Omaha daily bee., 1911-07-16
new YORK RELIGIOUS CENTER
Heads Of Church Organizations Make
Headquarters There.
MACARTHUR HAS DELICATE TASK
New Head of Baptist WcrId Alliance
WIN Endeavor 90 Confer with
the Heads of the ROmnm
ana Greek Churches.
BY ID. V. FRANCIS.

religious center At the recent general as
sembiy OF the Presbyterian church. Dr.
Carson OF this city was elected moderator
and now DR.. Robert stewart Macarthur
of New York has been elected pres. dent OF
the Baptist World Alliance II may be
said that neither Of these great protestant
denominations has made any mistake in
the selection of their heads
Dr. Macarthur with characteristic vigor
and decision is planning for trip to ST
Petersburg and TO Rome in the interest
Of the church which has honored him. lie
feels he says. that the presidency OF the
Baptist alliance. In which are united the
Baptists OF the whole world. including the
largest single Protestant body in America,
is a position warranting its occupant in
proceeding to Peterhof and the Vatican
and seeking conferences.
Matters pressing for consideration be-
tween Baptists and the Russian and Roman
churches are in the judgment OF Baptsts,
of pressing Importance. one of these is re-
ligious liberty in Russia. Forty Baptist
ministers. natives of Russia and Iaboring
there, attended the Baptist alliance at Phil
adeIphia at least two of them out of prison
on bail, and have been followed to this
country by Russian spies. Immediately
upon their return TO Russia these minis
tiers must go TO prison, one of them TO
exile, and the other to repeated personal
tortures. Others of the delegation are likely
TO be arrested Immediately they set foot
on Russian soil
Negotiations at Rome.
The matter that will take President Mac
Arthur to Rome is liberty of Baptists in
Spain and Portugal. and of Protestant
Christians in Peru and Ecuador. Baptists
went into Portugal almost before former
I'll, Of that try
exile in England. 1t is denied by Baptist
leaders In Europe that they have any con-
tention with the Catholic church They
say their only purpose in Portugal is to
assist in spread of the gospel, and to sue
coed in spreading II where, as they say,
the Catholic church has failed. The Ameri
can Bible society has recently reported
the burning of bibles and tracts in the
streets of Peru cities. It is not charged that
Catholics did wrong, but that mobs, in
cident to almost all countries, were car
ried away by evil reports.
Baptists have now created what is,
they claim the largest organization in
the Protestant religious world, greatest
in numbers, and widest reaching in coun-
tries affected. Growths of Baptists in Rus
STA, in the Balkans, in Italy, and in the
Iberian peninsula have been rapid of late
So have growths of Protestants in western
South America. II is declared to be the
conviction of President Macarthur and OF
other Baptists in the allianct that per-
sonal conferences not only with the car
and pope, but also with prelates of the
churches affected, can adjust a good many
differences. They feel sure that when hon
est purposes are realized by both sides,
most of the friction can be done away
with.
Succession to Plus.
The impression is growing that Il Is only
q matter of months perhaps weeks, when
1t will become necessary to select new
head for the Roman Catholic church. The
popes health is very feeble and his death
NJ any time would cause no surprise.
The best impression is that Cardinal
Rampolla will be the new pope. 1t is un-
heard OF that nearly successful candl-
date at one conclave should be the success
ful one OF a following conclave but the
italian public eagerly hope that such an
unusual thing may happen and Rampolla
be chosen.
II will be recalled that Cardinal Ram
polla would probably be pope today had 1t
not been for the interpretation of Austria
during the sitting OF the conclave Of a de-
cade ago. This meddling was done at the
instance of Germany, and to head off the
alliance. For ten years Cardinal Ram
polla has lived retired life. occupying the
famous palace which for centuries has been
the home of the head priest Of ST. Peters
cathedral. In close touch with the world.
he is a man OF the world, as is almost no
other member of the Curia of today.
Church Union in Canada.
1t is announced that one more con-
ferences of the Methodist church of Canada
have voted favorably upon the proposed
union of Methodist, Presbyterian and Com
gregational churches in the country. Sew
-eral branches of these and other denomina-
tions in the United States have decided to
withdraw from fields already occupied by
another branch, uniting the congregations,
and also have agreed not to enter a field
In competition with another church unless
second church is needed. Local church
men regard these decisions as pointing to-
ward more general church union in the
future.
Methodist Unity Unlikely.
Commissions representing the three large
branches OF the Methodist church in North
America, which met recently at Chatta-
nooga to discuss further organic union of
these denominations, have just issued 10
their respective constituencies an address
which gives the public the first intimation
of their negotiations. Nothing definite Is
announced in the address. and while sub
stantial agreements reached on some
points furnish reason for the hope that
eventually the way will be clear for or
ganic union. still Historical Emergencies OF
conviction touching the essential PRINCIPLES
OF government" seemed to be the principal
hindrances. In the Methodist church
South bishops have an absolute veto power
over actions OF the general conference; in
the Methodist Episcopal church the bishops
are void of any legislative power, and ara
confined 10 administration only while in
tho Methodist Protestant church there are
no bishops at ALL
summer schools for Ministers.
The Presbyterian department Of church
and country life is cooperating with the
student pastors in Michigan university,
Wisconsin university and Tennessee uni
SCrsity in holding summer schools for coun
try ministers. The summer school with
which the department co-operates are
Knoxville Crenn) Summer school OF the
south, June 20 20 July Z; Auburn TheoloR-
teal Seminary, July 10 to 22; University Of
Michigan, July "a TO 2S; University OF Wis.
eonsin. July II TO p; Grove City College