“Must the Church Itself Go?”
THE very significant question standing above is raised by Jesse B. Thomas, D.D., in a recent number of the Word and Way. The Word and Way is one of our most esteemed Baptist papers, and is among the Protestant publications that stand strongly for the Bible and its teachings. Dr. Thomas sees a menace to the real strength of Christianity in the “headlong consolidation of religious bodies” that is being proposed. The following paragraphs from his article are worthy of careful study: “The advocates of headlong consolidation of religious bodies that have grown into isolated independence through long discussion and experience, do not always seem to recognize the radical nature of the questions thereby raised, nor the paltriness of the reasons assigned for the step proposed.” “Modern advocates of Christian union have become uniformly embarrassed and divided when they come to the question of a right stopping point. Should the new scheme include Romanism, Unitarianism, Swedenborgianism, or the other more or less amorphous bodies that call themselves Christian? The Anglican church has fallen into discord over proposed affiliation with the Greek church. Some of her devotees have sought eagerly to be recognized as legitimate children of the ‘harlot’ of Rome. The Lambeth appeal has offered the sheltering wing of the ‘historic episcopate’ to all Protestants. The Baptist Union of England requires no doctrinal test as a condition of membership, and an eager effort has been made by some of its constituency to efface all denominational lines outside the state church, under the general character of ‘dissenters.’ Meantime the famous Parliament of Religions at Chicago signalized its breadth of sentiment by enthroning a Romish cardinal; persuading Jews, Mohammedans, Buddhists, and agnostics to fall into a vocal harmony in the joint recitation of the Lord’s Prayer; and receiving from a Shinto priest the benediction of the hundred million deities of Japan. Which of these experimentalists was wrong?” “But aside from the demands of the ‘era of good feeling,’ it is strenuously urged that our ‘petty differences’ ought to bow themselves out in the presence of ‘financial expediency,’ ‘scientific management,’ ‘socialistic efficiency,’ and ‘statesmanlike strategy.’ This raises at once the prior question as to the validity of the reasons out of which grew the ‘petty differences’ referred to. It furthermore compels study of the origin, nature, and purpose of the church itself as indicated in its New Testament history. For, unless its appointed field of operation be primarily financial, scientific, socialistic, or politically strategic, considerations drawn from these spheres can hardly be decisive, to say the least.” “The idea of segregation was inseparably connected with the grouping apart, into a ‘sect everywhere spoken against,’ of those who had become ‘of one heart and one soul,’ after the day of Pentecost. This sect resolved itself again into local bodies such as those in Galatia, in Corinth, in Thessalonica, and even in a private house, to whom apostolic letters and congratulations were sent. The process went still further; for special emphasis was from the beginning laid on that individualism which is so much dreaded in our day. Peter’s demand of obedience to Christ was specifically individual: ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you.’ This was indeed the new note in Christianity as compared with Judaism.” Any one who is acquainted with current events knows that there is a feverish activity on the part of many leaders in the world to consolidate religious bodies, whether they be Protestant, Catholic, Hindu or Mohammedan, into one great organization. “Financial expediency,” “scientific management,” “socialistic efficiency,” and “statesmanlike strategy,” as Dr. Thomas suggests, are urged. But all these are merely political reasons. Any one ought to be able to see that the whole plan of church federation as it is being put forward is that of politics, and not of the religion and power of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are indeed living in the very time when the words of the prophet Isaiah apply most strikingly: “For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.” Isa. 8:11-13. The prophet points to a time when there was to be a great chorus of people calling out for “confederacy”; and when the people call for a confederacy, the Lord warns us that we should say No to it. No confederation of people can ever bring about permanent reforms. The great multitudes who are looking to this federation that is being formed are doomed to disappointment. We may, by our force of numbers, seem to compel certain reforms; if that reform is not in the heart and life, we find the evil breaking out again all the stronger, and all the worse for having been smothered for a brief time under popular sentiment. There is power in the preaching of God’s Word. There is power in that Word as it comes into the lives of men. It will transform the vilest hearts, and make them morally fit to stand in the presence of the divine Father Himself. But man, nor any multitudes of men, have this power in themselves. The only power that men can have is the power that comes into their lives through the inspired word of God. Religious combines that have become strong enough to inject religious wars into this world, have caused great rivers of blood to flow in different periods in the world’s history. In fact, a number of the bloody wars that have been fought have been religious wars. No one need ever fear the dissemination of the pure principles of the word of God. No one need ever fear having these advocated by whosoever will advocate them. There is great occasion to fear when large numbers of men begin to combine and seek to envelop themselves in the atmosphere of religious enthusiasm. They soon become intoxicated with their numbers, and lose sight of the real spiritual power of Christ of God, and become a mighty persecuting force.