, 1874-11-29

A meeting Of the Committees of the Re-
formed Church in the United States and OF the
Reformed Church in America Was held in
philadelphia Nov. IS and ~. to consider the
question of the consolidation Of those bodies.
The old name OF the tirst sect was German Re-
formed, and OF tho 1attor. Dutch Reformed. The
German Church has 1,179 congregations, five
synods, and q membership OF 130, 900. The
Dutch Church is composed Of four synods, 499
churches, and 69149 communicants- These
churches are chiefly in the StateB Of Non York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, bat there
are few in other States. Both the churches
date back to the reformation in the Palatiuate
and Holland in the sixteenth century. 1hore ia
no material difference in their fai.A- The New
York Tribune says Of these bodies and their CT
forts to folm union:
Both accept tho Heidelberg Catechiszo their creed
Synod OF bort anu what is known the Eelgic Cou-
fesBon Tie German Church maintains this spirit Uf
Congregatonahr'n 1n its government 1n9ss than the
bodies is PTethyteriAns both having District ynods
aud > General Synod, which answers to the General
Assembly Ct the Presbyer1ns, The organization cor
responding to PresbyteEy is called i'll both Cassa.
The General Synod Of the German Church meets every
three years; mat Of the Dutch Church every year.
In both churches any proposition for union agreed
upon the Committees must hzst ba presented ~ tbs
General Synod Of each, and by them sent down TO the
give fua1 effect to the plan- desire for union has
been felt in both secs for several years. and there has
been growing belief that there were no substantial
differences Of faith to keep them apart
This belief has led to the recent committee
conferences. 1t is d little curious that the rit-
uallsto controversy saoud be found to be crop
ping out in this conference, and should offer d
serious obstacle to the union of these bodies, SO
similar in belief and organization. Says the
New YORK 1ribune's correspondent:
most seriouR etu7nh]i1Q-hIDck in the WV nf
proposed union the rituaistic teachings and
tees which prevail to considerable extent in the
German Church, aud spring from what IL known
the MercersburE theology, from tts promulgAtton by
the college Of that namo Ut Lancaster. Penn. Though
uousIy resisted by largo numbers Of ii ministers,
thess doctrines-and especially that concerning
tho actual presence Of Christ in the elements
Of the communion--are sufficiently widespread
and apprehension, threatening the unity Of ths
denomination. The Committed Of the Dutch Church
carefully i'll orred themselves Of the extent to which
this corruption Of the faith II they deemed it, had
gone III the sister church. and made up their minds
before they separated that to join hands with their
German brsthrsn in organic union would be to be-
involved in family quarrel and was therefore
undesirable. The Germauo. on thelr part, were more
destrous Of eectiug the consolidation. The doctrnui
obstacle which stood their way in the rigid ad-
Of the Dutch to tho Bclgc Confession and tho
Canons Of Dort they thought could bs overcome, and
in commemorate spirit Of compro1nes offered pan
Of organic union the following basis: The Hedel
berg Catechism to be tho common standard the
Begc Confession and the Articles OF Uort to be con-
aideEed of great importance aud Of authority
the Heidelberg Catechism General Synod, with Its
powers limited and defurd.
The Joint Committee. however, decided to re-
port adversely to union Of tue TWO bodies. An
effort wus made to secure an amendment to tbs
report which should direct the Boards OF Mis-
sions Of the Two bodies to ascertain whether or
not cooperation was not possible in the foreign
mission work; but this was 1ost By yeas to &
nays in the German Committee, the Dutch Com
mtttee voting 5 yeas aud NAYS. II il thought in
some quarters that split Will tako place In the
German Church, and, after the ritualists are
gone, tho low-church members will unite With
the Dutch Reformed Church.