Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-11-26
FACTIONS IN !. N. c. k.
Conservatives in Power in Big
Gathering in Progress in
Washington
NO CHANGE IN QUALIFICATIONS
Membership Will Remain Orthodox -
Control of Associations $44,00o,00o
Properties Factor in the Controversy
West Demands Recognition-Wash-
ington News.
ington News.

| A. convention. judging Dy llc plctiih-
mary maneuvering, they are vastly In
the majority, and it looks as tho little
progressive party 1t was foreseen long
before the convention that an attack
upon the Portland basis was imminent,
and that it was likely to come to a
head at this gathering. 1t looks now
as tho the associations over the coun>
try took this into account, and that
many delegates We're chosen with spe-
cial reference to the theological issue.
The preponderance Of conservative
Of Judge Selden p. Spencer of ST.
Louis as president and chairman of the
convention. Nominally his election had
nothing to do with the Portland basis,
or anything else theological. But those
who are in close touch With Y. M. e. A.
matters saw in it a decided victory for
the conservative element. Judge Spen-
Ger himself Is we'll known as a con-
servative, and he has the record Of q
fighter. The man who was pitted
against him for the honor was II. b. f.
mcfarland, president of the board OF
commissioners for the District of Co
| lumbia. Macfarland had been chair
man of the previous convention, and 1t
was expected in the eastern part Of the
country that he would be elected.
West Demands Recognition.
But the west is understood to have
demanded recognition at the meeting
Of the committee on permanent organ
ization, and to this was added the
Weighty argument of Spencer's WELL
known position on the Portland basis.
mcfarland was also regarded us
something Of conservative, but he
was looked upon as one who, for the
sake of avoiding a split, would be more
| likely to side with the revisionists. And
so the progressive support, such as
was manifested at all, went to Macfar-
| land, but 1t did not count much, and
1t is understood that one of the Y. NJ.
c. A. men who is most convinced OF
the desirability of revision has given
up hope of accomplishing anything
substantial at the Washington conven-
ton.
The issue involved is the necessity
of belief in the divinity of Christ as
a qualification for active membership
now qualification, and has been since
the early days of the organization.
The Portland basis has kept the Y.
M. c. A. in the hands Of the strictly
orthodox churchmen 1t has debarred
Unitarians, Universalists and the ex-
ponents of all other beliefs in which
the divinity of Christ has not a funda-
mental place. But Of late considera-
BILE Opposition has arisen to this Port
land basis, particularly in some college
associations, and it was commonly UNI
derstood that the issue would come to
the fore for final settlement at this
convention.
Means Control of s44,o0o,ooo.
One argument Of the conservatives
rests upon the basis of the organiZa-
TONS history. They say that the as
i sociations have been built up thru the
activities of the orthodox church and
thru the friendship of the acknowl-
edged evangelical churches. This con-
tinued work has brought together
physical property to the value of $44,-
| 100000 and has resulted in the COM
plete working machinery of a great
organization. Then why, argue the
conservatives, at this late stage of eff
| fort, throw down the gates to the peo-
pie who have had nothing to do with
the pioneering? Why let them pick the
fruits of others labors?
| An opinion closely allied to this, is
depressed in the report Of the inter-
national committee now under con-
sideration. "The committee" says that
report, recognizes that the vital rela-
ton of the North American associa-
lions to the evangelical churches has
been from the beginning an essential
factor in the steady growth Of these
associations, and in the confidence re-
posed in them by the Christian COM
munity, and that the sentiment of the
associations is, as it has been from the
beginning, one of loyalty to the evan
gelical churches and to what funda-
mental doctrine of the divinity Of
Christ on which these churches are
agreed, and it believes that any depar-
ture from either of these positions
would be disastrous"
Compromise is Suggested.
The committee suggests as a way
out of the difficulty that an alternate
declaration might be adopted, which
could stand on par with the Portland
| basis Such a declaration is outlined
by the committee, and is as folloWs
''The Young Mems Christian Associa-
lions seek to unite those young men
who, regarding Jesus Christ as their
God and Savior, according to the Holy
Scriptures, desire to be His disciples
in their doctrine and life, and to
associate their efforts for the ex-
tension Of His kingdom among young
men, and the right to representation in
the international conventions is re-
stricted to these associations in which
active membership including the right
to vote and hold office) is limited to
men. members in good standing in
evangelical churches holding those
fundamental thrusts." The internation-
al committee also suggests the desir-
ability of considering whether condi-
lions among students require special
treatment. providing this can be done
in harmony with the fundamental
principles Of the associations.
This entire question is being consid-
cred by a committee Of the convention.
If any changes are made at all, it is
quite evident that they will be only
such as receive the sanction and sup