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 o