The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-13
LONG STEP FORWARD
 IN CHURCH UNITY Two Organizations Will Unite
 in Chattanooga DEFINITE PLANS MADE Southern and Northern Methodist Con- gregations Decide to Combine Forces and Work Together
 in the Future
DEFINITE PLANS MADE

Chattanooga, January 12.-A long step was taken here today in the or- ganic union of Methodsm in America when Centenary Methodist Episcopal clrhrch, south, and the Methodist Epis- copal church, north branch. agreed to consolidate and build one great church and be one people.
 A meeting of interest to American Methodism as a whole was held in this city today at noon. Twenty-Five representatives of each branch of Methodism sat down to lunch together and discussed the future of Chatta- nooga Methodism in frank. fraternal way. Members of these two churches which separated in 1S45 on account of political and ecclesiastical differences declared themselves one in spirit and while recognizing loyalty to their re- spective denominations. every speak CT showed himself unalterably in fa- vor of reunion of the Methodist fam fly in America.
 John A. Patten and Bishop William Anderson, both members of the com mission on organic union, participated in the discussion. President John R. Race of Chattanooga university made a strong appeal for union.
 The basis of agreement reached be- tween the two churches Is as follows:
 The joint conference committee con- posed of representatives from the First M. F.. church and from Centenary NJ E. church, south, Chattanooga, met at the Hotel Patten on Tuesday, Janu- ary 10, 1911. and after consideration of the elections of the two churches represented in the conferences the fol- lowing conclusions were reached:
 "1. The two churches were planted in proximity to each other, each rep resenting it's respective denomination and each undertaking to occupy the most advantageous presentation for serving its own constituency. Separated by only a short distance, the two in numbers, influence and in strength. numbers. influence and in strength. each in a large measure the represen- tative church of it's respective denomIn- ation in the city of Chattanooga. Dur ing all the years that the churches have lived and wrought in such close proximity to each other fraternal re- lations between the two have con- stantly grown and strengthened until the two churches have become one in spirit.
 "2 Both the Centenary Methodist Episcopal church, south, and the First Method Episcopal church have come to the place in their history when they are under necessity to improve and increase their equipment for service to the community. Plans for the erec- ton of two new churches have been inaugurated. It is agreed by the con ference committee that in order to con- serve the resources of both churches and to utilize the forces of both de- nominations. that only one church should be constructed and that the two denominations. now one in spirit, should be made one in fact. and for the common cause of Methodism "3. To the end that unity of spirit may come into unity of service. the committee has agreed that all fra ternal and kindly relations between the two churches should be fostered by bringing the people together in re- ligious exercises and by cooperating one with the other in every good work.
 A. The site selected by the Gen. tenary Meth cdist Episcopal church, south. for the erection of the new church. we are agreed, Is an advan- tageous and stragetic location for our common Meth odism to oc ,upy.
 "5. Confidently anticipating that the joint commission created by the re- spective general conferences of Meth odism will speedily formulate plan for unification of all the Methodist forces in America, we are agreed that our plans for new church buildings should be held in abeyance as far a 8 consistent with the interests involved pending the final adjustment of the whole problem by the constituted au- thorities of the denominations''