The Washington herald., 1910-12-18
Other States Join in Move
ment for Religious Peace.
GREAT ADVANCE IN WORK
All Efforts Put Forth Upon SHg-
gestiOn of Federal Council of
Churches of Christ, a Union Repre-
senting $4,000, 900 Christians-Epis-
cOpaIianS Help Unity Plan.


Maine is leading all of the States In re-
suits in establishments between churches
of different and differing religious beliefs
In small towns consolidating weak
places, and bringing about spiritual and
moral uplift OF communities. In this re-
speet Maine IS declared to be teaching all
other States practical lessons in rural
betterment, In Vermont a commission
has become an interchurch federation
and is charging its work. In New Hamp
shire. Massachusetts. and Rhode Island
small communities are uniting for work
and worship under one pastor. TO the
saving Of expense and great advance in
amount of work accomplished.
Arizona. the new State, has already
formed its interohurch federation. and
within the last six months Colorado.
Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho have
formed councils on home missions, and
are at work upon problems similar to
those presented in New England. West
Virginia has just formed an interchurch
conference, to include social uplift work
in the mines as we'll as the usual moral
and religious work OF churches Wiscon-
sin is undertaking work similar 10 that
of Maine, and through its influence, in
Minnesota are launching work upon their
own initiative.
All OF these efforts are put forth upon
the suggestion OF the Federal Council of
the Churches Of Christ a union for work
that represents upward OF 100000 OF
Christians in this country. While a fed
GRAFTON. il is in in many respects leading
the way 10 actual union. It's moral and
financial support is from the official or
CARNATIONS OF nearly ali religious bodies,
and il is rearing in its service a number
Of specialists. Part Of its work is the
prevention Of overlapping, the Overduplf-
cation Of churches in small villages in
old and new communities. Another part
is the prevention Of Oyerlo0king-the neg
lect OF important fields. especially mining
and poorer districts Tremendous prog
ress has already been made along both
of these lines OF effort.
Since the death OF Mrs Mary Baker G.
Eddy. founder Of Christian Science.
prominent men IN Protestant and Roman
Catholic churches have expressed regret
at the public attacks upon followers Of
the late leader They say THAI such at
lacks do not good purpose and chiefly in
lure those who make them. Whatever
the defects OF the cult, fighting it is not
the way to end them. Some men who
have had longest experience with new
religious bodies in America, and have
studied most their almost uniform his
tories. declare concerning Christian Sci
ence that with Mrs Eddy dead there
will be less quarreling than formerly.
less persistent propaganda, and conse-
quently less growth and more healing
These observers do not charge Mrs.
Ia
say that with her alive such quarrels
were almost inevitable. Now they look
for a board OF control to be less dog
matte in statements and more charitable
in arriving at conclusions. The largest
revenue is IN the dOctrinal side OF the
movement, whether il actually heal or
not, and 50 il viii grow when the So
called spiritual side may not. There viii
be, it Is predicted, some effort TO reach
the poor, and not merely the rich, as
heretofore. In short. the expectation of
religious leaders. some Of them within
Christian Science itself. is that the cult
will assume a more normal phase both
in growth and work.
Statistics of Christian Science are diff
cult to obtain, owing TO the policy of the
cult itself. There seem to be about 3. 100
practicing healers in this country and
OF property held is about s2S.000000. and
the profits of the central publishing and
administrative bureau are enormous: how
enormous nobody dares TO estimate. In
many foreign countries there are
churches. apart from England only two
or three in each. In England there are
fifty In other countries churches are
made up chiefly by Americans resident
there Even the Canal Zone has its
Christian Science Church.
The two cities that are closest in the
competition for meeting place of the
next Methodist general conference are
said to be MINNEAPOLIS and indianapolis.
Some cities in the East seek the honor.
but Methodist leaders in position to know
say a Western city viii be selected.
While il is regarded as most desirable to
secure the confer ence, there is placed
upon the city chosen the burdens of rails
ing not less than $4,000, of providing an
adequate hall, and Of insuring proper en-
tertainment accommodations. Among
Western competitors members OF the
committee in whose hands the decision
rest are said to regard the two cities
named as having best requirements.
Methodist general conferences, repre-
senting the Northern or large Methodist
body of America. remain in session
month or nearly that time. Expenses
and allowances for entertainment are
made by the church, and so apart from
the guarantee fund of the city in which
held, general conferences cost a great
deal Of money. About 10 per cent OF the
delegates are women. and the proportion
| is growing. The number of delegates is
about 200, but besides these, there attend
in increasing number of workers and
supporters, so that total attendances Oft
en- run up to many thousands.
The amusement question VIII provoke
heated debate IN the next conference. II
has been up many times, but it is re-
garded as likely that at the next meet
ing an amended wording of the discipline
win be adopted. The change is in the
direction of liberality and the taking ont
o. the general law mention of specific
forms OF amusement. There will be elect
ed at the next conference about four new
| bishops, two for growth and expansion
and two to take the places CT Bishops
GoodselI and Spellmeyer, who have died.
The conference is nearly two years of.
but already questions TO come before it
are under discussion. The location OF
the conference will be decided at an
early date. At the moment indianapolis
I