"A LEAGUE OF RELIGIONS"
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] •
SIR,—This article is most interesting, being of a practice nature, but it seems strange that the writer should have made no reference to "The World Conference on Faith and Order," which has for its object " Unity in Christendom," pretty much the same as your contributor suggests. Preparations were begun as long ago as 1910, -but the War interfered with holding the Conference and it did not take place until 1927 at Lausanne, and is to be continued some time.
The present writer had the temerity to suggest to the Secretariat that those representing the various churches should be invited to leave their own standards at home, come with an open mind but with a determination to discuss only The Master's, and decide how to continue His Mission, viz., preach the gospel of good tidings and prove its truth by works as He did and commanded His followers to do the same ; otherwise the conference would simply develop into an academic discussion of their hundred and one good standards and no good purpose would be served. That is all that happened, and the next meeting is postponed One die.
. Your contributor has most appropriately suggested Jerusalem as a meeting place for those really concerned about the Christian religion to form a "League," for it would bring home most forcibly. to those who attended what the Mission of Christ really_ was and what a Christian is expected to be, to follow in His footsteps.
Since the wandering of the ministry towards the end of the third century many substitutes for His standard have been put forward and failed, as the many complaints we hear testify—empty churches, the failure of the Church, &e. It "shows there is something wrong, and not until all the churches are quite empty will the ministry examine and find out why they are, for the Mission of Christ and His early followers was of a most beneficial nature in the first two and 'a half centuries, but the world crept in and the services became spectacular and emotional. Sentiment, however, is not going to . save the world, . but knowledge which needs seeking,. whether physical or spiritual ; it will not come of itself.
It will be most interesting to see your contributor's sug- gestion taken up, more so if those who take part decide to follow the Master, the Founder of Christianity and Saviour of the World in His way, and not their own.--I am, Sir, &c., Falcon Court, E.C. -
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