CHURCH UNION

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 53, 26 November 1929, Page 13

CHURCH UNION

Sir—“ John Openheart” has opened the door to the consideration of church union. The antagonisms of sectarian churches has created much heartburning, antipathies, if not persecutions, in the past, and such characteristics are not altogether absent in the present time. Even in this day and at this time the restrictions of some sects are not confined to Old or New Testament truth, but are made upon the habits and customs of good men, and these restrictions are declared essential to admission to membership. The Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church are the most liberal in their interpretation of Holy Writ and its application to the beliefs and faith of their members and adherents. Other exponents of truth, as contained in the Old and New Testaments, are narrow and strictly sectarian. Many people as they advanced from early manhood and womanhood have abandoned church life because of the pettiness of these cults, hence the diminishing influence of sectarianism. It cannot be denied that a powerlul new thought is permeating the minds of serious-thinking men and women of our time. The beliefs of the Fundamentalists are being either left behind or abandoned in the new spirit of Modernism. Christianity is evolving under our very eyes. Its mysteries inherited from the mystery religions of the ages preceding the advent of its Founder are fading into obscurity. New Thought discards these mysteries because they have been proved to have been imported into Christianity from the pagan religions of the past. It is now regarded as theistic in its theology and pantheistic in its sacraments. One exponent of this New Thought says: “We must look to a faith of reason and not of authority, and to a salvation attained not from an exterior source but by the progressive unfolding of the divinity within man.” The sectarian churches without exception have determined that a divine life comes from without to mankind. That is why the persons named by your corrcspondftit would not have been admitted to the fellowship of the sectarian clubs or churches of their day or this. Until many of the erroneous jet . essential beliefs of sectarianism are rooted out there can be no real church union, and these are yet so firmly held that it is wonderful how thoughtful men and women can retain them. let notwithstanding all that, all sectarianisms have much in their favour and their power and influence upon the moral well-being of the community must be recpectcd and admired. It is the diversification in the exposition of truth so manifest among churches that proves to-day the evolutionary character of'the Christian religion. There may be a time of deteriorationeven a lapse into paganistic notions —but the spiritual sense of man will ever cause him to revert in thought more and more atune with that of his Creator.—l am, •tc JOHN CLEAREYE. Wellingod, November 21.