The Great Federation Movement
By George B. Thompson
Is It on Right Principles?
A LITTLE more than fifty years ago, Rev. Charles Beecher, observing the religious trend of the times, in one of his sermons made the following forecast: "The ministry of the evangelical Protestant denominations is not only formed all the way up under a tremendous pressure of merely human fear, but they live, and move, and breathe in a state of things radically corrupt, and appealing every hour to every baser element of their nature to hush up the truth, and bow the knee to the power of apostasy. Was not this the way things went with Rome? Are we not living her life over again? And what do we see just ahead?—Another general council! A world's convention, evangelical alliance, and universal creed!" In view of the present condition of things religiously, the utterance of this eminent divine seems almost prophetic. That we are rapidly drifting toward something like this seems evident. This is an age of unions, trusts, and combines. The Inter-Church Federation movement, which was launched in the notable gathering held in New York City less than two years ago, representing thirty-two of the leading religious denominations, and some eighteen million adherents, has a deep significance. Tho disclaiming any union of the Church with the State, we are firmly of the opinion that it is but the beginning of a gigantic religious combine. Once formed, we apprehend that this great union, or federation, will deal with those who do not see their way clear to unite with it much the same as secular unions deal with those who do not see their way clear to join the union, and that which they can not control, they will endeavor to crush. A Church and State Union in Reality.
Tho claiming to be opposed to a union of the Church with the State, from a statement of a delegate to the Inter-Church Federation Conference, it is clear that they propose to influence legislation. He said: "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 fulfillment 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." This is practically a union of Church and State. And let the plans and purposes of this federated movement once succeed, and, tho the purpose of the promoters may be ever so good, it can only result in persecution. Church decrees would be enforced with methods similar to the Dark Days of the Roman supremacy. The Federation Principle.
The whole principle of church federation is wrong. It is based upon the very principle which underlies the Papacy. In the formation of the Catholic Church, many and varied councils were held and almost endless discussion engaged in regarding the true faith. And what should be believed, and what should not be believed, was settled by the majority. Upon their own opinion they dogmatically staked their conclusions. Then when the faith was once established, those who did not subscribe to the creed formulated by these benighted, misguided, ecclesiastical zealots, felt the iron hand of persecution, as the history of the Dark Ages witnesseth. The history of the Church as a result is written in blood, and the fairest portions of the earth have been devastated, and suffering which no human pen can trace has been experienced as a result. So it will be again. This present trend toward church federation has in it the very image of the Papacy. To federate they must decide upon certain points of faith upon which they can all agree. There are some points of faith upon which most of the various denominations might unite. Especially so as the tendency of the times is to look with disfavor upon any effort to agitate and teach Bible doctrine. Doctrine is deemed to be non-essential. One point especially upon which they could unite is the observance of Sunday as a day of rest. They could even form an alliance with the Roman hierarchy upon this matter, for it is Rome's own child, adopted from Paganism. Having decided the true faith by some "general council," or "evangelical alliance," this would necessarily become a sort of "universal creed." This "creed" would need to be defended and upheld, by force of law if necessary, and dissenters suppressed; otherwise their federation would be rendered nugatory, and the creed perhaps overthrown. This will indeed revive old controversies. Animosities will be engendered, and some kind of an inquisition will become necessary, by which heretics can be sought out and punished. It would be quite natural that the terrors of civil law would be used to exterminate those who would not subscribe to her decrees. The smoldering embers of tyranny will be fanned into a flame, and the goddess of religious liberty clothed in the sable garments of night. Power Not Confined to Numbers.
Strength in God's work does not consist in numbers. Three hundred loyal, Spirit-filled hearts once were more than a match for an alien army, whose number were "as the sand of the seaside." Power in the church of the Most High God comes thru the anointing of the Holy Spirit, not thru federation. Just prior to His ascension, the Lord of the harvest said, "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you." Acts 1:8. Many churches feel their weakness, and realize something of their inability to cope with the surging tide of ungodliness which they find both in the church and in the world. We are glad they do. It is a hopeful sign. It is well to feel our weakness, that we may be led to seek for strength. That souls are not converted and brought to Christ thruout the churches of Christendom as they once were, is the sorrowful confession of many godly laborers in the Master's vineyard. Many sigh and cry for the abominations done in the land. Possibly it is to remedy this sad condition of things that the churches seek federation. But it is a sorrowful spectacle to witness the spouse of Christ seeking for human bond of union as a means of strength. They are seeking to quench their thirst from a broken cistern; strength can not come forth from weakness; a fountain can not rise above its source. The Real Source of Power.
Instead of talking so much concerning civic righteousness, and petitioning Congress for help, let petitions in brokenness of spirit ascend to the throne of Omnipotence. Let the church humble herself and plead for the endowment of the Holy Spirit. An "upper room" experience is needed. After Pentecost, the Galilean fishermen made no appeal to Caesar for help. We read nothing concerning the apostolic federation of churches. The apostles were everywhere opposed by the Roman State. Her laws consigned their property to confiscation and themselves to death. They were whipped, stoned, imprisoned, and beheaded, but the Gospel they preached went on. It was accompanied by a power before which the iron monarchy of Rome was powerless. In answer to prayer, prison doors were rent asunder, and the very earth quaked. They needed no federation, for they were clothed with the power of God. Let the professed church of God humble herself. We appeal to her to do so; to sit, if need be, in sackcloth and ashes, laying aside her pride and empty forms, and, with prayer, tears, and many supplications, storm the throne of God with her intercessions for the endowment of the power of the Holy Spirit. Let her wait before God, until she secures a second Pentecost. When this is done, we shall see an end of all church federation. Tho her numbers may be few, with the truth of the word and the energy of the Holy Spirit, she will come forth from her wilderness condition, "fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners."