The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-10-18
This Is One of the important
Questions That Will Come
Before the Five Years Meet
ing, Now in Session.
FEAR FOR INDIVIDUALITY
IF JOIN INTER-CHURCH.
Much Discussion Over the Re-
port of American Friends
Board of Foreign Missions
---Thursday's Work.

Shall the Friends church enter a
united federation of other religious de-
nominations of the country, to carry
On a general Christian work? This is
the question that will be put to the
Five Years meeting of Friends, before
the deliberations are finished, and
which will mean much to the church
generally. A plan was adopted by the
nter-church conference held in New
York City in 1905, whereby the thirty
leading religious denominations of
America should appoint four delegates
10 an inter-church conference on fed
grafton, to be held in December, 1908,
bnd which would compose a body to
carry on a united effort along church
lines, and to encourage devotional fel-
lowship and give mutual counsel con-
cerning the spiritual life and religious
activities Of the church, and to further
use a combined influence in all mat
ters affecting the moral and social
condition of the people. The Five
Years meeting, by virtue of it's ruling
power, probably will be asked to ap-
point at least four delegates to the in
ter-church council and there are many
doubts among those anticipating such
a request, as to whether or not the
Friends can, with propriety, enter into
such an alliance and keep true to their
original doctrines. There are many,
however. who maintain that the or
ganization is not one which will in any
way compromise the position or doc
trines of Friends, and these will give
their support to the movement.
Fear for individuality.
The main objection against becom-
ing allied with the inter-church coun'
Gil, as many acquainted with the sit
uation are led to believe. is that II the
Friends enter the council, thereby CIV
Ing 1t recognition, the individual ef-
forts of the church as whole will not
be lost sight of, while by association
in the work with other denominations,
customs of Friends cannot help but be
compromised. Some fear that the in
ter-church council will only tend to-
ward an amalgamation OF religions.
Those favoring the move, state that
promise their conservative ideas along
certain lines, by recognizing the cortl-
Gil.
ELECTED Discussion.
When the American Friends board
of foreign missions presented a copy
of it's constitution for the considera-
ton OF the Five years meeting this
morning, 1t elected much discussion.
few members Of the meeting chal-
1enged the right of the missionary So
ciety to have a constitution when 1t is
an integral part OF the larger body.
This objection was set aside. however.
when it was explained that the Amer
ican board is an older organization
than the Five years meeting. The
question Of the disposal Of missionary
finances also contributed some mis-
understanding and after the question
had been debated by the delegates, it
was decided to act on the proposition
later.
The question of the province and
duties of the superintendent Of evan
gelistic effort was discussed. Jasper
Hadley Of Iowa, spoke, as did ]. Lind
ley Spicer. Louis e. Stout. Thomas
Wood OF New England and Eliza H.
Carey OF Kansas. All have had eXper-
fence in the superintendent's field,
Continued on Page Six.)