The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-20
METH0DISTS WILL UNITE
For Six Years the Proposition
 Has Been Pending.
Plan Finally Approved by the Book Committee of the Methodist Episcopal Church South-To
 Be Located at Shanghai.

New York, Aug. 2.-The two great branches of American Methodism. the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church South, are to unite at Shanghai. China. the publish ing interests of the two denominations throughout the Chinese Empire. the joint publishing house to be known as the Methodist Publishing House in China.
 The final act in this agreement came about today when the plan was finally approved by the Book Committee of the Methodist Episcopal Church South at a meeting held in Nashville. Tenn, the Board of Managers of the Missionary So- ciety of the Methodist Episcopal Church having voted on the agreement a week ago at ..ew York.
 The scheme for joint publishing house in China was proposed more than six years ago by the missionaries in China of the two denominations. Since that time each of the denominations has felt contin- ually the need of a much larger publish ing equipment in China than it has pos sessed. Shanghai as the commercial and distributing center for all China has. of course appealed to each as the strategic place for a publishing center. The econ- omy in the united publishing plan for the empire has been patent to all but for various reasons joint action has had to be postponed from time to time
 A tentative agreement was reached at a joint conference held at Alto Dale, Balti- more County. Md, the country home of the Rev. John F. Boucher, the President of the Baltimore Women's College, on August 5. At this meeting there were present Dr. Boucher, the Rev A. B.. Leonard and the Rev. Dr. Homer Eaton representing the Board of Managers of the M. F. Church. and Bishop A. w Wilson, the Rev. Dr. Paul Whitehead and the Rev. Dr. Collins Denny. repre- senting the Book Committee ot the M E. Church South. The agreement which these men drew up has now been rati- fled by the authoritative bodies which they represented
 The plan provides for a capital stock of $100,0o0 one-half of which is to be paid up, each of the contracting corporations providing $25.000 The ownership and interest in the publishing house is to be guaranteed by equal proportions to the corporations. Six directors who have already been elected are to have the con- trol and there are to be two business managers of equal coordinate authority, one from each of the churches.
 In effecting this union of publishing in terests of China it is understood that all other mission interests of the two churches remaiu as at present organized and established. The publishing house is to occupy the property recently built by the book committee of the Methodist Episcopal Church South for a publish ing house and rent is to be paid to that book committee for the use of that build ing. In the purchase of machinery that now is owned by the Missionary Society of the Nj. E. Church in Foo Chow China. is to be given the preference pro- vided such machinery and equipment be needed by the new concern.
 The board of directors for the Board Of Managers of the Missionary Society ot the M E Church consists of the Rev. John F. Boucher. Lemuel Skidmore and the Rev. Dr. Homer Eaton. the directors for the book committee of the M. E. Church South will be elected at Nash vile, Tenn, tomorrow.