XIII. FEDERATION NEGOTIATIONS AMONG THE PRESBYTERIANS

To the Synods and General Assemblies of the Reformed Churches in the United States Holding the Presbyterian System:

DEAR BRETHREN:—The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, at its meeting at Saratoga, N.Y., in May, 1890, expressed a desire for a Federation of the Christian Churches of the land, and instructed us as a Committee to make this desire known to other Churches.

We, therefore, beg to call your attention to the subject, and to indicate briefly the general idea which is in our mind.

A partial illustration of the benefit of such a Federation already exists in the Evangelical Alliance.

The annual meetings of the Alliance have been productive of great good in bringing closer together prominent and influential ministers and members of the different denominations; in showing the fundamental and essential agreement of the Evangelical bodies; in the moral influence on the community at large of such a christian union; in the valuable contributions to the literature of the Church and to the discussion of great religious, moral and social questions which they have made; and, as it is hoped, in educationally preparing the way for a closer and still more practical and effective union.

The Alliance is composed of individuals simply. It does not officially represent organizations by commissioned delegates. It is voluntary, and can do nothing but seek to mould public opinion on the great questions that are discussed at its meetings. An organization with a closer organic connection with the Churches, and, therefore, vested with some measure of power, seems to be needed.

It seems to us that it would be wise and right for the Christian Churches of the land to form a Federal Union, in which there should be no renunciation by the different Churches of their peculiarities or independent organization, and no interference with their doctrines, government, worship or internal affairs, but by which specific powers should be delegated to a Federal Council for the concentration of the influence of all upon such phases of Christian effort as might meet the approval of all.

Some of the measures which would come within the scope of such a Federation are:

1. United work for the reclamation of the Christless masses in the large cities, towns and old rural settlements.

2. The conduct of the home missionary work of the different denominations in the new settlements of the country, in such a way as to remove denominational friction and prevent the multiplication of weak and antagonistic organizations where unnecessary; the prosecution of the foreign missionary work by the different denominations on the same principle of comity; different Churches cultivating particular fields so as to avoid unseemly strife before the heathen.

3. The National Council of such a Federation could be potential in its influence on the community at large. It could educate and strengthen the public conscience with Scriptural views on marriage and divorce, the Sabbath, temperance, education, and other moral and social questions.

It certainly seems to us worth while to attempt, so to bring together all the Evangelical Churches, that, in their necessary separate denominational work, they shall not harmfully clash with each other, and that they may, in a great degree, unite in the work which none can separately prosecute with vigor and success. And in this aspect of the matter should be particularly emphasized the influence which the Churches of the land should exert upon its citizens for the preservation of their religious inheritances and the maintenance of their fundamental principles.

This proposition is first addressed to the Synods and Assemblies of the Reformed Churches holding the Presbyterian system, with a view to securing their cooperation in extending a similar proposition to the other Evangelical Churches of our country.

May we, dear brethren, ask you to take this into consideration, and if, in its general idea, it commend itself to your judgment, appoint a Committee to confer with us and with similar Committees that may be appointed by other Churches to consider and report upon it.

Fraternally yours,

JOSEPH T. SMITH, D.D., Chairman.

Baltimore, April 23, 1891.

Text—Minutes of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. New Series, Vol. XIV (1891) pp. 206–207.