The Presbyterian Outlook has a long history of advocating unity among Christians. In the April 7, 1947 issue (vol. 129, no. 14, page 7 the co-editors, Aubrey N. Brown and Ernest Trice Thompson, share an editorial that strongly supports reunion between the branches of Presbyterianism. It is reprinted in its entirety below.
In the discussions now underway with regard to the reunion of the Presbyterian Churches, US and USA, it is the sober judgment of good men and women all over the church that these should be carried along on as high a plane as possible. Whether these two churches shall be reunited or not is of less importance than that the spirits of those who discuss the question shall be kept above un-Christians devices and appeals to unworthy motives. We recognize that it is difficult to discuss without bitterness any subject where men’s feelings are deeply involved, but at the same time, we are convinced that we must seek by all the powers at our disposal to achieve this good end.
In particular, we deplore the appeals which are now being made to the members of our church based upon fears and suspicions of their brethren. This, we believe, is unworthy of Christian leaders. More than this, if we cannot accept without suspicion the word of honorable Christian gentlemen such as those who compose the membership of our sister church, then the reflection is not upon them, but upon us.
Men who are opposed to the reunion of the churches on general principles declare that they are for unity as a prior basis for church union. We accept their declarations and we appeal to them to demonstrate that spirit of unity which must mark the actions and relationships of us all. We agree: Unity is our need; let us have some telling examples of it.
We admit the charge that this matter of the reunion of these two churches lies upon us as a duty and as an obligation. For us, it is the will of God. That means duty. It imposes obligation. If others cannot see it as such, it still remains for us, and for a constantly increasing number, a duty, an obligation. If God were not commanding the repair of this 86-year old breach, then we could dismiss the idea; we could forget it. But he does command it. Those who hear him speaking can never turn their backs upon this call. The reunion of the churches is sure to come. It is as certain as the rising sun, the ebb and flow of the tides. The two churches will again be united as they were for 155 years of their American life. Those who are concerned to delay this high objective are hindering what is in the eyes of increasing multitudes in our church the triumphing will of God.
We Presbyterians are one people. Our ministers and our church members flow back and forth across our imaginary boundaries without misgivings — and often without being aware of differences in the churches. We support jointly some of our best educational institutions. We put our money into many of the same home and foreign mission projects. We think nothing of it. We know we are one people.
The union of the churches will not solve all our problems. Indeed, it will create many new ones; it will require numerous difficult adjustments — but the local congregations involved will know few if any of them — just as many members of our churches today do not really know whether they are Presbyterians US or USA.
No one of whom we have heard argues for this union because of any values which may come from greater numbers (at the same time however it should be pointed out that every one of our churches, presbyteries, synods and our entire denomination is striving greatly by evangelistic endeavor to be larger and larger). Bigness is no argument for this reunion. But the transformation of our church from an isolated, sectional organization with regional interests, to one that can pray and work in terms of our whole nation will be a tremendous gain. Our leaders and members have suffered greatly — our church has suffered — by being sectionalized. We have gifts of life and service which our country needs. Our influence has been shut off from many of the avenues of opportunity because we have been hemmed in by a limited frontier. The time has come to remove it. The day of our greater opportunity nears.
Men cry out for a spiritual advance, an awakening. They cry in vain. This cannot come to pass until, in every possible relationship, regardless of who was at fault in the past, we leave our sacrifices at the foot of our altars and first go to make everything as right with our brethren as we can make it (Matt. 5:23-24). Spiritual power will be blocked until we can realize such a demonstration of unity as can be seen by the non-Christian world about us. When men see this active, compelling Spirit of Christian unity and brotherhood, they will know that God has sent a Savior (John 17:20,23). If we can rely upon the words of our Lord, many men will not believe, cannot believe, until such a demonstration of unity is provided. Our present disunity and the appeals to unworthy motives — all these are not helping the world to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Whatever may be the difficulties, it is our conviction that God’s Holy Spirit will be available to men who — even at great personal sacrifice — are found in the hard way of obedience.
After all, every one of us is the servant of a King into whose hands we have committed our all. If he wants the Southern Presbyterian Church (PCUS) to be transformed, we have no fears that it will suffer what is termed “liquidation.” Such “liquidation” could be but the kind which our Savior pointed to when he said, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die it abideth by itself alone; but if it die it beareth much fruit. He that loveth his life loseth it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal (John 12:24-25).
It is our conviction that such obedience to him will lead us on the other side of any sacrifice to something greater in the will of God than we have known. We refuse to believe that acceptance of the Christian challenge leads to doom. It is our faith — and we boldly affirm it — that the acceptance of any sacrifice demanded by obedience to the will of God leads not to death but to life.
If we could not so believe in the providence of an all-wise and all-powerful god who holds not only us but our great church in the palm of his hand, then we would be of all men most miserable.
PRESBYTERIANS, LET US REUNITE! We have nothing to lose but our dividing walls; we have nothing to fear but our disloyalty to the purpose of God.
