Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-04

the announcement has been made that the
Sunday evening services will hereafter be
dispensed with until fall and several OF
the midweek meetings, as well as meetings
of various church societies. have also been
discontinued during the warm weather PERI
cd. The pastors and members OF the vari-
GUS denominations are preparing to ieave
the city on their annual vacations ana
only those services considered as particu-
larry essential to the work OF the churches
in both summer and winter will be con-
Quoted for the next few months.
The season for indoor church socials ana
entertainments has also passed and the
order will now be for lawn parties. trolley
rides picnics, etc. which may be enjoyed
in the open air. The young peoples socie-
ties play an important part in the active
religious work OF the churches In the sum
mer months during the partial cessation OF
activity among the older members OF the
CONGREGATIONS. The Sunday evening meet
ines of the young people are continued
during the heated period. and special eHorts
are made that these services. In SO iar as
possible may take the place OF the USUAL
preaching services The meetings are usu-
ally confined to not more than an hour In
duration, and interesting features are IN
troduced by the leaders of the meetings.
Under the heading of 1.-The Latest AS
meets of Church Union the Church Econo-
mist In its July edition discusses the move
ments in the various Protestant denomina-
lions looking toward consolidation OK re-
ligious bodies According to the Economist
there has never been so much tax IN
America about possible union or afhliation
Of various Protestant denominations as
during the past two years. Doctrlnal oiI-
ferences that doomed very large a decade
or two ago have ceased to be important az
between members OF the branches or large
religious families and there Is a strong
tendency in several of these families to Tor
get past differences and get together OH
some ba sis that will economize admfnistra-
ton and make possible an aggressive evan
gelistic work in which most OF them be-
lieve.
Among the religious families In which
there has been talk of union are the Pres
byterian, Lutheran. Baptist and Methooist'
and some smaller bodies without these ram
lily relations have been casting about 1or
others with which to try and unite 1t was
expected that definite plans for consoifda-
ton of some Of the denominations might
be made at the spring meetings or several
Of the churches, but the meetings have
been held, and 1t is considered that but
little has been accomplished along the line
of consolidation. 1t is believed that the
time was not quite ripe for action: the at
titude of some of the bodies was not quite
needed for thought and discussion.
In the opinion of the Economist the two
bodies that are closest to organic union are
two that seemingly had little In common.
United Brethren and Methodist ProteStants
have gotten so far along in union plans as
to have decided in committee on a name. a
creed and a polity. Little remains except
action by the general bodies of the de-
nominations. and as leading men Of the de-
nominations we're members of the commit
foes ha dacfdod fhoSa essentials little
no opposition Is looked for.
At the first joint meeting Of the United
Brethren Methodist Protestant and Con-
gregational churches. held in 1902. steps
were taken toward the organization Of a
general council Of the united church. The
details of the organization were decided
upon at the meeting held In Washington in
May of this year. The general council is
the result OF plan of affiliatiOn of the Con-
gregational Methodist Protestant and
United Brethren churches. If present plans
are carried out 1t will be a representative
body. with one member for every 5000
members in the denominations This would
give CongreGattonalists approximately 100
members IN the council United Brethren
fifty and Methodist Professionals forty. Just
what is to be the province of the general
council has not been clearly stated. In
general terms. however it is to be de-
Lucrative rather than a legislative body.
although it Is expected that 1t will decide
matters affecting all three denominations.
and there is talk of making 1t the supreme
authority of the three in the management
Of their foreign missions.
The Economist declares that the move
ment between the United Brethren and
Methodist Protestant bodies does not stop
snort of organic union. United Brethren
and Methodist Professionals found that they
had many things in common. In doctrine
they are substantially agreed, and 1t will
only be necessary to recast their two con-
fessions of faith into one new standard.
suitable name proved somewhat of
stumbling block. Methodists wanted that
name retained in the new one, but the
Brethren did not look kindly upon it, 1t
was decided to retain both old names and
the committee is to recommend THE
United Brethren and Methodist Protestant
Churches with the idea that when the
two bodies have been together for a few
years a new and simpler name can be
adopted. The title of bishop is to be
dropped and that OF superintendent has
been adopted the designation of the
higher officers of the proposed united body.
However. all these matters must have the
approval Of the general conferences Of the
two bodies. the Methodist Protestants meet
ing in May of next year and the United
Brethren in May of 1908.
In discussing the other movements look
ing toward consolidation Of UNCONVENTIONAL
bodies the religious publication mentions
the fact that for several years there has
been discussion in the Dutch Reformed
Church OF America and the southern Pres
byterfon Church as to the possibility OF
union of those two bodies. The two de-
nominations are considered as much alike
in doctrine. The Dutch element In the Re-
formed Church has a deep-seated love for
its church. It's liturgy and it's history. and
does not welcome the idea of union with a
Presbyterian body. On the other hand. 1t
is stated. there is an element In the Pres
byterian Church South which holds the
opinion that union should be looked for
with other Presbyterian bodies, and not
with the Reformed. The matter was acted
upon at the recent general assembly of the
Southern Presbyterians and the general
synod Of the Reformed Church. The latter
body adopted resolution to the effect that
should the general assembly Of the South
ern Presbyterian Church appoint COM
mittee of conference to consider the whole
question of closer fraternal relations and
possible organic union the synod is willing
to appoint a similar committee to take the
matter under consideration.
Another Presbyterian movement, originat-
ing with the Cumberland Church, looks not
toward the union, but toward the afflliation
of all Presbyterian and Reformed bodies In
one great general assembly, which would
be for Presbyterians what the general coun-
Gil of the united churches is to be for the
three bodies in its membership Commit
tees of several of the bodies have met IN