Christian Unity (the book) - The Maranatha Community
Christian Unity (the book) - The Maranatha Community
Christian Unity (the book) - The Maranatha Community
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university formed by a federation of four missions, cooperation in medicalmissions, a common printing press, <strong>Christian</strong> magazine and hymn <strong>book</strong>, and astanding committee working towards <strong>the</strong> aim of one church organisation forWestern China.A Chinese delegate, Cheng Chung-yi, working with <strong>the</strong> London MissionarySociety, in <strong>the</strong> seven minutes allotted to each speaker, gave a strong plea forunity as a compelling need because of <strong>the</strong> greatness of <strong>the</strong> task and because<strong>the</strong> Chinese yearned for unity in both Church and Nation. He said: ‘Speakingplainly, we hope to see in <strong>the</strong> near future a United <strong>Christian</strong> Church withoutany denominational distinctions.’ He maintained that denominationalism wasalien to <strong>the</strong> Chinese <strong>Christian</strong> mind. 130With so much talk of unity and cooperation at Edinburgh, it was natural that<strong>the</strong>re should be a move to ensure that something lasting should come from<strong>the</strong> Conference. <strong>The</strong>re was a solemn half-hour of silence with shut doors,leading to sharing in saying <strong>the</strong> General Confession to acknowledge <strong>the</strong> sin ofdisunity, followed by <strong>the</strong> united reciting of <strong>the</strong> Apostles’ Creed.<strong>The</strong> Chairman of <strong>the</strong> Commission which had discussed <strong>the</strong> promotion of unity<strong>the</strong>n moved a resolution to form a Continuation Committee ‘international andrepresentative in character’ which would carry out, on <strong>the</strong> lines of <strong>the</strong>Conference itself, measures to continue moves towards cooperation and unityin <strong>the</strong> setting up of an International Missionary Committee. It was stressedthat <strong>the</strong> creating of organic, ecclesiastical union was not a part of thisContinuation Committee’s brief. <strong>The</strong> setting up of <strong>the</strong> ContinuationCommittee was carried by a unanimous vote.<strong>The</strong> question of what kind of visible unity was envisaged had to be raised. Onespeaker wanted ‘a great united organisation’, but o<strong>the</strong>rs found unity to be notin organisation but in a shared spiritual life.Professor James Denney 131 felt unity was only possible among those whoshared <strong>the</strong> same attitude toward Christ. He wanted a unity based on common130Gairdner, W H T, Edinburgh 1910. An account in interpretation of <strong>the</strong> World MissionaryConference, pp 183-186.131Gairdner, W H T, Edinburgh 1910. An account in interpretation of <strong>the</strong> World MissionaryConference, p 206. James Denney (1856-1917) was prominent in seeking to bring unity to hisnative Scottish churches by being involved in <strong>the</strong> negotiations which led to <strong>the</strong> formation ofPage 150