A notable characteristic of the religious life of the century,
especially in the latter half of it, has been a desire manifested in
various quarters, and in different ways, for union among the
denominations. That organic union could be attained, no practical man
could hope. Uniformity could not be expected, even if it could be
proved to be desirable, but friendly association was possible, and
there were many who contended that there ought to be a recognition of
brotherhood and comradeship, which might issue in some attempt at
co-operation. This was the conviction of many prominent preachers and
laymen on both sides of the Atlantic, early in the century. And truly
the condition of the world and of society was of a character to force
such a conviction on the minds of intelligent men. Infidelity was
rampant, and intemperance, gambling, unchastity, and other forms of
vice were practiced with unblushing effrontery. On the other side, the
churches, which should have been waging war on all ungodliness, were
fighting each other, contending about the questions on which they
differed, and exhausting their strength in internecine conflict. Was
it not time, men were asking, that the forces that were on the side of
godliness united in opposition to evil? After long discussion, and
some opposition, this feeling took practical shape in the Evangelical
Alliance. At a meeting held in London in 1846 eight hundred
representatives of fifty denominations were assembled. It was found
that however widely they differed on questions of doctrine and church
government, there was practical agreement on a large number of vital
subjects, such as the need of religious education, the observance of
the Lord's Day, and the evil influence of infidelity. An organization
was effected, on the principles of federation, to secure united action
on subjects on which all were agreed, and this organization has been
maintained to the present time. Branches have been formed in
twenty-seven different lands, each dealing with matters peculiarly
affecting the community in which it operates, and by correspondence,
and periodical international conferences, keeping in touch with each
other. Its usefulness has been proved in the success of its efforts to
secure tolerance in several lands, where men were being persecuted for
conscience' sake, though much still remains to be done on this line.
Perhaps the most conspicuous result of its work is the general
observance throughout Christendom of the first complete week of every
year as a week of prayer. The proposal for such an observance was made
in 1858. Since that time the Alliance has issued every year a list of
subjects which are common objects of desire to all Evangelical
Christians. On each day of the week, prayer is now offered in every
land for the special blessing which is suggested as the topic for the
day.
From the same spirit of Christian brotherhood which took shape in the
Evangelical Alliance, came at later dates other movements which are
yet in their infancy. One of these is the Reunion Conference which
meets annually at Grindelwald in Switzerland. Its object is to find a
basis for organic union of the Protestant Episcopal Church with
Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Methodists and other evangelical
denominations. The meetings have been hitherto remarkably harmonious,
and suggestions of mutual concessions have been made which have been
favorably considered. A less ambitious, and therefore more hopeful
movement of like spirit, is that of the Municipal or Civic Church.
Its aim is the organization of a federative council of the churches of
a city, or of sections of a city, for united effort in social reform,
benevolent enterprise and Christian government. It proposes to
substitute local co-operation for the existing union on denominational
lines, or to add the one to the other. It would unite the Methodist,
Baptist, Congregational and other churches in a city, or district, in
a movement to restrict the increase of saloons, to insist on the
enforcement of laws against immorality and to promote the moral and
spiritual welfare of the community. The united voice of the Christians
of a city uttered by a council, in which all are represented, would
unquestionably exercise an influence more potent than is now exerted
by separate action. To these movements must be added another which has
been launched under the name of the Brotherhood of Christian Unity.
This is a fraternity of members of churches and members of no church,
who yet accept Christ as their leader and obey the two cardinal
precepts of Christianity--love to God and love to man. Its object is
to promote brotherly feeling among Christians and a sense of
comradeship among men of different creeds. All these movements are an
indication of the spirit of the time. As one of the leaders has said,
their aim is not so much to remove the fences which divide the
denominations, as to lower them sufficiently to enable those who are
within them to shake hands over them. In no previous century since the
disintegrating tendency began to manifest itself, has this spirit of
brotherly recognition of essential unity been so general, or has taken
a shape so hopeful of practical beneficence.