Evening journal., 1912-01-17
METHODIST
UNION ISSUE
Will Come Up at M. ?. Church
Meeting In Baltimore
Next Nay
MANY CHURCEMEN
OPPOSE THE MOVE

The uniting Of the three largest
branches of Methodism is expected
to loom up as an important issue be-
fore the general conference of the
Methodist Protestant Church at its
meeting in Baltimore next May. The
meeting will be held at st. Johns
Church, now on St Paul and Twenty
seventh streets. 1t was at this church,
then on Liberty street, downtown,
that the denomination was formed in
1928, about 40 years before a second
split in the Methodist Church. caused
by the Civil War, which also divided
several other denominations.
Leaders in the three branches Of
the Church have been hopeful of
merging the branches together again,
and at the meeting of the Methodist
Episcopal General Conference in Bal
timore four years ago this topic was
discussed at length Fraternal dele
gates were sent to the Methodist
Protestant Conference then in session
in Pittsburgh. In this exchange Of
courtesies the Rev. DR.. John Frank
lin Goucher, of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church and the Rev. DR.. Thomas
II. Lewis, Of the Methodist Protestant
Church were the leading spirits.
Greetings were also exchanged be-
tween these bodies and the Southern
Methodist Conference.
Brought Closer Together.
The three branches of the church
in the United States as well as the
other branches in other parts of the
world were brought closer together
by the Ecumenical Conference in To-
ronto last fall In the Judgment Of
Sir Robert w. Perks, Methodism took
at Toronto, during the sitting of the
Ecumenical Conference, the most Inn
portant step since the days of John
Wesley. That step was the naming of
an international central committee Of
100 men, half ministers and half lay
men, and equally representative Of
Ministers of the Old World and the
New. The combined body in all parts
of the world officially reported at To-
ronto 30,000,000 adherents, 100000
places of public worship, $4,000 min
listers and 1920 lay preachers. The
new committee has for its aim the
welding and welding OF this large
force for the welfare Of the world.
United action is proposed along the
lines of peace, temperance. laws on
marriage and divorce, social service,
treatment of native races on mission
fields and the labor problems.
There arc leaders Of the church
who believe that this cooperation i'm
lines Of service should lead to final
merging of forces in other ways. The
Methodist Episcopal Church is the
largest Of the three bodies. and many
of its leaders are eager 10 see the
other branches back in the fold. II
has been frequently said that il these
branches of the church were added il
is likely that leading clergymen Of
the Methodist Protestant Church
would be elected as bishops. The
Methodist Protestant Church has no
bishops, and the conferences are un-
der presidents. who are elected for
one-year terms.
Some Are Against II.
While some of the members of
these denominations are hoping for
a union of forces, there are many men
in the Methodist Protestant Church
who have declared that they would
never consent to the consolidation. At
present there are indications that
thisv would never consent to the con-
solidation. At present there are indi-
cations that this question will result
in many davs of debating at the meet
ing here. There were some ministers
of the Methodist Protestant Church
who did not want the General Con-
ference to go to Baltimore, because
it was thought that the question
would be taken IN more seriously
there-and the original break occur
red there-than in any other place.
where there would not be the histor-
ical suggestion of a reunion.
II is certain that this will he one
Of the most significant RELIGIOUS con-
veutions held in Baltimore for a
number Of years. The number of
/ delegates will not be large but they
will represent all sections in which
the church has been established With
the delegates viii go many other
prominent men of the church The
Baltimore committee is planning 20
] give the visitors a hearty welcome.