The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-16
VIDE CHAsMs
TO Be bR|DGED
HISTORICAL AND TRADITIONAL
DIFFERENCES ~ WAY OF
CHURCH MITIGATION.

CHATTANOOGA. TENN, May Is.
An address has been issued by tbs
committee on uniication OF The
Methodist church, which embodies the
plan which will be submitted to the
general conference for anai action.
The address OF the committee indi-
cafes that. while great to-
ward u~n!ficstion has been made. there
are yet wide chasfas to be bridged
before the desired end ia accom- plish-
ed.
The address of the committee fol-
lows.
TO the Methodists of the United
States. Greeting
Al the first meeting OF this joint
commission Of the Methodist Epis~
copal church, South. the Methodist
Protestant church and the Methodist
Episcopal church. held at Baltimore
In December. 1910. the commissioners
OF the Methodist Episcopal church in
q written expression to the commis-
sion used the following language
1T is our conviction that the time
has come when IL lis due to our people
IS we'll as the Interested public that
the desirabilitv and the p~racticability
Of organic union shall be discussed
between us; and If The preponderance
of Judgment be found against either
the desirsbility or p-racticabiltty of
organic union, that the reasons be
clearly set before orr churches, in
order that, being Informed as to the
same, they nay the more intelligent
1s 3udgc the work of their commits
ssors aud conform their own utter
anets and actions 10 the conditions
as thus developed. We believe they
have a right to this knowledge and
that We owe II to them 10 give them
this opportunity. 80 measure the diff
Nculttea and, as far as possible. To
remove them or adjust themselves To
SEXUAL conditions
starting from his point the COM
uiiSsion. after prayerful consideration
ordered that a subcommittee of
nine. three from each church. should
be designated to take the whole mat
ter unde Amusement and. after CON
siderirlg ali the accessible facts, should
report IL possible a plan for the uni
ncation of the three churches hy re
organization.
"This sub-eongm ittee met at Gin
cinnati, O., in January. 1911. and
after three days OF conference. found
Itself able TO make only tentative sug-
sestions touching fundamental points
as preliminary 10 q later and more
Gina effort TO constitute what might
he termed q plan OF reorganization
IN harmony with its Instructions.
II was found that IN matters Of
doctrine. ritual and the main points
~ the Book of Discipline. tho churches
are essentially agreed. The differ
fnces that are radical and difficult of
adjustment have their root In hts
torical and traditional Emergencies of
conviction touching the essential prin-
GIples OF government, As TO this. it
was quickly perceived that the only
possible adjustment was To he found
on middle ground reached through
mutual concessions.
THE report Of the subcommittee
was brought before Us at our present
session. held in May 1912, 1911. aud
has been weighed and discussed witt,
tne utmost care. AS IN duty bound,
~e snail make a full report # our
conclusions. as far as We have been
able 10 reach n conclusions, 10 the
general conferences, To satisfy. how
eNer, the Just expectations OF our OWL
people. VIC issue this brief statement
and address.
Our task has not been a light one.
Many difficulties have emerged in the
curse Of our sessions. Things that
40 not appear on the surface often be
come manifest on closer exarnination
This fact. however, has not appalled,
AZ. When a difficulty is once clearly
seen 1t Is already partly conquered.
IA Truth, we are greatly encouraged.
The bare fact that it has been pos
A1Rle for as TO engage In the discus
sion Or tlr several issues that have
arisen Is much, The frank and an.
did spirit tsa sshieh fhes6 discussions
have been conducted is also ground
for congratulation, And the substan-
t8al agreements reached on somr
POINTS furnish reasons for tho antlci-
patton that ~e may eventually be able
to see eye 10 eve on others.
while our work is not in such a
Stale OF maturity as In the judgncn,
~ the commission would warrant ns
I'm making a detailed statement to the
public even II we supposed that we
e34aa authority 20" 10 80. we"yer ID
not hesitate to say, as we have init
mated above. that we have made rcal
and substantial progress n that Nc
close our present meeting with hope.
holding ourselves open to receive
any new Light that may come to us
IL the future and ready 10 conveno
again when il may be deemed ex-
pedient.
We wish 1t to be distinctly under
stood that what we have done II
not and does not pretend to be. of
the nature of a definite plan of union.
hut In cast III the form of a se-.cs
af suggestions TO the general con-
ferencfs such AZ may be helpful TO
thefn ia reaching final conclusions"
The question OF federation Of Meth9-
dism considered in Chattanooga b.
the Joint commissions Of tbs three
leading churches vii. according 10
DEVELOPMENTS 60 back tn the general
conferences for more explicit instruc-
tiors The first obstacle encountered
was the election and Jurisdiction OF