The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-15
METHODIST CHURCHES
NORTH AND SouwH Divided So
YEARS AGO.
The Slavery Issue Separated This
Great Church, But 4 consolida-
ton Now Seems Among
the Possibilities.

From ST. Louis Exchange.
In 1874 the Methodist Episcopal Church
in the United States split upon the slave
ry issue. Like the Presbyterian Church
and the nation itself. it could not stand
half slave and half Free Now. after
fifty-eight years, there Is prospect
that this year the first great stride will
be taken toward a reconciliation Of these
great American churches.
The consultative hope in the present
year looks to the quadrennial confer
ence Of the Southern church to be held
at Dallas. Tex, In May. If the confer
ence votes for consolidation. 1t will be
the fruit Of eight years OF quiet agitation,
toward bringing the Cancellation about.
1t would then only remain for the North
ern church to meet the Southern church
half way at its next national conference,
in 1904
Daniel Webster declared the disruption
of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the
United States to be an omen to national
disintegration. Such was the start of this
great church in the national life fifty
eight years ago. when 1t counted its
churches from the st. Lawrence to the
Gulf of Mexico, its hundreds of thousands
of communicates and Its picturesque cir
cult riders moving shoulder to shoulder
with the most intrepid pioneer in the
West
Today there is very good promise that
the Methodist church in the United
Statesis once more to become the Meth
odist Episcopal Church without affixes
North or South.
Indications Of a growing spirit of unity
between the two churches are the recent
consolidation of their publishing houses
in China. the adoption of common
standard hymn book, and the division of
American insular territory by which the
Southern church enters the mission field
Of Cuba and the Northern church con-
fines itself to Porto Rico and the Philip
pines.
st. Louis Is common territory for the
two churches. In all the cities and large
towns Of Missouri a like situation exists,
and in many of the smaller towns both
churches are to he found.
The advances thus far made by the
churches toward reconciliation and re-
union have usually met with the support
OF representative st. Louis Methodists.
Federation, rather than actual consoli-
dation. has been the object sought by
the two churches thus far This question
will come before the Southern Church at
it's Dallas conference In the form of a
report of the action taken by the North
ern Church on proposals which have been
passing between the two Churches since
1872 RHenOmentS were maze BY the
Northern conference to the scheme of
federation proposed by the Southern con-
ference. 1t Is not certain that these
amendfnents will prove acceptable to the
Southern Church and the matter may
be dropped at the Dallas meeting or re-
opened by new resolutions.
The recent strides toward union taken
by the two sections of the Presbyterian
Church have caused sentiment for
union among the laity in both divisions
of the Methodist Chlsch. and this feel
ing has been reflected by many Of the
clergy and educators OF both Churches.
Some Of the most optimistic see In the
approaching union of the separated parts
OF Methodsm and Presbyterianism a sign
Of the ultimate consolida ton Of all evan
gelical churches in the United States.
Examples for the proposed unification
OF American Mcthodism have been fur.
nished by the recent union. of the diff
ferent branches of the Church in Cana
da. and by similar action in Australia.
In Great Britain the divisions of the
Methodist Church number nearly a score.
At the Methodist ecumenical conference,
held in London last September, resolu
lions were adopted favoring the union of
the two branches of the African M. r.
Church in the United States and the Fed.
GRAFTON of the Northern and Southern d.
visions OF the white church.
The real Book Beer has arrived. It
is Cooks Beer and is at all saloons
in the city.