Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-02-07
: THREE : CHURCHES !.
NAY bEcOnE one
Subject of Federation
Now Before Ohio
Conference


men from all sections OF the country
gathered in conference in this city to-
day and their deliberations and con-
ciusions will have important bearings
| on the future Of the Congregationalists.
the United Brethren and the Metho-
dist Professionals. For it Is expected
that before the conference adjourns
plan will have been contaminated for
decorating the three bodies In an or
ganization 10 be Known az general
council II the project goes through,
as seems possible now, II will mean
new ecclesiastical unit in America rep
resenting over million Of Christians
and thus practically reducing by two
the number Of protestant sects
The movement toward the federation
of the three denominations began sew
eral years ago. The proposal for such
union came first from prominent
men In the Methodist Protestant
church, and later. leading men in the
United Brethren church. who believed
the union of several smaller ecclesias-
teal bodies would be in harmony with
the Christian spirit Of the age. petit
toned their bishops to take such steps
as might he necessary to open nego-
tiations with certain churches, looking
to permanent union. @
When proposals for such a union
were made to the Congregationalists
OF the United States by the Methodist
Protestant and United Brethren bodies
the Congregationaltsts Immediately, In
their national council, instructed the
committee on comfy, federation and
unity. to look up the matter. A pre-
liminary meeting was held In Pitts
burg last wear at which arrangements
for the present conference were con-
Guided
Committees Discuss Plans.
Following the call to order today by
| the Rev. DIR. Washington GLADDEN.. the
| conference took the necessary steps
to perfect it's organization. Commit
tees We're then appointed to discuss
plans for the coordination Of benev-
, client societies. colleges. seminaries and
all educational institutions In the
opening addresses the speakers dwelt
upon the benefits to be derived from
unity and stated the purpose Of the
conference to be to decide Just how
far the proposed federation shall go.
Organic union of the three denomi-
nations Is not the immediate aim Of
the general council. for. while II fs
agreed that the doctrines held by the
three are essentially the same, there
| are marked differences Of polity which
| it will take time to reconcile. 1t Is felt
to be possible that union Of effort can
| be effected in benevolence. in educa-
tional work and possibly In publishing
| interests, The immediate aims Of the
union Will be to promote better know
ledge and closer fellowship Of the bod
les. coordination in evangelistic. edu-
| cational and missionary work. to pre-
vent unnecessary multiplication of
, churches, to unite weak churches and
- encourage affilation with other
| Christian bodies. According to pres
ent plans each denomination IN to re-
tain It's Distinctive name and it's au-
| tonomy in respect to its own govern
ment. but is to adj to its official title
In affiiation with the general coun-
! ell Of the United Churches"
The Congregational church has $780,
900 members and vast educational
publication and missionary interests.
| The United Brethren have 250.00
members. Eve colleges, theological
| seminary. series Of religious Jour-
nails two publishing houses and flour
| ishing missions In Africa. Japan and
Porto Rico. The Methodist Protes-
tants have $4,000 members. four col
| leoes theolor'~1, urinary, several
religious journals. large publishing
/ house and foreign missionary work IN
China and Japan.
viii Give Added Strength.
The numerical strength OF the Unit
ed Brethren is confined principally to
PENNSYLVANIA. Ohio. Indiana and ILL.,
nois. The Methodist Protestants are
found chiefly in Maryland. West Vir-
gnia and Pennsylvania and to some
extent in Ohio, North Carolina and
Indiana. IN all Of these states with
the exception of Ohio and Illinois. Con-
gregationalism IS relatively weak.
whereas the United Brethren and the
| Methodist Protestants are hardly
in New England, in which section Con-
gregationalism has it's stronghold. 1t
is apparent. therefore. that the eceie-
siastical merger when formed Will give
more even strength throughout the
country to the resulting federation or
denomination than either OF them now
possesses.
The apportionn1ent Of delegates &c
TIE conference WAS made on the pa
sis Of one delegate for each 5000 com
municants. The Congregationalists
are therefore represented BY 100 del
egates. the United Brethren by 90 ahe
the Methodist Protestant by 35.
Prominent among those on the lis
of delegates are Drs. Washington Glad.
den. of Columbus William n. Warh
of the Indepenaent: President Mac
Kenzie, of Hartford Seminary: Presi
dent c. .. Day. Of Andover Arthur :
Johnson. Of Boston. Judge Simeon +
baldwin. of Hartford: DR.. Lucien {
Warner. of New York; II. Clark F'ord
Of Cleveland and DR.. Newman
Washington, d. g,