The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-09

, 90 Methodist bishops also have the
selection and appointment of numer-
Gus commissions and committees and
UNCONVENTIONAL representatives. In
! short, they face no superior in power
until they come to the general con-
| ference. 10 which they must submit all
their official acts and rulings and
even their character and effectiveness.
for the decision and Judgment of this
great qusdrennial body. They preside
at the sessions of this supreme judi
catory; hut they may take no part in
the debates nor even address this au
gust court without its permission.
The Methodist bishop is. as you will
see. a leader of great power. influ-
ence. and opportunity, and If he has
ability, Judgment. tact and states
manship. he writes history for his de-
nomination to a remarkable degree.
The itinerant system is another PC
Iculiarity of methodism, which has
contributed powerfully to its sue
cess. 1t is modelled on nothing later.
so far as I know. than the apostolic
age. Peter and Paul and their COLA
borers. thrust out by persecution,
went everywhere preaching the Cos
pei. not under systematic direction, it
would seem. but under divine sugges-
ton. under force of circumstances and
in response to the invitation of oppor-
| tunity
The itinerancy OF today, the result of
lcraduai changes to meet new conditions.
modified TO term of service SO that
Iali limitation is practically removed
seems TO be wonderfully effective still
eminentiy satisfactory. 1t allows changes
lwhere changes are desirable. continued
service where change is not desirable
And what is claimed for it seems TO be
Justly claimed. it gives every pastor
church and every church A pastor.
II Is inevitable that popular form
OF religion like the Methodist whose nu-
merous divisions due 70 questions Of
administration. discipline and polity and
not to differences in doctrine. should feel
III" Impulse Of the age toward increased
economy and efficiency. The disputes
and divisions of fifty years ago have no
meaning to the present generation. The
issues OF slavery and the civil war and
those OF despotic bishops and autocra tic
presiding elders, have long been settled
and are dead issues. The irreverent
twentieth century reads the history OF the
past without passionor prejudice and
declares that present problems are enough
for IL. History hurie< the dead. Slavery
is dead. the civil war is a fast-recedinG
memory. the disruption of the church in
lSii-6 lives oniv in old records and in
the minds OF the few who cherish tradi-
tons The call Of a new age, new con-
dttions. new ideals, new enterprises
rings in young ears and demands the
visor Of youth. The dead are dead be-
yond help or intolerance. the cry OF the
living appeals 10 the living.
This new sense of brotherhood that
refuses to consider diverse creeds,
variant forms of government and diff
1erent usages as lnseparable barriers
is working among Methodist bodies
and turning their thoughts toward re-
union. Even the small branches of
the family. usually the most difficult
to reconcile. are making friendly over
lures TO one another The new de-
mand called Economy and Eff
cheney" is strong coadjutor Of the
new sense of brotherhood. What 10
! the fact? The smaller bodies are not
growing In numbers and influence
| They are only holding their own at
best. And THAR reason for separate
existence has been forgotten thew
have no valid appeal and are getting
no new life. Among the white Meth
odists there are only three which
count for much numerically, and these
| three are considering plan TO make
themselves one. | do not know what
! the ultimate plan will be. do not
! know when the ultimate plan will be
consummated. I know that the con-
soltdaton of three churches aggregat-
! ing 5.5SO.O00 communicates presents
vast, delicate and intricate problems
! and that time and patience states
| manship and great labor will be re-
quired to work them out But there
| IL nothing of which I am more conf
dent than that all the difficulties will
| be overcome. and the goal will be
reached. because it is the thing that
ought 10 he done, it is the thing that
10
done and must he done will be done
This movement is not attracting great
attention at present. The ordinary oh
server may see but few signs OF IT. The
change of mind and heart and spirit and
conditions that has made it possible has
been "A silent. gradual change It has not
come with ohserva ton. but is a thing of
| almost unconscious growth. The church
press has not discussed the tentative plan
at all seriously: the ministers have NOT
made it the subject of debate, and scarce
iy one layman i'll a Thousand even knows
what IT is Nevertheless, it is an actual
potential movement with a set of current
as certain as that of Niagara River
toward the falls. II is slow and gentle
| at this distance from the final stage: but
believe the result is inevitable and
think IT will soon reach the point where
| it will be Irresistible. There is q vast
latent sentiment that will soon make it.
self an active, manifest sentiment and
+, by the force of its volume hurry on the
| conclusion. II will be a great event in
tho ecclesiastical world. and it Will he
preceded or followed ny other similar
! events.
! Watch this movement. look steadily for
evidences NJ II. and remember that the
| thought Of glory and ACKNOWLEDGMENT
| PLAYS no part in il. The new sociology
! mas cot its grip upon the church and
the abolition Of competition and rivalry
: and waste and loss of effort and of means
/ is spiritual command and an economic
| necessity.