New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-13
AZ FAR APART AS EVER
LITTLE HOPE FOR ORGANIC UNION OF
METHODIST CHURCHES
,r.soys WHY THE TWO GREAT BODIES REPRE-
ssNrINo THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH WILL
NEVER. IT Is SAID. BECOME oNE-AN
AGREEMENT TO SECURE WORK
N HARMONY REACHED BY
THE COMMITTEES.
ley TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
v,shirgton Jan. l2.-In certain phases Of their
work together and IN perfect harmony and ac-
ard. as 10 organic union wide apart ever;
a,h every relation marked by frateI-lal affection
hat IS 10 be the attitude OF the two great bodies
- Ne,hodists OF the country the result Of the
conference which has just ended its labors In
this city
~ the committees representing respectively the
Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist
rn,.copal Church South. which have been in ses-
.,on IN Washington for some days, has been
80. and none will DO made for several days
r,sss bodies are purely advisory. and the de-
c,sons they have reached must be submitted 10
,ss General Conferences Of tho two Churches tor
,.,,dcstor Tho committees met In executive SEES
.,on and decided TO give out nothing official as
~ their findings Bishop Cranberry. representing
The Southern Church. and the Rev Dr. Cooke
,sn-esenting the Northern Church, have been ap-
,o,n,ed 10 draft a statement Of the result OF their
findings for submission to the General CONFER
.ncs. and that statement has not yet been COM
pleted. , l., ..
,.,r,y outlined above On minor details OF their
~ the two bodies are getting gradually to-
,.,her. on what many have termed the main ques-
,,ons they are far apart as ever. ana IN the
very me- ure Of things. this Will continue 10 De lot
so,na time Il not for all time. or until that happy
rerirl
pro,estant Churches The question OF organic
,,,o, ~ the two Churches has not been discussed
NJ the committees which have just finished sitting
h.-e Four topics have consumed the Time OF inc
visiting clergymcn and laymen; Union IN HilSsio''
work a uniform hymnal. UNIFORM FORM OF service
for all Methodist churches. and cooperation IN sup
no-t OF the Methodist University and IN Epworth
League work
C1.AsH1NG OF CHURCHES PREVENTED
In North
hsve heen pretty well together on all these propo-
s,tors The most important result Of the meeting
hs. been an agreement that neither Church shaL
enter a field IN which the other mas become es'ap-
ushed This means practical union OF rorces IN
a way that will prevent clashes In both domesuc
md foreign fields AS the form of worship. a
practical agreement has been reached. and also as
10 the hymnal The details of the agreement with
regard to the proposed University nave not De-"
given outfit formal agreement was reached.
D.. The Methodist Episcopal (Northern) Church was
represented in these meetings by Bishops Hurst
Merrill and Nlnde; the Rev. DR.. Wilson. OF Wash
ington: the Rev. Mr.. Cooke. Of Chattanooga, and
the Rev Mr.. Jackson. of Chicago. and by Judge
Muller. OF Covington, KY: Judge Murray. OF Penn
sylvania and Judge Sweet of Topeka. lay men,
bers For the Southern Church there have been
Bishops Cranberry. Hargrove and Duncan, the Rev.
Dr. Hoss Of Nashville: the Dew. Dr. Macdonald. of
Savannah and the Rev. DR.. Dye. and Judge Walter
Clark Professor r. W. Jones, and Judge Holt OF
Texas.
While there has been much talk especially among
the NortheTn churches and among layment In
parts Of the South about ultimate organic union Of
the two great branches OF Methodsm that was not
taken into consideration al all in the work Of these
committees. and what was done hardly be said
TO have any bearing at all on that question. While
those who have urged organic union take every
step toward more complete agreement In their work
as meaning Just another step toward the end they
desire. the facts do not seem TO warrant their
The Southern Church is almost a unit against
the proposition: Leaders Of the Church say that
while here and there some such sentiment man
TESTS Itself, It is among people who. when the
from their views The Southerners declare that in
tie very nature Of the case there can be no change
in the relations OF the two organizations and in
separation and the efforts that have been made at
op by the General Conference Of the then united
was over this same prominent Georgian. twelve Five
Conference OF 1874 Is familiar to most members Of
the Church
REASONS FOR CONTINUED SEPARATION.
In explaining why the Southern Church is against
amagamaton. and will probably always be- a
leading minister Of that Church said:
There several reasons. all OF them good.
In the first place the idea Of a great membership
in point Of numbers. which has taken possession
Of some OF our Northern brethren does not appeal
TO us. We do not see how any better results
would be obtained by the organic union OF the two
respect Then. too" he continued. the North
ssnTs have not ehsnged the 29s5iP5n they main
tended that by majority vote OF General Con-
as ola then. that g Bishop, once chosen. remains
q Bishop for hfe unless removed for cause deter
OF defence Our Northern brethren would have
overwhelming majority In the General Conference
corId sa.'v orevent the election Of any Southern
man TO the hishopric. they ala for good many
that. but they would have the power; and there
might come a time when would be in the
iooy'lng Risbon Andrews's election when we got
10 Bishops and had no real PART N the me OK
there are weightier reasons than any or those
have ctedwegher at least mn any o, da e
tenure Of the Bishops The Northern Church has
two problems facinS IT, neither Of which we care
Whether they shall admit women as delegates to
their General Conference is just now I'VE ques
sumo H. for have no ovs such q qSes aues n
lion snd We bays no such question in Church
often laugh at my Northern friends and ten them
MANY OF them would Ike 10 rid themselves OF H.
but they cannot. We sympathIze wiz. , tn"@"'' LUZ
DO not care 10 assume that problem elmer
HOW THE aoUTH SOLVED THE RACE
PROBLEM.
Explaining what ne meant by race problem
he referred to the fact that the General confer
Northern CfuTcn mas dooue ei>'| ~
ored members and said that many OF the con-
seryat,ve men OF the Northern Church maintained
that this membership brings down the general
average IN the Conference and that these colored
votes had more than been used to further
As Tor TIC Soufhern Church their problem was
solved for them when, after the war about nan On
their missions went off 10 the NortheIn nue. III,
on the idea OF getting away from everything '',e'
main,nr one hundred and hftv thousand or so TIE
Southern Church created the coored ,b nron@riy
valued AZ $4,000 That Church has It's own or
ganization and has had stea s, ana a, main
}sns an Interest in T. Is evidenced by tne re-
cent erection % n S2o,oU puHu'"s NJ ~
which is located IN Augusta Ga . ..o Northern
The sentiment among members Of the no'inMf en
Church In favor Of organic union is suois r,'ret
lks Bishop Foster OF Boston. ana Bishop Iiu ~.
0, Washington and others OF inc, INC ~ srJiion