L. A. S by L. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Dec 28, 1905

L. A. S

By L. A. S.

WHILE the Roman Catholic Church did not participate in the recent inter-church conference in New York City, her representatives in this country were not indifferent to the spectacle or to its significance. One evidence of this appears in an article written by the Rev. M. M. Sheedy (priest) on the subject of “Christian unity as affected by this conference,” and published in the Catholic Mirror. “Father” Sheedy thinks the time has come to inquire whether “the various Christian bodies of the country are about to bury their differences and come closer together in creed and practise,” and after enumerating some evidences pointing in that direction, says:—

These are healthy signs of better understanding of what religion means, and plainly indicate the drift toward that unity of faith for which the dying Saviour prayed. Our twentieth century may witness the reunion of Christendom. It is a consummation devoutly to be wished.

“The reunion of Christendom” from the Catholic point of view, means the return of Protestants to the fold of Rome; for Catholics have no idea whatever of shifting their ground to meet Protestants half way. Among those things which indicate the desire among the Christian bodies for reunion, as “Father” Sheedy notes, are “the cordial invitation extended from time to time by the heads of various Protestant educational institutions to representative Catholic clergymen to explain some points of Christian doctrine,” and “the success of the missions to non-Catholics.” He does not note among these evidences any reciprocal move by the Catholic Church toward Protestantism; there are none such to be noted. The reunion, if it comes, must take place on Rome’s own ground. It must mean the complete undoing of the Reformation.

Representative Catholics are now hopeful of such a reunion, and the spectacle of the recent inter-church conference leads them to give expression to this hope. The Catholic Church has not forgotten the history of those things to which it owes its origin.