CHAPTER XXIII

UNION   AND   AFFILIATION:   1893-1900

"And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one
flesh."—Marfc 10 : 8.

" The union of the Church of the Covenant with the Brick Church has proved to
be eminently wise and for the best interests of both, and the results, we believe,
will be for the lasting good of the united people, and for the advancement of the
cause of Christ in this city."—Minute of Session, January 3d, 1896.

EARLY in 1893, the proposal to unite the
Church of the Covenant and the Brick Church
in the manner described in the last chapter,
was broached, and began to be considered by the
oflScers of both churches. The proposed action, it
will readily be believed, involved a number of diflS¬
cult problems. To accommodate to one another the
interests of two fully developed organizations, and to
bring together two distinct groups of people in a
union which should be hearty and happy, required
very careful consideration. There were, moreover,
certain technical diflSculties which must be over¬
come before the plan would be even possible.

On May 16th, 1893, came a formal communication
from the session and trustees of the Church of the
Covenant, definitely proposing a union and asking
that a committee of the oflScers of the Brick
Church be appointed to confer with the Covenant
representatives and to join with them in reporting a
plan for adoption by their respective congregations.

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