REUNION OF CHRISTENDOM

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16426, 21 January 1919, Page 4

REUNION OF CHRISTENDOM

TO THE KTIITOR OF "TUB TRESS." Sir, —Tho Rev. Charles Perry, in a letter under the nbove heading, pleads for a stream of intercession during tho coming -week in the cause of Christian unity. ' I should bo one of the -first to bo glad if such a consummation could be attained, but I cannot forgot! that, a few'mouths ago, in a sermon preached in St. Michael's, the same reverend gentleman said in cffcct that those of tho Anglican boliri" held that tho Anglican Churcn was the only m um church, and that all others who did uot belong to that communion were schismatics in a stato of anarchy. Unfortunately, I have mislaid the report of his sermon, but the fiies can be looked up if necessary. Now, 1 should say that one of the first necessities in order that such an ideal could be even envisaged wouid be. that we all should divest our mincis of such prejudices. Christianity is. I think, a vital growing thing and cannot be defined at any period of time in such a way as to preclude any change of belief.-If ivo make a change there must be room for individual interpretation of the meaning of Christ's teaching, and room, also, for the inclusion of modern additions to tho Scriptures. "We forget, lam afraid, that tho Biblo is not a finished book, but that Christ's gospel is continually being Avrittcn. It.is for our master minds to recommend what is good and to expurgate all that is hasty or'illconsidered, never forgetting that, .as Emerson savs: "Life is not dialectics. . . Lifo is not intellectual or critical, but sturdy." Tho rarac writer in.the same essay says: "Dedieatipn to one thought is quickly odious" . . . and that "The child asks, 'Mamma, why don't 1 like the story as well as when you told it ino yestercday?' 'Alas, "child, it is c.veii to with the Oldost cherubim of knowledge." These-probr able truths, must not be forgotten it a new sympathetic systerii of religious beliefs is to bo a success. If members of tho' different '"religious" sects could only bring " themselves to ' understand what, a pitiable spectacle it must 'be to absolute intelligence to behold their puny intelligences claiming that only their interpretation of Christ's (caching and of God's ideas for the governance of the universe is nearest to that of absolute knowledge. I think they would have taken moro than ohe step towards tho consummation which your correspondent refers to. ' . - ,

As things arc at present- there is a good deal of truth in the-following old Irish story: There were- tliroo officers living in one house, and Paudyeen jCriona was servant to thorn, There were no two of them of the same-reli-gion, and there used often "to be a dispute among them—and every man of thorn saying that it was his own religion was the best religion. Olie day a man of them said, 'We'll leave it to wise Paudyeen as to which of us has the best religion.' 'We're satisfied,' said the other two. They called in Paudyeen. and one of them said, 'Paudyeen, - I'm a Catholic, and. what will happen to me alter my death?' "'l'll tell you that,' says Paudyeen. 'You'll be put down into tho grave, and vou'll rise again, - and • go up to the gate of Heaven; Peter will egmc out and will ask you, 'What religion are you of:'' Vou'll tcil .him, and he'll " say, 'Go and sit in that corner among, the Catholics.' " 'I'm a Protestant, 1 said the second • man, 'and wliat'll happen to me.alter my death?'

"'Exactly as the other man. You will bo put sitting in the corner of-the Protestants!' " 'I'm a Hebrew,' said the third man, 'and what will happen to ino after my death?' "Exactly as the other two; you will be put sitting amongst the Hebrew,s." Xow-there was no ono of them better off than the other as Paudycen left them, and so the Catholic said to Paudycen. "Paudycen, what's your own religion?" "I have-no religion." says he. '"And whnt'll happen to you after your death?"

"I'll tell you that. I shall be put down into the hole. I shall rise again and go ut> to the gate of Heaven. Peter will come out "and ask me, '01' what religion are you ' I will say that I have no religion at all. and Peter will sav then. \'Como in and sit down, or walk about in any place that you have a wish for.'" —"\nnrs. etc., CATHOLIC.