UNION OF THE CHURCHES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1837, 25 August 1913, Page 11

UNION OF THE CHURCHES.

SERMON AT WESLEY CHURCH.

In Wesley Church yesterday evening tho Eev. J. G. Chapman, preaching from tho text, "That they all may be otlo," advocated tho union of tho Churches. He deprecated the watering down of our Lord's Prayer to mean merely "a unity of spirit in tho band of peace." He believed that our Lord prayed for a unified Church. When told that that was an ideal to aim at, but an idoal impossible of realisation, he contended that an ideal which was unroalisablo ceased to bo an idoal, and was a mirage and a mockery. Tho fact that all Christians lament tho divisions _ of tho Church, and pray that such divisions might bo healed, is an evidence that they regard a divided Church as a calamity." How the angels must wonder when they hear us sing: j "Wo are not divided, AH om body wc." The 'Churches are not ripe for organic union, it is sometimes urged. But what is being done to create the necessary conditions for union P It cannot bo tlio mind of Christ to perpetuate tHioso unhappy divisions, which misrepresent tho spirit of Christianity, burlesque its principles, waste its resources, and hinder its work. Wo aro urged to promote "a unity of spirit" among tho Churches as the best means of securing corporate union. This phrase, 1 'unity of spirit," is tlhe Devil s proverbial red herring drawn across our path to divert, our attention from tho real union, for which Christ prayed. Unity, of spirit is possible only where organic union obtains. Before Methodist Union in New ■Zealand, Methodists fraternised in a timiid sort of way, but they looked the while with suspicion on one . another; watcilicd one another with jealous eyes, lest one should steal a march on the others. No matter how much they talked about "unity of spirit," it did not e.\ist among them. But since organic union has come, there aTe no jealousies, suspicions, or rivalries. Some of tho tilings which block the way to orgajiic union are—(l) Traditions. Ho would not speak slightingly of traditions, but organic union would not abolisfh tho traditions bv the different Churches. Traditions, however, are only circumstantials; Christ did not permit tho "traditions by the elders" to prevent Him from carrying out His work. He taught in the very teotli of them, and brushed them aside when they liinderod the progress of tlio Kingdom of God. "Yo have heard that it was said of old time. ... but I say unto you." (2)

Organic unity would mean uniformity of worship, and you cannot make peoplo all worship alike. Visit tlio Methodist churches in tho city, and they would find not uniformity, but variety of modes of worship. A Motliodist could worship in a Presbyterian Church and scarcely detect any difference from his .own Church. (3) Tlio Churches arc not lipe for union. Moro's the pity; more's the shame. But there are difficulties. Yes, but they are not insurmountable. What is thoro to prevent a union between tho Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational and Methodist Churches i Doctrinally, wo agrco on fundamentals; 011 circumstantials, wo can exercise charity. Immersion may loom large on tho union horizon, but that difficulty is not insuperable. If a man went to him and said: "I feel it incumbent on mo to confess my Saviour by being immersed." He would reply: "Very we'll, I am prepared to immerse you." Though, personally, ho felt that ho could confess his Lord and Master better by an upright lifo and a consistent Christian walk. No one in

theso days thinks that "immersion" is essential to salvation, any more than tho Holy Communion is essential. The Quakers, Society. of Friends, and tho Salvationists do not observo tlio Sacrament of'the Lord's Supper, and he would bo a bold and bigoted man who would daro say that they were unsavied. Then,' if a m'otlier. took her babo to a Baptist minister, and eaid: "I wish to dedicate my child to God as Hannah' dedicated Samuel, and 1 wisli you to spriuklo somo water on him as a sign or my dedicating act," he did not think a single Baptist minister would refuse to' do it. Then tho gains of union would bo immense. Tlio jealousies and rivalries between the churches would oease. Ho ventured to think that denominational progress is a greater concern in many cases than the advance of God's Kingdom. Many are sectarians first and Christians second. Tho shameful overlapping of churches in small communities would no longer exist. Tlio necessity for each section of the Church to bo represented in a small district' would bo obviated. Wasted energy, talent, time, and money would be saved, and used for other purposes. A forward policy in foreign mission wtork might bo adopted. Orphanages could bo supported in the largo centres of population, and various philanthropic movements might bo started. What a power in tho landwould such a Church become. If Protestants were only welded into tin organised host, 'complete and compact; and not a loud quarrelsome mob, w'hat persuasion, would ho theirs; what conviction would-they work; What power for pulling down of strongholds!