The Washington herald., 1915-01-31
IN THE REALM OF RELIGION

nations in Canada has been proposed
for some years and many difficulties
in the achievement of this result have
been encountered. The joint commit
tee of the various denominations in
terested held a meeting in Toronto
recently which is the most satisfying
of any that have been held to this
time. a resolution was adopted once
more declaring that no insuperable
obstacles existed to prevent the de-
sired union, the vote being 81 tol Z,
with two not voting. The dissenters
were all Presbyterians. The basis of
union as previously written up was
altered in considerable measure at the
suggestion of the Presbyterians, a
strong paragraph on prayer being
added. The plan for the government
of the united church was outlined, the
national body to be called the gen.
eral council, the intermediate provin-
cial bodies to be called conferences,
and the district bodies presbyteries.
Each of these terms is one in use
in the different denominations. The
officers of the local church are to be
called elders and stewards, another
combination of Technology. These to-
gether make up an Official board" {"
Tho union movement when consum-
mated is to be called THE United
Church of Canada"
Fifteen millions of children, chiefly
in the United States, study Sunday
school lessons that are selected by
one general committee, and have been
so selected for many years 1t is an
American plan. and the largest thing
of its kind in the world. Many differ
ent religious bodies make separate
comments of the lessons, and publish
the same, Sunday school literature
alone running up to S7,5OO,OOO a year
in cost. Only a few series of lessons
differ from these uniform ones. Eng
land, Australia and Canada join in
the American uniform plan.
Now wholly new committee basis
has been entered upon, and one meet
ing of the new committee has been
held. 1t is admitted by some commit
tee members present that conditions
were much upset, and little accom-
plished. Basic questions. long since
settled-by the old committee, were
brought forth as new, but were re-
ferred back to committees The pres
ent uniform series concludes with the
year 1917, but so far ahead do COM
mentators work that it is declared to
be imperative that a new series. for
the six years beginning with 1918,
must be chosen at as early a date as
possible.
The new lesson committee has eight
members from the old International
Association, eight from the Editorial
Council, made up of commentators on
the lessons. and one member from
each religious body having a publica-
tion board and extensively using the
lessons. Protestant bodies, North and
South, and Canada bodies. have mem
bers in the committee. The Episcopal
Church has not Veterans like Ira NJ
Price. f. /. Rexford, John r. Sampey.
Amos r. Wells, Rufus w. Miller and
DR.. W. Douglas Mackenzie are still in
the committee, but for the largest part
new names appear. 1t is expected by
in lesson plans are Immediately
ahead
Sailing from New York by steamer
Pennsylvania on January 90, seven
teen Methodist missionaries started
for Southern Asia. Rev ]. o. Dem
ming. with Mrs. Denning, is returning
after furlough to his work as su-
perintendent of Tirhoot district, with
address at Muzaffarpur India Rev
William D. Beal and family, formerly
located in South India, are en- route
for Cawnpore, United Provinces,
where Mr.. Beal will assume the duties
of district superintendent, succeeding
the late W. Edwin Tomlinson. Miss
Nora Nelson, of Mitchellville, Nd, is
on her way to Kuala Lumpur, Malay
STA, where she is to marry Rev. Pres
ton L. Peach, who went out to the