Catholic Problems in Western Canada
G >> George Thomas Daly >> Catholic Problems in Western Canada2. _Action_. To realize that vision and incarnate it in work for the
Home and Foreign Missions, the Field-secretary will take the diocese as
a unit of his organization. In each diocese, with the permission,
authority, and co-operation of the Ordinary, he will establish the
Societies recommended by our Holy Father in his Apostolic Letter, and
others that have been created to meet the specific needs of the country
or to favour certain particular missionary work. Therefore:--
(a) _Among the Clergy_ will be founded "_The Missionary Union of the
Clergy_", which our Holy Father desires to see established in every
diocese. For loving sons and faithful priests of the Church of God the
desire of the Sovereign Pontiff is a command. This, we think, could be
easily done by the field-organizer when he visits each parish for the
purpose of organizing missionary parochial units, as we shall see later.
The beautiful programme of action which is so easily combined with the
ordinary work of the priest in the parish, the facility of his moral
and material co-operation in this great work of missions, the spiritual
favours and wonderful privileges which the "Union" grants to its
members, together with the explicit desire of the Holy See, these are
so many motives and incentives, which should induce all the members of
the clergy to enter the ranks of the "Missionary Union" and assure to
the Church their co-operation in the great mission work, both at Home
and in the Field-Afar.
(b) _Among the laity_ of each parish will be founded:
The "_Propagation of the Faith_"--for Foreign Missions;
The "_Church Extension_"--for Home Missions.
The permanent success of these societies, once established by the
field-organizer, will wholly depend on the selection and appointment of
trustworthy _promoters_, who will distribute the missionary literature,
and collect from their respective circles of 10 or 20 members the
monthly fee, stipulated for each society. This monthly collection
comes as a reminder and is more effective, both morally and
financially, than an annual collection taken up in the Church, as is
now the prevailing custom in several dioceses. The monthly call of the
promoter is a fresh awakening of the missionary spirit in the home, and
stands as the continued call of the Master of the harvest. It keeps
the interest alive and awakens anew the sympathy for the missions.
(c) _Among the Children_ of our Separate Schools and Sunday-Schools,
can be established, with great profit, The "_Holy Childhood Society_."
It is wonderful what interest the kind and sympathetic hearts of
children will take in missionary work. The results obtained by the
distribution of mite boxes are marvellous. To quote an example given
to us by the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States, we would
say that through their Sunday-School classes, they raise annually the
sum of $200,000.00.
But above all, the great asset to be considered in this educational
work, is the broad Catholic spirit we create and maintain in the soul
of the child. This is far more important than his actual financial
contribution, and at the same time it prepares him to be, in later
years, a generous contributor. Without any doubt, the Protestants can
teach us here a lesson of organization.
(d) In _Colleges, Boarding-Schools, Convents and Universities_ why
should we not have branches of the "_Catholic Students Mission
Crusade_?" This organization is doing wonderful work in the United
States, and will prove soon to be a potent factor in the Missionary
activities of the Church across the boundary. 250 delegates from
various institutions of higher learning, throughout the country,
gathered in Washington, last August (1920), for the second annual
Convention. Among the delegates, we are proud to note, were a few
Canadians.
(e) The "_follow up_" work is what counts in the long run, in a
movement of this kind. If we do not wish to see all this beautiful
zeal for missions burn away in a passing blaze, we must have a _Central
Bureau_, which will keep in touch with the promoters, and act as the
centre of Missionary activities, in the diocese. There all lines will
converge, gathering information, bringing results; from there, as from
the power-station, will go out to the workers in the field, enthusiasm
and energy. "Unity," says F. Kinsman, "cannot be created by agitated
fragments of a circumference; it must issue from a central force and be
sustained by a centripetal instinct." The Central Bureau, or Clearing
House could be confided to a trustworthy person, who would willingly
give his spare hours to this great Catholic work, until it would grow
to the point of necessitating a permanent and salaried secretary.
It is useless, we believe, to state that a _crusade of prayers_ would
be the sustaining force of this movement. We all know that the
salvation of souls is above all a supernatural process. We may sow,
another may water the seed,--but it is for God to give the
growth,--_Deus autem incrementum dat_.
The _development and fostering of "missionary vocations"_ would be the
natural sequel to this movement at large, in the Church of Canada. How
many young men and women could not the field-secretary find here and
there, and direct to the mission fields where the harvest is plentiful
and the harvesters few.
_III.--Who?_
The function of a field-secretary or organizer is a delicate one, we
fully understand. But we are firmly convinced that priests can be
found, who, with tact, intelligence and enthusiasm for the great Cause
of Missions, and backed with the authority and sympathy of the
Ordinary, are bound to make this work a success. There is a wave of
the missionary spirit passing over the Church of God. The clergy and
the people are eager to help missions at Home and Abroad. But they
desire a concrete, workable plan to pin their activities to; they are
waiting for something definite to act upon, and a responsible
representative of the cause to work with.
Until the development of the organization would call for a diocesan
organizer, _one priest_ could act for a _Province_ or _Region_ of the
Country. The ordinary objection which our proposal here would meet
with, would be the lack of personnel. There is, we know, a shortage of
priests everywhere. But would not the Church, as a whole, in Canada
and throughout the world, receive more benefit from the life of a
priest entirely dedicated to this work of Missions, than if it were
given to a specific parish or diocese. Even were a parish or small
country mission to be deprived for the time being of a resident pastor,
should not that sacrifice be made, generously and cheerfully, for the
sake of a greater cause. It is assuredly a short-sighted policy to
sacrifice hundreds of thousands of souls for the care of a few, to
prefer the welfare of a parish to that of the Church at large. This
reasoning and its disastrous consequences are surely not Catholic.
We emphasise the necessity for the organizer to _consecrate his life
solely to this proposed work_. At this price alone will he make it a
success. Without doubt, it is the work of a man, the work of a life.
God grant that we may see the day when all the latent Missionary forces
of the Church of Canada will be awakened and united in one great
gigantic effort of apostolate! These forces form an invisible army of
reserves on which the Church is to draw, to fill, as it were, the
depleted ranks of Her Missionary units throughout the world. The lack
of organization is the weakness of our strength. Let the leaders come
forward, and we ourselves shall be astonished at the latent powers of
Faith in the Church of Canada.
CHAPTER V.
PLOUGHING THE SANDS
_The Church-Union Movement: its Causes and Various Manifestations. The
Protestant and Catholic View-Point._
Church-union is to-day the outstanding feature of the Protestant world.
The possibilities and promises, the necessity and advantages of this
movement are widely discussed in the press and magazine, in the pulpit
and on the platform, in Church conferences and synods. Denominational
barriers are being swept away; creed lines lowered; inevitably great
changes are impending. This universal unrest is assuredly symptomatic of
a chaotic Christendom outside of the true Church. The peace and
self-confidence of the Catholic Church pursuing the even tenor of Her
life is indeed in striking contrast.
No serious-minded Christian can be disinterested in this supreme effort
of the various Christian denominations for unity. We are not allowed to
doubt the good intentions that animate and direct the promoters of this
inter-church movement. For, as Lord Morley said, "in the heat of the
battle it often happens that men manifest towards the _heretic_ feeling
which should be exclusively reserved for the _heresy_." Yet we believe
that the explanation of _our_ attitude, so much misunderstood and
misinterpreted, cannot but help to hasten the day of the true and
everlasting union, when in accord with the great desire of the Master,
there will be but "One Fold and One Pastor." Gladstone said: "Any man
who advances one step the cause of Christian unity in his life may well
lie down to die content that he had a life well lived."
We said advisedly "_our_" attitude, for it is a vastly interesting point
to note with Hilaire Belloc: "The Catholic understands his opponent,
whereas that opponent does not understand him. A similar contrast
existed once before in the History of Western mankind, to wit, in the
latter days of the Roman Empire. The Catholic understood the Pagan; the
Pagan did not understand the Catholic."
Church-union was always more or less an ideal in the various non-Catholic
denominations. Periodically efforts were made to realize this ideal; but
they always failed in the presence of the bitter antagonism that existed
between the leading factions. The Church-union movement manifested
itself, timidly at first, in the interchange of pulpits, the united
services and inter-communion of several denominations. This exchange in
the ministerial field now prevails among the Nonconformists and has also
affected to a large extent the Anglican communion. But the multiplied
divisions and multiplying sub-divisions among the conflicting creeds, a
wasteful overlapping and disastrous competition in the mission field, the
enlightening experience of the great war, have forced an issue upon the
Churches.
In Scotland the "Old Kirk" is trying to bridge the chasm that has
separated it from the "Free Church" in the past years. In England, under
the leadership of Mr. Shakespeare, the Nonconformists are fusing their
differences and presenting a united front to the Established Church.
Only last year, (1919) in Kingswall Hall, did not the Bishop of London
make most remarkable overtures to the Wesleyans and propose to them a
scheme of union! By the introduction of Evangelical methods and
particularly by the association with Nonconformists on doctrinal grounds,
or in services in which doctrines are involved, the Anglican Church has
been engaged--to speak with Newman--"in diluting its high orthodoxy."
Last August, 1920, Geneva was the meeting place of "The World Christian
Congress." The Congress adopted a resolution to form a "League of
Churches" whose object is to put an end to proselytizing between
Christian churches and promote mutual understanding between them for
Christian missions among non-Christian peoples; secondly, to promote an
association and collaboration of Churches to establish Christian
principles; thirdly, to help the Churches to become acquainted with one
another; fourthly, to bring together smaller Christian communities, and
unite all Churches on questions of faith and order.
But it was reserved for America, the land of daring schemes and audacious
plans, to formulate the most chimerical project of all.
The Episcopalian Church has promoted "_The World Congress on Faith and
Order_." Bishop Weller, of Fond-du-Lac, Wisc., is directing this
gigantic movement. A committee of bishops has already called on the
various heads of Christian Churches, and we all know of their visit to
the Vatican and of the refusal of the Holy See to participate in the
Pan-Christian Congress.
Sponsored by the Presbyterian Church of America, "The United Churches of
Christ" were formed some months ago, with a complete organic union of the
Protestant Churches of America in view. This is . . . "an advance of the
present existing organization of the Federal Council of the Churches of
Christ in America, as it opens the way for consolidation of
administration agencies and the carrying forward of the general work of
the Churches through the council of the United Church."
But the most ambitious scheme is that of the "_Inter Church World
Movement_." It has been called into existence (1918) for the purpose of
developing a plan whereby the Evangelical Churches of North America may
co-operate in carrying out their educational, missionary and benevolent
programme at home and abroad. To discover and group the facts concerning
the world's needs; to build a programme of inspiration and education
based on these facts; to develop spiritual power adequate for the task;
to secure enough lives and money to meet the needs: such is the
tremendous task the "Inter Church World Movement" has set itself. At a
meeting in Atlantic City it was voted to raise the stupendous sum of
$1,300,000,000 to meet the requirements of this Pan-Protestant project.
Two thousand men and women are now (Feb. 1920,) busy at the head-office,
in New York, preparing the world-wide survey and financial campaign.[1]
The Protestant Churches in Canada are also falling in line in this
universal movement for unity. "_The United National Campaign_" which
marked 1919 with thirteen national conventions, represented the
co-operative feature of various churches in a general "_Forward
Movement_." The war, we all know, has impeded the projected union
between the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregationalist denominations.
There is hardly any doubt that this union will be effected in the near
future. But as usual, while the East was deliberating, the forward and
aggressive West was acting. Church-Union is an accomplished fact in many
centres, particularly in the Province of Saskatchewan. Last October the
"Union Church of Western Canada" held a convention in Regina and reported
progress. Conditions in the West, especially in the rural districts,
naturally favour this movement. The strong denominational feeling is
becoming more and more a thing of the past. The identity of churches is
being absorbed in "social service" work, and sectarian peculiarities
considered "obsolete impertinences."
These are the various manifestations of the "Church-Union Movement."
Although loose thinking and indefiniteness of purpose characterize most
of these various moves, a close analysis reveals two different underlying
principles which support and explain them. As an Anglican clergyman
stated: "There are two courses open, uniting on points of agreement and
allowing the differences to settle themselves, or facing differences with
a view of settling them." The first course promotes a "_co-operative
union_" in social and Christian work. This union does not interfere with
matters of belief, but aims solely at the co-operation and co-ordination
of all services which the Churches can render in the missionary,
educational and social fields. It means a League or Federation of
Churches, with a view to "greater efficiency."
The other course goes deeper into the problem under discussion, for it
has as object an "_organic union_." This union means the fusing of all
denominational creeds and forms of worship, or, at least, the acceptance
by all of a certain doctrinal minimum as a basis of the _entente
cordiale_. The Anglicans in the Conference of Lambeth, 1888, formulated
the famous "Quadrilateral" whereby the Scriptures as Rule of Faith, the
Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, the two sacraments of Baptism and of
Eucharist, and the Episcopacy or apostolic succession, are "as the
irreducible minimum on which they would open negotiations for reunion."
[2]
II.
The Protestant Inter-Church Movement is a fact; we know its causes, its
various manifestations, its ultimate aim. To what extent this universal
movement reflects the general, deep and conscientious convictions of the
masses, it would be hard to say. The prevalent indifference and profound
ignorance as regards the specific tenets of each denomination would lead
us to believe that this movement does not spring from the very
soul-depths of the masses. Yet the fact is there, and assuredly of
importance in the religious realm. What is the meaning of this fact?
What is its message? For, every universal fact of that kind reveals and
interprets an ideal.
Naturally the view point of the Protestant will be different from that of
the Catholic. The explanation of the attitude of both, as we stated,
cannot but help to hasten the coming of true union in Christendom. The
non-Catholic mind sees in this Inter-Church Movement the ultimate triumph
of Protestantism, the vindication of the leading principles of the
Reformation. The Anglican Archbishop DuVernet wrote in the "Montreal
Star," May 10th, 1919: "Reviewing the movement towards Christian Union in
Canada, a very natural evolutionary order is at once detected, which
gives us the assurance that a spiritual cosmic urge is at work behind
this united action of the Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist and
Congregationalist Churches of Canada, _the great evolutionary movement
towards the comprehensive Church of the Future_."
We all know of the sensation created in Anglican circles by the extreme
views of the Bishop of Carlisle. In a recent article on the "Nineteenth
Century and After"--entitled "Monopoly of Religion," he protests against
the claims of right and the privilege of monopoly in Religion, either in
doctrine or in form of government. He says that the Free Churches have
been right in resisting unto death the doctrines of religious monopoly.
Robert H. Gardner, in the "The Churchman," (_Episcopal_), acknowledges
that "The unanimous recognition of the plans (Interchurch World Movement)
is only a beginning; the hope of all that it will lead to a more perfect
union, and the evident anxiety to leave the Catholic (?) churches free to
maintain their principle without compromise or surrender, have converted
him to the belief that God the Holy Ghost is guiding this movement, and,
therefore, that it is truly Catholic (?)."
If such are the views of the Anglican Church, which, among other
denominations, has always been considered as most conservative, what may
we not expect from the other Churches? And indeed, the reading of
addresses made at their different Conferences and General Assemblies, the
resolutions passed, and the very atmosphere of these meetings tend to
uphold the Church-Union Movement as the realization of unity in
Christendom. "The Christian Century" (organ of the Disciples of Christ)
says: "It marks out the best path yet that has been described for the
attainment of unity. It outlines the goal and bravely takes the first
step towards its realization." The New York "Christian Advocate"
(_Methodist_) thinks: "It will mark a definite step toward that fusing of
Protestant forces whose absence hitherto, is responsible in large part
for the failure of Christianity to make powerful headway among men." As
the Presbyterians were the originators of the movement, "The Continent"
takes a justifiable pride, in quoting from a contemporary, that: "They
are perfectly ready to contemplate a Christian unity that involves the
passing away of this particular organism called the Presbyterian Church,
finely wrought though it be," and exhorts: "Presbyterians, this sort of
reputation is a lot to live up to. But we must not fall from it."
The principles of evolution--principles which we find underlying modern
thought--are freely called upon to explain this movement and justify its
consequences. Our millennial-minded doctors and preachers are
celebrating already the apotheosis of the Universal Church of the future.
And what does the Catholic Church think of Church-Union? What is its
point of view on this "Movement" which has now such hold on the
Protestant denominations? As the Catholic Church is in itself the
largest Christian body, it is but natural to presume that all Christians
will be interested in knowing Her views on this vital subject. For is
She not that Church which Gladstone himself calls, "the most famous of
Christian communions, and the one within which the largest numbers of
Christian souls find their spiritual food!" (Gladstone to Acton, Nov.,
1869.)
