Congregational Christian Church

Biggest projected mergers among Protestants are those of the Episcopal, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches, debated last year but as yet far from actu- ality. Also projected is the union of the five most important Presbyterian and Reformed groups, but this received a set-back last month when the Dutch Reformed and Southern Presbyterian Churches announced they would hear no more of it.

Last week a merger was, almost miraculously, realized. In Seattle the Congregational and Christian Churches met in joint convention, consummated a long-planned union. Representing 6,670 congregations and 3,000,000 church constituents, the new church will be called "Congregational and Christian." It will have two moderators. Rev. Dr. Carl Safford Patton, pastor of the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, was elected by the Congregationalists to succeed Rev. Dr. Fred B. Smith. Dr. Samuel Parkes Cadman of Brooklyn, syndicated advice-giver, was nominated but had his name withdrawn. Christian President, too ill to attend the Convention, is Dr. Frank George Coffin of Columbus, Ohio. Observers believed he would be reelected. After 1935 the new Church will have but one moderator.

"We base our union upon the acceptance of Christianity as primarily a way of life and not upon uniformity of theological opinion or any uniform practice of ordinances," says the preamble of the new constitution, which recognizes "wide room" for differences in Biblical interpretation.

Calling their union the largest ever to take place between denominations entirely distinct in origin and history,* churchmen hoped its consummation would move other denominations to merge, perhaps later to join with them.

* The first known Congregational Church was founded in England in 1580-81 by Robert Browne; the Christian Church in 1793 by James O'Kelly of North Carolina.

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