Federation and Christian Unity
Nothing in this world so weakened the influence of Christianity as the divided condition and sectional animosity of professedly-Christian people that are prominent in the self-styled "civilized" countries. Therefore this weakening of the Christian influence is, more than all other organized causes, responsible for "the corruption that is in the world through lust." Yet, strange as it may appear, when these different divisions come together for a so-called united effort to wage war against evil influences, they insist on such a movement as will not in any way affect the stability of the church-division evil. They are making "federation" the great cure-all, while omitting that spirit of unity by which alone the people of God can win the world to righteousness. John 17:20-23. The enemy of righteousness doesn't care how many "federations" these various divisions may form, so long as they keep the undercurrent of disunion clear. Confederacy is a Satanic delusion, by which to defeat Christian union on the basis of "the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." This will be the distinguishing mark of the victors who rise above the delusions of the last days. Rev. 14:12. At the late Inter-church Conference on Federation, held in New York, Bishop Fowler of the Methodist Church, insisted that the integrity of the denominations be not in any way interfered with.