Church Federation in China
By H. W. MILLER, M. D.
The following statements are from the report of the conference of missionaries held at Peking, in September, 1905, nearly every Protestant church in China being represented. The principal theme of the conference was that of confederation. Mr. Mackenzie, of the Canadian Presbyterian Mission in Honan, spoke as follows: “We must be one in Christ for China, which is now out of Christ, that we may give to her what we have received, do for her what has been done for us. We must not fall behind the general world movement toward federation and union. The strongest part of what we have to give to China is what we hold in common; the weakest part is that which separates us. The vision of the world in Christ yet to be, will bring us together in an irresistible unity.” The report further states: “As to the name for the Protestant Church (in Chinese), it did not seem wise to follow the suggestion of a few in emphasizing our opposition to the Roman Catholic Church, with whom we should hope for ultimate union.” In a paper by Geo. T. Candlin on the subject of confederation, he declared “the time just at the rounding out of the first century of missionary effort in China, most opportune for the consummation of this great work. The ideal should be nothing less than one Christian church for China. Is it not worth striving for? Could anything so strongly commend us to China’s people and China’s rulers? The alternative is stern and melancholy,—a score or more of missions working independently; a Protestant community of one hundred and fifty thousand divided among a score of churches; the native leaders, in their growing independence, perpetuating the petty differences of which they would have known nothing had they not been taught, magnifying what were once, perhaps, living issues, but were long since dead. Are such things to harass and perplex the church in China for all coming time? This one Christian church for all China is to be brought about by first dreaming and then doing. There must first be the ideal if we are to have the real. This federation of the church is a vital necessity. Union is natural; separation unnatural. What God has called us to establish is the kingdom of God; there is but one kingdom of God. The church is the body of Christ; there14is but one body of Christ. The church must have an external, visible body; it is at least incongruous that it should have a number of bodies. Now is the time for federation, when things in China are still in the making, neither made nor spoiled.” After the discussion of this paper, resolutions were passed indorsing union, and appointing committees to perfect this union as soon as possible. The reader will readily see that the missionaries are one with their home societies in courting the favor of the government and desiring union that their power may be more effective. This we conclude not only by inference, but by direct statements from them to that effect. They also recognize that there is very little difference between them and the Catholics, and are wondering how it is that they have been so separate in the past. Neither can they harmonize their petty differences with their idea of a universal kingdom to be established. They readily pass over the words in Matt. 10: 34, 35, where Christ says he came not to send peace on earth, and believe it their duty to establish the kingdom of God. We wonder if Christ will recognize this kingdom when he comes with all his holy angels to reap earth’s harvest. The only thing lacking now to make their union complete is to come in contact with the third angel’s message; they will then swarm together, and use the power that they now seek from the heathen rulers of China.