The Ekalaka eagle., 1915-09-24
Religious
:dsthodist Bodies May Combine.

A movement to create the American
Methodist church, to further unity and
be the biggest religious body In Amer
lea, will be considered by the Metho-
dist general conference at Saratoga
next May. The proposal is not for
mere union Of south and north, but for
a complete reorganization of all Meth
odist bodies, or all principal ones at
least.
Combining Methodist interests Of
America is going to mean religious
body of 5000, 600 actual enrolled mem
bers. But this number will obtain only
If those now more or less committed
to the plan enter upon it, The expec-
tation Is, however, that Methodists
Protestant and one or more colored
bodies of large memberships will join
In. If this expectation shall be realized
there will be nearer 100000 members,
by far the largest single religious body
in America.
The plan contemplates that no soon-
er are Methodist issues to be pooled
than there are to be separations. The
American Methodist church Is to have
for it's administration four general con-
ferences, similar to the one now to
meet at Saratoga, with four distinct
boards Of bishops. Whether there
shall be many publishing houses or
one, many missionary societies or one
for each line Of work, as home. foreign,
education, etc. has not been determin.
ed. II is over these matters that op-
position is expected to develop Al.
ready the American Methodist is the
largest foreign missionary society in
the world In point Of financial receipts.
The four new Methodist bodies TO
make up the American Methodist are
to be the south, the colored, the eastern
and the western. Possibly other names
will be selected for the last two, but
they will consist Of the present north
ern body divided into two parts for the
transaction Of Its business. The two
parts are already so large that they are
attempting to enroll this year 100000
individual workers from among the
laity and to add to their membership IL
net gain of 25OOOO. Last year the net
gain was 10000.
In spite of some opposition the belief
seems to be general that the plan will
go through. 1t Is also believed that the
AIethodists Protestant will join and
that the Colored Methodist church will
bring to it vast numbers Of coloreu
people now separately enrolled. The
change would mean the extinction of Il
few churches in cities in the south and
extreme west where both north and
south are now represented.
Property Of churchmen.
At the recent meeting of the Penn
sylvania diocesan commission Of the
Episcopal church the committee on
housing was directed to get in touch
with the secretary OF the Housing as
sociation to ascertain If there We're any
churchmen owning properties which
We're a violation OF the spirit and let
ter Of the housing law The commit.
tee stated that it had already made
preliminary inquiry to that effect and
that the answer was on the whole re-
assuring, but that it proposed to con-
tinue the investigation. The rector Of
one Of the older and weather. par
ishes, who was present, stated that he
had had a list of properties belonging to
his vestry prepared and proposed TAX
ing up with them individually the
question Of the condition of their hold
ings.
In this connection it is both interest.
n Ssi tn fhn 20 nf
that Christ church parish, Philadel.
phia, which has Il considerable endOW-
ment, has on several occasions refused
higher rentals for its downtown prop
erty because it preferred to have the
property used for uneXceptional pur.
poses rather than to increase its in
come.-Living Church.
Testaments For Soldiers.
The 1000 Sunday schools Of Greater
New York are actin. upon the ap.
peal from the empress OF Russia, the
Worlds Sunday School association and
the American Bible society for 5 cents
from every boy and girl to provide
small pocket Testaments for Russian
soldiers.
The Worlds Sunday School associa-
ton is promoting the collection Of nick
els to supply Testaments not only to
Russian soldiers, but to all the soldiers
in Europe Nickels are coming in from
practically all Sunday schools in Amer
lea. The American Bible society is
handling the details of furnishing the
Testaments, which will cost about
cents each.
Christianity In Japan.
A missionary in Janan tells Of hpinp