Unity in Ireland

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     Our friend, Mr. J. Wesley McKinney, who is the president of Gurteen Agricultural College, as well as of the Methodist Church in Ireland, favors us with a full report of the conference held in Dublin this year. We note that a resolution was introduced by Mr. Eric Gallagher in these words: "That the Conference reaffirm its opinion that the present state of church divisions in Ireland is not consonant with the mind of Christ." The president took issue, saying, "I don't want one Institution. The world had it once. We don't want it again. I don't believe that we've all got to think and worship the same way.

     Mr. Robert Nelson replied that he was convinced that the coming together of the churches was of God. He said, "If we believe God is calling us to union He is calling us to do something about it. If we abandon the idea we do it at our own spiritual risk." He implied in his remarks that dis-union was a sin.

     We do not agree that the unity for which our Savior prayed is a union of diverse sects. It is a union of all who believe upon Him through the testimony of the apostles, who are His ambassadors to a sinful world. But we wish to commend the statement of Mr. Nelson to the effect that if it is God's desire that all who believe should be united, we are called to implement that purpose. We dare not abandon that idea! It is our prayer that God may raise up in these days men who have a zeal for achieving peace through unity of the Spirit. It is certain that the party spirit is a sin. God help us to overcome it and remove its stigma.