The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28

, phasized the advantage of cooperation,
both home and foreign work.
Church Unity Progress
Church unity ceased to have the
! Episcopal church as one leader other
bodies naming commissions that are
| equally prominent in forward plans
Almost all bodies, some of the small
! and unheard of by ordinary people,
were in the unity plans by theSend Of
! the year, save only the Roman and
eastern communions. There are large
exceptions. it is true, but tremendous
| progress has been made toward the
world conference to consider the mat
| ter All bodies arc being affected, and
/ the end of the year sees committees
at work divising concrete questions to
come before the proposed conference.
The American Bible Society readjust-
ed its work in Panama and In the near
east, dividing 1T up to some extent with
the British and Foreign Bible Society
of London, so as to make it possible
at Panama a great Bible distributing
point comparable to that at the termi-
nus of the Suez canal. 1t reported, in
common with other missionary So
cieties, less disturbance of work in
Mexico than might be expected. and
great opportunities in China. In Burma
Baptists celebrated the centenary of
their missions there. Episcopalians.
|
missionary district vacancies, among
other tasks. made out so badly that
| there are already vacant
! Four large bodies did unusual things
with their organizations. Congregation
| alists made all benevolent societies
semi official, linking them with their
national council and creating a natl
onal secretaryship. This secretary gives
this body for the first time. national
Official head. 1t is a significant change
| from independence toward centraliza- :
tion. yet the independence of the single
congregation being assured, the plan
was adopted unanimously. 1t is on the
! line of events transpiring in other
bodies, it Is held to mean new con-
gregationalism.
New Policy for Methodists North
Methodists held national mass
meeting. officials and many others
adopted policy for Methodism, or for
that part of it that is in the north.
This policy affects missions. education,
i extension and every phase of Methodist
| effort. Government by mass meeting is
new. but this experiment worked, or 1t
is believed 1t will do so. United breth-
rem so admire the plan that they are
to try 1t early next spring. For the
| larger body it is held that it means a
new Methodism.
| An Episcopal general convention
divided the country into eight districts,
| and set up for the first time conven-
| tions between those of dioceses and the
general one. To these provincial con-
ventions We're committed many duties,
aiming to secure greater freedom of
action and less cost.
| Disciples of Christ met In national
convention for the first time as dele
| gate body. Heretofore this large COM
munion has been governed in its be-
nevolence and other common work by
mass meetings. There is some outcry
| against officialdom, but those in posi-
| tion to know say the change means 4
new brotherhood in ambition and in
ability to accomplish things.
During the year the outcry has been
| heard about people not going to church
and about the churches not doing their
duty Such outcries have been heard
ever since there was organized Chris
| tianity. They have taken no new forms
during the year. Some forms recorded
in 1900 by a Boston minister are re-
peated at this time.