PROTESTANT FEDERATION IN ITALY.
THERE has been a deal of talk of late years over federation of the Protestant churches in various lines, and the last year or so considerable has been accomplished in this direction. Often it is demanded economically. In many localities from two to a half-dozen of small denominational branches, differing in creed, tho not in essentials, occupy a field that could as well or better be worked by one. It has been a “pious desire” for years in Italy to federate, and recently a conference of representatives of the Waldensian Baptists, Methodists, and other churches was held in Rome, at which an international committee was appointed, with headquarters in Rome. According to the Independent, while many details have not been decided, the following in general have been mapped out: (1) Division of work among the different denominations, consisting in the establishment of new stations, but also restriction and concentration where different churches have been interfering with each other; (2) publication of handbooks in the interests of missions, such as catechisms, hymn books, etc.; (3) maintaining a publishing concern for the publication of religious journals and of a general daily; (4) direction of the individuals engaged in the mission work; (5) management of the social work, such as aid and charitable societies. The worst feature of this is that the good there is in it will become evil, because it hides the better—Christian union in Christ Jesus, that union which will break all middle walls of partition, and make Christ Jesus and His life the bond of union, and His Word, uninterpreted by the human, the only creed. With this federation there will ever be a strong temptation to use the organization for political influence and power, and so lead the church along Roman lines. And when the Protestant church uses Rome’s weapons to fight error, she will ever find herself defeated by Rome; and in doing this she departs from the very principles which gave her existence and life, and dies. In other words, she by thus doing announces herself a daughter of Babylon. Would to God we could see more unity, and less federation.