The Federal Council of the Churches by F. M. W.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 5, 1914

The Federal Council of the Churches

By F. M. W.

WHAT constitutes the real object of the Federal Council of the Churches? Is its aim the spiritual regeneration of humanity, or is it seeking merely the social uplift of mankind? Is it seeking the betterment of men and women in Christ's way, or purely by modern methods of social service? These are some of the questions discussed by Rev. A. W. Pitzer, D. D., LL. D., in the Presbyterian of the South for January 14. Reviewing the official document of the council, "A Statement of Principles," Dr. Pitzer declares:—

The most remarkable thing in this official statement is that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ is not mentioned even once. Any philanthropist or humanitarian, no matter what religion he professed, could accept and "stand with" the council for these "sixteen principles."

Of these principles, I note, "Equal Rights," "Uniform Divorce Laws," "Abolition of Child Labor," "Prevention of Poverty," "Conservation of Health," "Old Age Pension," "Reduction of Hours of Labor," "A Living Wage," and the "Equitable Division of the Product of Industry."

The statement of these principles does not differ materially from the statement of the principles of some of the great political parties now in the field. Dr. Pitzer justly observes:—

With this schedule of work for the Federal Council, it is obvious that there was no room at the Baltimore meeting for the Lord Christ, and hence no mention of his name.

In the leaflet issued by the council, entitled "Social Service Catechism," the following question and answer are given: "What is meant by social salvation?" Answer, "The deliverance of society from disease, poverty, crime, and misery." Of this, Dr. Pitzer says:—

This statement is at variance with the uniform teaching of the Bible touching "man's estate of sin and misery;" and if we expect "deliverance" to come through the Federal Council, no child of Adam's race will live to see it; the deliverance must come not from man, but by the direct act and interposition of God himself.

For the Presbyterian Church of the South, Dr. Pitzer seriously questions the benefits of this council. He declares:—

For members of the council I have esteem, and many of them are my dear friends; but when the council undertakes to reconstruct human society, to eliminate all the evils of man's sinful estate, to prepare this present world for man's eternal home, then I am forced to withstand them to their face, and tell them that God declared plainly that this world and all its works shall be burned up, that tares will abound and grow with the wheat until the end of the age, and that the Lord himself will come down to this earth for the salvation of his people and the destruction of his enemies. The church will not give him the kingdom, but he in person will set up a kingdom and give it to the "little flock" here on this earth, when he shall make all things not better, but new.

Modern methods will not improve upon the plans followed by Christ and his apostles in bringing the world to God. With many of the principles of the council we are in hearty accord. We believe in equal rights, in uniform divorce laws, in the conservation of health, in a living wage, and in some of the other measures recommended by the council; but when the church of Christ leaves off the preaching of the gospel, or sidetracks it in an effort to better the human family by the advocacy of these reforms, it surely has departed in a large measure from the teaching and practice of the Lord Jesus.

These conditions of society doubtless appealed to the heart of the Lord when he was on earth, but over and above the need of the "reduction of hours of labor," of "a living wage," of "the equal division of the products of industry," etc., stands the needs of the human soul. Christ taught that the life is more than the meat, and that though men may destroy the body, the destiny of the soul rests with God. He sought the conversion of the individuals,—not the masses,—and he recognized that this transformation must be wrought by a power from above, and not through humanitarian efforts.

Recognizing the grand truth that true religious reforms spring from a union of the human with the divine, and that with the souls of men converted to God, these other conditions would be largely adjusted, we believe that the right way for the church of Christ in the twentieth century to accomplish the regeneration of society is to strike at the fountainhead of all social evils, as found in the unregenerate heart of mankind. The same money and the same effort expended in reaching individual sinners would accomplish far more in the eternal salvation of souls, and far more, we believe, in the adjustment of social and industrial conditions, than will be accomplished by the program of the Federal Council of the Churches with the gospel sidetracked or entirely ignored.

Well does Dr. Pitzer conclude his review of the principles of this council by declaring: "Regeneration is better than reform; conversion is better than culture; salvation from sin is better than social service." So say we.

F. M. W.