The Washington herald., 1912-06-02
NEWS AND VIEWS
OF CHURCH LEADERS


The Episcopal address at the Methodist
General Conference at Minneapolis is a
remarkably frank. and. In some ways.
a startling document As q result Of a
year Of great activity and the outlay Of
many millions the bishops md that the
church has gained but 5000 members
less than 2 per cent. The statistical
paradox" they say. 'tshames and humil-
iates Us. What are the honors Of ONCE
worth in any army that does not win
battles? No marvel that some are pro-
posing TO reduce the major generals TO
post duty" This is. OF course, an al
lusion to the proposals for a Methodist
diocesan episcopate. The report IS
signed by eighteen American bishops
and six from foreign missions It at
tributes the meager growth in part to a
rigid application OF the requirement OF
letters dimLssory. Those who remove
from a congregation without letters are
dropped from membership after one
year. II Is believed that some $4,000 per-
sons now living have thus disappeared
from the rolls.
The General Conference Of the Meth
odist Protestant Church for the past
week in session at Baltimore surprised
its constituency by refusing to elect
DR.. 7. H. Lewis, president Of the West
ern Maryland College, as its presiding Of
hcer. His position on church union mat
ters was said to be too pronounced. It
selected Rev. DR.. Lyman z Davis, OF
Pittsburg. to guide its deliberations.
The subject Of church union was the
theme most prominently IN the air. The
discussions were prolonged and vigor-
Gus
The iral results appear to be that the
much heralded prospect OF union with
the Methodist Episcopal Church Is still
far away. The Ultimatum was laid down
that the Methodist Episcopal Church
North and the Methodist Episcopal
Church South must first unite before the
Methodist Protestant body was ready for
union with them 10 form a United
Methodist Church On the other hand.
immediate union with the United Breth-
rem Church seemed both feasible and
editor Of the Methodist Protestant OF
Baltimore. offered the resolution TO this
effect which was unanimously adopted
Previous resolutions looking toward the
same end were offered by Rev. DR.. D.
S. Stevens, Of Oklahoma. It was stated
that the consolidation OF the two de-
nominations would make a total OF
row seems probable, and immediate ne
gotiatiOns looking TO speedy union will
be inaugurated. II was a dramatic
moment in the conference when Dr.
DunkhoUser. Of the United Brethren
Church, at the close Of an impassioned
address quoted. IF thy heart be as my
heart, give me thy hand" and enthu-
siastically cIasped the hand Of President
David. There was thunderous applause
and DR.. Lewis started the hymn, 'Blest
Be the Tie that Binds" which was sung
with great earnestness.
A noteworthy outcome Of the annual
anniversaries in Boston last week IS the
merging OF the Sunday School Society
with the American Unitarian Associa-
ton, which will continue the work OF
the former organization by establishing
and supporting a department OF religious
education. This Sunday School Society
was Organized in 1880. and has done good
work But It now becomes related to the
representative body OF the Unitarian
churches in this country. thereby ac-
quires the benefits of its oversight and
becomes more organicslly connected with
the denomina ton. Rev. William I. Law
renee, who in recent years has been the
efficient head of the Sunday School So
ciety, becomes secretary Of the depart
ment OF religious education, with sew
eraI field secretaries under him. The
step Is an indication OF the influence
which the American Unitarian AssOcia-
tion has come 10 possess under its able
president. DR.. Samuel A Eliot. Some
ultra-independents are a little suspicious
Of the drift toward Capitalization, and
the attitude OF such persons was re-
fiected in the election to the board OF
directors Of several men not on the Of
fetal slate But in the main the work
OF President Eliot and his colleagues 10
commencing itself to Unitarians through
out the country. Its success is shown
by the greatly increased revenues and
the advances made in different locali-
ties particularly in the West In his
annual address, however. DR.. Eliot point
ed out the weakness OF the denomiuA-
ton, owing to unnecessary multiplied
ton Of administrative agencies and
constant failure to see things large
enough and to see them whole"