The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-09-02
REUNITED METHODISM.

1uo duufeSS VI Tue SOIlmlSSlOueTS APP
pointed to remove all Instructions to fra
ternal reunion of the Northern and South
ern Methodist Churches, is a document
whose importance will be generally recog-
nized. Briefly stated, the labors of these
Commissioners have resulted in reaching
the contamination so devoutly wished, and
thus they have been able, after frank
interchange of views and prayerful endeavor,
to harmonic all differences, and to arrive
at unanimous agreement of complete
fraternity. This, too, without any great
sacrifices on either side. The harmony is
perfect, the decision is unanimous, and the
relation of the two churches is declared in
the following minute, adopted by the body
of Commissioners without dissenting
voice:
Each of said Churches is legitimate
branch of Episcopal Methodism in the
United States, haveng a common origin
in the Methodist Episcopal Church organ
lied in 1884, and since the organization of
the Methodist Episcopal Church South was
consummated in 1915, by the voluntary exer-
else of the right of the Southern Annual
Conferences, ministers, and members to
adhere to that communion, it has been an
evangelical Church, reared on Scriptural
foundations and her ministers and mem
bers, with those of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church, have constituted one Metho-
dist family in distinct ecclesiastical con-
venton.
Building upon this foundation, the Com
missioners had next to consider questions
concerning conflicting claims to church
property, and special cases which could not
be disposed of under general rule. The
two main points to be decided, were: First,
as to the legal ownership of said property;
second, as to whether it will consist with
strict equity, or promote Christian harmony
or the cause of religion to dispossess those
societies now using church property which
was originally intended for their use and
occupancy, and which they have acquired
possession, though they may have lost legal
title to it by their transfer from one church
to another After careful consideration
of all the papers submitted in such con-
nection, the Commissioners unanimously
adopted certain rules which appear to us
to be calculated to cover all these cases,
and which no doubt will be accepted by all
parties interested as fair, honorable,
Christian basis of settling such differences
as may exist.
The Commissioners, in submitting the
rules referred to- take occasions to make
certain recommendations admirable in spirit
and pervaded by what Locke calls Ground
about common sense" They say: In Or
der to further promote the peaceful results
contemplated by this Joint Commission,
and to remove as far as may be all occasion,
and especially to forestall all further occa
sion for hostility between the two churches,
we recommend to the members of both as
wise rule of settlement where property is
in contest, and one or both are weak, that
they compose their differences by uniting
in the same communion and in all cases
that ministers OF members recognized each
other IN all relations of fraternity, and as
possessed of ecclesiastical rights and priv
ileges of equal dignity and validity. They
should each receive from the other ministers
and members in good standing with the
same alacrity and credit as if coming from
their own church, and without interference
with each others institutions on missions.
They should, nevertheless, CO operate in
Christian enterprises" All this is excel
lent, and we must believe, will have due
weight with our Methodist friends on both
sides of the line. AS to remaining discor-
dances of mere opinion, on the part of
individual ministers and members, the
Commissioners admit that these must still
exist; but they urge upon all the exercise
and cultivation of a spirit of fellowship
and mutual regard, such as in time will
knit and weld together all the links of the
chain of American Methodism. And this
course is urged by that strongest of argu-
ments, the supreme allegiances due to the
great Head of the Church. The address
concludes with congratulations over this
suspicious ending of a long vexed question,
and with an eloquent eulogy upon Method
ism in general. The Commissioners on
the part of the Northern Church are:
M. D. Crawford, Enoch L. Fancher, Eras-
mus P. Fuller, Clinton B. Fish, and John
P. Newman; and on the part of the South.
ern Church: Edward H. Meyers, Robert
K. Hargrove, Thomas NJ. Finney, David
Clafton, and Robert B. Vance. In the
successful settlement of this most i'm,
portant matter, these Commissioners have
performed noble work, fully justifying the
wisdom of their appointment not only,
but also building for themselves lasting
monument as peace makers of the ssblessed''
king.
But the work so we'll done, in this one
instance, is likely to have far-reaching
result outside of, and beyond the denomi.
nation in whose particular interests it has
been performed. If Methodists, North
and South, can thus easily be reunited,
after years of separation, sometimes amount
ing to antagonism, why may not, why
should not the Baptists and Presbyterians
come together without further coquetry
and parleying? Preliminaries and over
lures and resolutions are we'll enough, and
in their way perhaps quite necessary; but
beyond certain point they get to be
virtual distractions. Now, why cannot
the denominations that are yet devded by
the imaginary sectional lines take Method
list practice for their model and do the
thing itself, instead of talking about and
around it forever? For the harmonious
reunion of the Churches, North and South,
means reunion everywhere, in all the wide
sweep of the word, and when the Christian
sects shall know no sectionalsm, the nation
will indeed be one in the truest and fullest
sense. God speed the day.