The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-17
NEW IOWA IDEA'
CAUSES A FURRY
National Congregationalists in .
Heated Debate Over Proposed
Merger of Societies.
Special to The Journal.

National Council OF Congregational
churches was precipitated by gun
fred from Iowa.
The association of that state had
memorialized the national council for
action favoring the consolidation or
the six benevolent societies. This aues-
tion is one of the most important TO
come before the council. A special
had been appointed at the last council
meeting at Portland, Me-, in 1901, and
that committee report favored the
separate organizations as they at pres an
to adopt the report, which the moder-
ator gave no time to discuss, and by
some strange suspension of wits on the
part of the opposition, was allowed to
be carried unanimously. -.
Suddenly the advocates Of consollda-
ton realized that they had let their
opportunity pass. 1t was one OF those
strange cases of stage fright which at
tack a man when he suddenly sees a
deer and fails to raise his gun till the
animal is bounding away thru the
brush.
another Shot. A special committee, Of
which DR.. William p. Barton was
chairman, reported on the memorial OF
the Iowa association, which asked for
the consolidation Of the societies: This
time the merger men remembered their
guns and promptly voted to adopt the
report.
BeaI of Milwaukee said "Nothing will
be accomplished by an appeal to the So
cieties. Reorganization is the thought
the societies from without. Dr.. Nc
Lean of New Haven, secretary Of the
committee Of nine appointed to inves-
tigate the whole question, said that it
was not business possibility to unite
the treasures. Invested funds We're
not allow to be given over to merger.
Further, the expense would not be
greatly reduced because the amount of
work to be done would remain the same
and would require just as much office
help.
Dr.. Marsh of Burlington defended the
"Iowa idea'' of consolidation, saying
that the word Of the age was Hget to-
gether.'' John De Pew of Bridge
port, Conn, member of the executive
committee Of the Home Missionary So
ciety, took the platform and made an
impassioned app cal for separate so,
cieties. He said much had been &C.
complished in economy of administra-
ton. He also said what few knew
that each of the six societies except the
to have one consolidated magazine and
each stood ready to carry out that &C
ton.
It was pointed out that consolida
tion of the societies, might mean 6
diminution Of the receipts. Illustration
of this point could be had in the NOR
ging Of the New West Education 50
ciety with the National Education 50
ciety. Nearly $4,000 of contribution
to the New West society were cut OF
and did not flow into the treasury OF
the "merger.'
Made Special Order.
After prolonged discussion thu
question was referred to another spe
cial committee of ten, which was in
structed to have resolutions printed ant
distributed, and this was made the spe
Monday. The report of the committee
on federation was reconsidered and re
ferred to the same committee Of ten
to be reported at the same time. Thu
nothing has been accomplished but tn
airing of the subject. Every seat i
occupied this afternoon, as this is tn
chief question to be settled by thi
council.
Z The question of an annual instead O.
a triennial meeting of the council wa
raised, and amendments to the consti
tuition to that effect were proposed
This resolution was ordered printed an
distributed and presented at the Mon
day business meeting.
Barton and Northeep Disagree.
DR.. VIM. E. Bartoas of Oak PARK
Ill, failed to please this presidents o
UNCONVENTIONAL colleges in his address
before the Congregational Edncationa
society and the meeting Of the rel
resentatives of these colleges has bee
held and protest and further repo1
will be presented to the national cou1
Gil .,.
As president of one of the leadin
colleges said: che cheapened us.
to give such prominent place t
athletics and advocated buckkaws il
stead of footballs. He scored the co
leges for lack Of religious life and eve
included in his wholesale condemn;
tion the theological seminaries. He d
lie schols, the social settlements, tn
colleges, the seminaries and in tn
home.
Following DR.. Barton, President G,
rus Northrop spoke and occupied tt
anomalous position of a president {
g, great state university pleading #
the nominationaI college, His r
marks were far more cordially receive
by the representatives of the Sc
tartan schools than were the remarl
at DR.. Barton. .5r es-
Merger of Three Churches Advocate
The feature Of today's session W.
the report of the committee relative
the proposed union of the Unite
Brethren and Methodist protestal
churches with the Congregational. tt
report was read by William Hay
Ward, editor of the New York Ind
pendent, and chairman of the commi
tee. It favored the consolidation
three churches and took the broa
ground that the fewer churches IL
better. The councils action cann'
be predicted. f.- l...".
Missionary Society Receipts.
The report Of the Home Missiona1
society showed receipts during the we,
Of $211, 492 and expenditures $337,S2