The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-02-07
A CHURCH UNITY
IS THE PROBABLE
RESULT
Of Meeting Of Eminent Church
men in Ohio
Today.
Of Meeting Of Eminent Church.

4 4VOsy.
Daton, o., Feb. Eminent church.
men from all sections of the country
gathered In conference in this city
today and their deliberations and con-
cluslons will have important bearings
on the future Of the CONGREGATIONAL
lists, the United Brethren and the
Methodist Professionals. For it is ex-
pected that before the conference ad-
journs a plan will have been con-
summated for celebrating the three
bodies In an organization to be known
as general council. If the project
goes through, as seems possible now,
1t will mean new ecclesiastical unit
In America representing over a mill
lion OF Christians and thus practically
reducing by two the number of Pro-
testant sects.
49, - Started Years Ago.
The movement toward the fedora
ton Of the three denominations began
several years ago. The proposal for
such union came first from prom
fnent men in the Methodist Protestant
church, and later, leading men in the
United Brethren church, who believed
the union of several smaller ecclesias-
tical bodies would be in harmony with
the Christian spirit of the age, petit
toned their bishops to take such steps
as might be necessary to open nego-
tiations with sertain other churches,
looking to permanent union.
When proposals for such union
were made to the Congregationalists
of the United States by the Methodist
Protestant and United Brethren
bodies, the Congregationalists imme-
diately, In their national council, in
structed the committee on comfy, fed
GRAFTON and unity to look up the mat
ter. A preliminary meeting was held
in Pittsburg last year at which ar
rangements for the present confer
ence were concluded.
First Steps Taken.
Following the call to order today by
the Rev. DR.. Washington GLADDEN., the
conference took the necessary steps
to perfect its organization. Commit
tees were then appointed to discuss
plans for the coordination of benevo-
lent societies, colleges, seminaries and
all educational institutions. In the
opening addresses the speakers dwelt
upon the benefits tn be derived from
unity and stated the purpose of the
conference to be to decide just how
far the proposed federation shall go.
Union of Effort.
Organic union of the three denom-
nations is not the immediate aim of
the general council, for, while it is
agreed that the doctrines held by the
three are essentially the same, there
are marked differences of polity which
1t will take time to reconcile. 1t is
felt to be possible that union of effort
can be effected in benecolence, in edu-
cational work, and possibly in pub
fishing interests. The immediate aims
of the union will be to promote better
knowledge and closer fellowship of
the bodies, coordination in evangelis-
tic, educational and missionary work,
to prevent unnecessary multiplication
of churches, to unite weak churches
and to encourage affiliation with other
Christian bodies. According to pres
ent plans each denomination is to re-
tain its distinctive name and its auton-
omy in respect to its own government,
but is to ad dto its official title "In
af1liation with the general council Of
the united churches"
The Membership.
The Congregational church has $780,
900 members and vast educational,
publication and missionary interests.
The United Brethren have 100000
embers, five colleges, a theological
seminary, a series of religious jour-
nails, two publishing houses and -four
fishing missions in Africa, Japan and
Porto Rico. The Methodist Protest
ants have $4,000 members, four COL
leges, a theological seminary, several
religious journals, large publishing
house and foreign missionary work in
China and japan.
The numerical strength of the
United Brethren is confined principal
Iy to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and
Illinois. The Methodist Protestants
are found chiefly in Maryland, West
Virginia and Pennsylvania and to
some extent in Ohio, North Carolina
and Indiana. In all of these states,
with the exception Of Ohio and IL
linois, Congregationalism is relatively
weak, whereas the United Brethren
and Methods tProtestants are hardly
known in New England, in which Sec
ton Congregationalism has its strong
hold. It Is apparent, therefore, that
the ecclesiastical merger when formed
will give a more even strength
throughout the country to the result
ing federation or denomination than
either Of them now possesses.
The apportionment of delegates to
the conference was wade on the basis
Of one delegate for each i've thousand
communicates. The Congregationalists
are therefore represented by 13O dele
gates, the United Brethren by 50 and
the Methodist Professionals by IS.
Prominent among those on the list
Of delegates are Drs. Washington
GLADDEN. Of Columbus, William H.
Ward of the Independent, President
Mackenzie OF Hartford seminary,
President CO Day Of Andover, Ar
. 81 ~ 49, -