The Inter-Church Federation Conference
By K. C. RUSSELL
It may be truly said that the Inter-Church Federation Conference recently held in New York City was one of the most notable events in the history of the churches of this country. Perhaps no event of modern times, no religious gathering of the past century, can transcend in importance and future bearing on the so-called religious life of the nation, this co-operative council participated in by thirty great religious bodies with a communicant membership upward of eighteen million; nor can we believe that the preliminary arrangement for a more complete federal unity will close with a final union of all the evangelical Protestant denominations, but will ultimately result, as foreshadowed by the foremost speakers, “in the federation of the world,” the “reunion of all Christendom.” “This is one of the most important meetings in its influence on American Christianity that has ever been held. Fifty years ago such a conference was impossible. The hope of the nation lies in the church.” The keynote of the conference seemed to be the evangelization of the world, the centralization of power, and oneness of purpose in their endeavor to Christianize the world, as will appear from the following— Statements of Representative Delegates
“We must come together in social unity and concerted action, that we may convert the world.” “Our interests should be consolidated.” “There is co-operation in the air everywhere.” “We are now one in our faith in Jesus Christ, and a great federal union is assured.” “As the American States are united, so must the church of Jesus Christ be united to win the world to Christ.” “The application of the principles of federation will lead to a reunion of Christendom.” The results of the first four days’ proceedings of the conference are crystallized into the following outline of— A Plan for Church Federation
A Federal Council of the churches of Christ in America to be the governing body and meet every four years; an executive committee to act at intervals. Its function to direct energies of the churches. It will not meddle with creeds or forms of worship. By federation, to improve the social and moral conditions of men. Only the Unitarian Church excluded from participation. Thirty churches, with eighteen million communicants, interested. Each National Church Organization to appoint four members of the Federal Council, and one member for each fifty thousand communicants. Local councils to be organized in cities by the federal councils. The report of their scheme for inter-church federation was listened to with almost breathless silence by the delegates representing the various denominations, as they realized that their long-dreamed-of idea of church unity had at last been accomplished. The hand of this great federation movement is reaching across the gulf and beckoning the Roman Catholics to join them. Bishop David H. Greer, of the Protestant Episcopal diocese of New York, said, “Our Roman Catholic brethren, who are not with us in this conference (and I am sorry they are not), have something to teach us here, in teaching as they do the value and the need not merely of a past, but of a present, incarnation.” The New York World of Sunday, the 10th inst., in a report of the conference says, “Hope was expressed that the Roman Catholics, to whom the door is open, would enter.” Since these denominations have federated themselves together in one body, they must certainly have a head; for a body without a head would be a gruesome thing indeed; and when the Roman Catholic Church shall unite with them, they certainly will not want two heads; for if so, it would be a hydra-headed body. Is it difficult for the reader to determine who will finally be the head of this great inter-church movement, after the Roman Catholics have joined hands with it? Hon. Samuel B. Capen, L. L. D. (Congregational), president of the American Board of Commissioners for foreign missions, of Boston, Mass., said:— The two words that express the principles that rule to-day in the business7world are “co-operation” and “economy.” Co-operation through a closer federation is the need of the hour. Mr. Capen asked that these principles be applied in church work. What would the application of these principles result in?—A veritable church union or trust. It might be asked in this connection, How would a church be regarded which was not connected with this trust or union? The following from another speaker will in a degree answer this question:— No community in which any denomination has any legitimate claim should be entered by any other denomination through its official agencies without conference with the denomination or denominations having said claims. A feeble church should be revived, if possible, rather than a new one established to become its rival. It is not difficult for one to forecast the practical result of the application of this principle; for any sect or denomination that does not belong to the union would be regarded as a rival, or, in the familiar term of labor unions, a “scab.” Imagine a missionary in China, India, or Japan who is not connected with the trust. Would the reception which would be accorded him by this federation breathe forth the spirit that is voiced in the golden rule? The Rev. Charles A. Dickey, D. D., L. L. D., pastor of Bethany Presbyterian church of Philadelphia, former moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, in speaking on “What Practical Results May Be Expected from This Conference,” presents the real purpose that this movement designs to attain. Some of the practical results mentioned by the speaker, which we will herewith quote, have long been “expected” by others besides himself. The chief thing which has been “expected” is the pressure which will be brought to bear upon “lawmakers” and “rulers” by this Inter-Church Federation Movement. He says:— We stand together in the defense of religious liberty and for a definite separation of church and state. But I trust that one of the practical results of this conference will be the organization of a force that lawbreakers and lawmakers will respect and heed when great questions of morals are involved. Our gospel is the fulfilment of the law. It is our province in the name of our Supreme King, and seeking the good of mankind, to ask rulers to respect the code of our kingdom. Rulers may ignore sects, but they will respect the church. This federation will compel an audience, and it will speak with power if it will put aside its differences and make its agreement its argument. Just now, when the nation is awake and conscious of the perils that threaten the home, when the very foundations are being destroyed by Mormonism and reckless divorce, the representatives of a third of our citizenship will surely resolve to stand and speak for the Scriptural defense of our homes and plead for the purity of the family, which is the hope of our nation and the hope of the church. Providence is showing us an open door, and there is great encouragement for effort. . . . As the outlook is revealed, it seems undeniable that we shall fall short of a realization of our responsibilities and of our power if we fail to take advantage of the inspiration of this conference and resolve, before we part, to provide means to make the force of this possible federation effective in the settlement of grave moral questions. It will be noted from these statements of Mr. Dickey that the practical result to be obtained is to have the organization a force that lawbreakers and lawmakers will respect on great moral questions, and, further, that federation will compel rulers to give audience, and make the force of it effective in the settlement of great moral questions. These results, as outlined by him, can find no parallel since the days of the papal supremacy, when the Roman Catholic Church was the force that compelled the rulers to give audience on questions of morals and religion. The history of the papal federation of the Dark Ages ought to be an everlasting warning to Protestants against traveling over the road which has been illuminated with the light caused by the burning of the millions of martyrs who refused to unite in that wicked confederacy.