Editorial February 6, 1909 Issue

"FREEDOM TO WORSHIP GOD"

Archibald McLellan

A number of newspapers have commented upon the quandary in which a certain church in New Jersey found itself placed by reason of the application of one of its members for a letter of dismissal and recommendation to the local Christian Science church, and most of them have taken the very sensible view that the dismissal of the member was something to which he was entitled by right, and the question whether or not he should be recommended to the Christian Science church or any other church was of minor importance. Apropos of this, the Newark, N. J., News says, in part,—

The church is a voluntary association, and for that reason its jurisdiction may be renounced. In fact, the constitution of this church provides for this renunciation. Whenever an individual no longer accepts the doctrines of the church he is afforded the privilege of withdrawing from its communion. The fact that the church possesses the power of excommunication proves that the relation between the individual and the organization is terminable, and it would be obviously unjust if the relation could be terminated upon the initiative of one party to the contract and not to the other.

It is also the privilege of a member of the church to secure from the session a statement of the fact that he was a member in good and regular standing. If he were not such a member, it is the duty of the session to drop his name from the roll, and consequently, unless the church has been neglegent in the performance of its duty, any person enrolled is entitled to a statement to that effect. There are two ways, then, by which this applicant may proceed. He may renounce the jurisdiction of the Presbyterian church and seek the fellowship of the Christian Scientists; or, he may secure from the session of the Hoagland Memorial church a statement of his standing in its membership, and present it in lieu of a letter of recommendation to his new friends.... That such a letter prove unacceptable to the Christian Scientists is quit inconceivable. No church is under compulsion to recommend any one that it does not desire to recommend, but in the formality of receiving members into churches there is no need for such a recommendation. The fact that the individual has been, up to the time the letter was written, a member of the organization issuing it, bears its own recommendation, and to require an additional recommendation would be to insinuate that a member might be in good standing with that denomination and yet undeserving of a recommendation to membership in another church.

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