The Catholic Church sees in this movement of Church-Union the complete
disintegration of Protestantism and the open condemnation of its
fundamental principles. Those who are not of the "Fold" will perhaps
resent, but not be astonished at this sweeping statement. We would only
ask them to follow our argument and then judge for themselves.
_Union--and therefore unity--will not and cannot be the result of the
present Inter-Church Movement_. This statement involves a question of
fact and of right. _In facto_.--Let us examine first the question of
fact. Union, as now promoted, is either "_co-operative_" or "_organic_."
_Co-operative union ignores differences of creed or form of worship;
organic union suppresses them or merges them into a neutral mixture_.
Co-operative Union,--as a basis of religious unity affecting the religion
of the individual, can be at once dismissed. For, what _religious_
action,--_i.e._, action prompted and guided by a principle, a religious
doctrine,--is possible without that principle, that doctrine? Moral
action,--and Religion is at the same time the foundation and the highest
expression of the moral order,--pre-supposes immutable and recognized
principles. "The mental attitude defined on paper as 'undenominational,'
Miss M. Fletcher says rightly, has no existence in the human mind. Below
all sustained enthusiasms lie strong convictions."--Therefore to ignore
the directing principles of their various denominations in a common
religious action, and yet to pretend to keep their denominational
identity, involves, on the part of the Churches, an absolute
impossibility. Because doctrine is the very foundation, the "_raison
d'etre_" of intelligent Christian action. Diversity of opinion is bound
to bring, in religious matters, diversity of action; for, to be
consequent one must act according to his belief. Baptism, for instance,
is necessary or not necessary for salvation. On this doctrinal point
will necessarily hinge a diversity of action in the mission field alloted
to this or to that denomination. The position is quite different when
common action is confined to merely social work. But "social service,"
stripped of all its Christian principles and reduced to pure
philanthropy, is not Christianity; it is mere naturalism or neo-paganism.
The great majority of those for whom Christianity is yet a _living
reality_ understand the nefarious consequences of _"co-operative-union_."
To protect themselves against this scheme of a perfidious neutrality,
they advocate an "_organic union_." This even is to the fore in the
Philadelphia plan of the "Inter-Church World Movement." "The plan of
federal union will have this result, that after it shall have been in
operation for a term of years, the importance of _divisive_ names and
creeds and methods will pass more and more into the dim background of the
past and acquire, even in the particular denomination itself, a merely
historical value, and the churches then will be ready for, and will
demand, a more complete union; so that what was the 'United Churches of
Christ in America' can become the 'United Church of Christ in America,'
and a real ecclesiastical power, holding and administering ecclesiastical
property and funds of such united church."
The promoters of "_organic union_" do not ignore the differences between
creeds, but they are trying to reduce them. This union strikes at the
very bed rock of Divine Revelation. For, the suppression of differences,
or their limitation to a certain doctrinal minimum, implies a compromise,
and a compromise, in matters of truth, is unacceptable. Truth is eternal
and therefore does not change. If the Westminister and Augsburg
Confessions were true yesterday, why should they not be also true to-day?
If the 39 Articles were the rule of Faith for the Anglican Church in the
past, why should they be to-day but "definitions of theological opinions
of the time of the Reformation," as Anglican Bishop Farthing, of
Montreal, recently stated.--"You change . . . therefore you are not
true," we may say, with Bossuet, to those Churches.
_In jure_.--This universal readiness to compromise should not astonish us
when we know that the very fundamental principle of the Reformation is
"_private judgment_" in matters of Faith. The divine message of
Revelation is to be interpreted as each one sees best. This principle
makes, "_de jure_," every Protestant independent in his religious belief,
and opens the door to the most conflicting interpretations of the Divine
Message. "The High Church clergyman to-day," writes A. Birrell, "is no
theologian, he is an opportunist." Dogma degenerates into religious
emotionalism. Doctrine becomes nothing but a "_scheme of theological
impressions_." To tolerate every doctrine is, for a Church, to teach
none. Doctrinal chaos, such as we now see outside of the Catholic
Church, is the inevitable result of compromise. Winston Churchill's
famous novel, "Inside of the Cup," is nothing but the diagnosis of this
disintegration which Protestant Churches are now witnessing.