The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1889-09-27
PHILOMATH COLLEGE.

EDS GAZETTE i
Will you allow column of your
paper to presentation of the affairs
of Philomath college, of the United
Brethren church, an institution we'll
known in Oregon. 1t Was founded in
1865 by the people, under the auspi-
ces of the church of the United Breth-
rem in Christ, and has ever since been
controlled by trustees holding il foi
said church under the provision of the
original charter. The denomination
at the time of the founding of the
college was small, but in the last quar-
ter of a century has grown rapidly So
that it now numbers over two hundred
thousand members, and owns a
splendid publishing house, located at
Dayton, Ohio, worth over quarter OF
a million dollars, and theological
seminary with splendid grounds and
buildings, located in the same city, as
we'll as numerous literary institutions
located in different parts of the United
States.
The United Brethren church was
founded by the first conference OF
ministers held in Baltimore, Md, In
1889. A quarter Of century later a
confession of faith was adopted by
the general conference, which was
variously improved by the general
conferences at different times up to
1857. In lS41, the general confer
ence composed of delegates from all
the annual conferences of the church
after long discussion, by small ma
jority, adopted a constitution in the
name of the "members" but did moi
submit this constitution to the "mem
bers" for approval. Since that time
. this constitution has been a cause O
contention. Eight years after its
adoption a motion was made in the
general conference to strike the consti
tuition from the discipline on the groune
that it was illegal. This motion, how
ever, did not prevail. The constitu
tion of lS4l had this clause, "Thert
shall be no connection with secret com
binations." 1t did not allow laymen /;
seat in the legislative bodies of th'
church. It said "There shall be NJ
alteration of the foregoing constitution
unless by request of two thirds of th'
whole society" These restriction
bore heavily against the progress o
the church, though they were fnall,.
r outgrown. The church Was favorable
to admitting laymen at its genera
conferences. 1t favored leaving the
matter of its members connection will
secret societies with the individua
consciences of the people under tn
instruction of the church, and of leav
ing the matter of legislation concern
ing these societies to the general cor
ference, in the place of the absolut
. restriction. The church lar 5ely he'll
that the amendment of the constitu
l. ton under It's restriction clause was a
q absolute impossibility, as no measur
J. could ever prove the petition of "tw
S thirds of all the members" Near
u time there had formed two wings {
y the church, the "radica" and tn
n 'sliberal" The radicals opposed a
l. change, the liberals favored chang'
r and progressive adaptation to the cor
q ditions of society and demands Of tn
IF age and a growing church.
IS The general conference of 1885 aftt
% carefully considering the manner I
N adopting the constitution, and IL
d agitations of the church, and the p
q culiar restrictions of the constitution
N in it's judicial capacity, declared th
amendment clause too far reaching an
e impracticable to be held as constitution
y al ltw. In as much as there were n
y provisions for the amendment of IL
y constitution the general conference
1885 appointed a church commissio
at of twenty-nine members composed
40 the bishops and leading preachers an
O. laymen, to formulate impuremen
We to the confession Of faith and amen