The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-16
CHURCHES MAY
Be CONSOLIDATED.
a. Call for Unification Has Been
Issued.
THE SCARCITY OF PREACHERS
Hard to Get Supplies for Sunday Ser
vices Now-Feast of the Assump-
ton Celebrated in Catholic
Churches-Notes.
THE SCARCITY OF PREACHERS

Considerable interest is taken in church
circles In a call just issued for the con-
solidation OF several denomina tons.
among others the United Brethren, the
Methodist Protestant, the Evangelical,
the United Evangelical, and the Cumber-
land Presbyterian. The call comes
from tho headquarters Of the United
brethren Church at Dayton. Ohio, and
~ as follows:
believing that the uniting Of a num-
Der of the smaller ecclesiastical bodies
" this country would be more in har-
nony with the Christian spirit OF the
hge and more fully conserve the best in
terests Of the cause of Christ, we. 30
ministers and laymen OF the Church or
the United Brethren in Christ, hereby
nsk our bishops to take such steps as
are necessary to open negotiations with
churches similar to ours in polity and
doctrine; looking toward their perma.
nent union.
1--WE would especially name the Meth
odist Protestant Evangelical. United
Evangelical and Cumberland Presbyterian
Churches.
such a union, we believe, would Sc
cure the divine blessing and demon
strate before the world the spirit of our
Lord. who. in praying for his disciples
and followers. for all time. said. That
they all may be one as thou. Father.
art in me. and in thee. that they also
may be one in U.S. that the world may
believe that thou hast sent me- I"
This statement Is signed by the Rev.
w. NJ. Weekley. General Church-Erec-
ton Secretary: the Rev. M. M. Bell, gen.
eral missionary secretary; the Rev. w.
r. Funk. publishing agent; the Rev. I.
l.. Kephart, editor of the Religious Tele-
scope: the Rev. IL. A. Thompson. editor
of the United Brethren Review; three
professors in the United Brethren Sem
mary and other officials and pastors Of
the Church, twenty-five in all.
The Rev. George II Stewart, one OF
the most widely-known evangelists in
the country. will hold a series Of revi-
val meetings in Richmond during the
carly part of October.
Mr.. Stewart is we'll remembered here
ns having been a. visitor to this city
before. He was at one time co-laborer
with Sam Jones and the two Travelled
around together On this occasion, Mr..
Stewart will preach at the Broad-Street
twelve services. They Will not be de-
rcminational and 1t is expected that they
will develop into something.
The exact date of Mr.. Stewards arri-
val has not yet been fixed.
Preachers are unusually scarce at this
season of the year and there is a constant
struggle each week to get pulpit supplies
for Sunday services. In one instance tele-
grams have been sent in various direc-
tions-as far north as Philadelphia-but
without success. Up to this morning it
looked much as If one of the lay MEM
bers of the church would have to preach.
Dr. John Moncure, of this city, is filling
two pulpits at the same time. He is
preaching at ST. Pauls and at ST. Luke's.
The Rev. John G. Scott, late of the
Miller Manual School Is supplying at
Holy Trinity and at Christ Church.
The Rev. James Morris. Of the Brazilian
Mission, is preaching for DR.. w. E. Evans
at Monumental.
The assumption of the Blessed Virgin.
one of the most important festivals in the
Roman Catholic Church. was cele-