373 ministers.
The United Church of Christ
was formed in 1857 by the
Union Of the Evangelical and
Reformed Church with the
General Council Of the Congre-
gational Christian Churches.
The two denominations are in
the process Of completing their
merger.
In advancing his revolutionary
proposal. DR.. Blake declared
Protestant churches cannot
afford longer the luxury Of our
historic divisions"
Pointing out that laymen
easily cross UNCONVENTIONAL
lines to worship. the Presby-
terian leader added the recent
presidential election served as
another compelling reason for
his move.
THE religious issue was, you
will remember, quite generally
discussed even though all high
level politicians attempted to
avoid 1t as much as possible, "
Or. Blake said.
Sees Churches Weakened
Nov that the election has
been decided and nobody really
knows how much the religious
question figured in the result.
I recall the issue to remind you
that one result Is clear. Every
Christian church - Protestant.
Orthodox. Anglican and Roman
Catholic-has been weakened
by it.
Never before have so many
Americans agreed that the
Christian churches, divided as
they are, cannot be trusted to
bring to the American people
an objective and authentic word
of God on a political issue.
Americans more than ever see
the churches of Jesus Christ as
competing social groups pulling
and hauling. propagandizing
and pressuring for their own
organizational advantages"
The speaker further MAIN
tanned the step is needed since
not only our country, but "our
culture, our civilization. our
world leadership are under the
materialistic threat Of Marxist
communism" He added this
threat is becoming increasingly |
grave since Americas world
leadership becomes increasingly
confused precisely because its
Christian foundations are un-
dermined and eroded."
DR.. Blake in his statement
urged that the Episcopal and
United Presbyterian Churches
invite the Methodist Church
and the United Church Of
Christ ito form with US a plan
of church union both catholic
and reformed" In using the
word catholic" the speaker
said he meant a church (which
invites catholic and reformed
understandings and practices"
Important principles to be
preserved in, the catholic ira
dition we're historical con-
tinuity" with the church both
before and after the Reformao
ton, adherance to belief in the
Trinity and preservation Of the
sacraments Of holy communion
and baptisms.
Reformed tradition principles
to be kept include continuance
Of the Reformation under the
word of God by the guidance Of
the Holy Spirit" q truly demo-
cratic" church government and
q hospitable welcome to a wide
variety Of theological thought
and worship.
The Right Rev. James A.
Pike, Episcopal Church Bishop
Of California, said DR.. Blake's
a