The Denver star. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1913-1963, 1916-12-23
North and South Branches Of
Church will Meet.
PARTED BY THE NEGRO.
Question Of Slavery Split Denomination
ssvsnty-two Years Aso-Prominsnt
Leaders Of Both Races Are Members
Of Commission Called to Convene In
Baltimore on Dec. %.
By HORACE D. SLATER.

By HORACE D. SLATER.
Asheville. N. C.-The Joint commits
sion Of the Methodist Episcopal church
and the Methodist Episcopal Church
South will meet in Baltimore Dec. %
to bring about If possible the union Of
these two great branches of Metho-
dism. This merger, discussed pro and
con with varied warmth and emotions
during the past twenty years. has been
rendered probable by legislative action
of the general conferences of the two
churches.
Just what effect the union Of these
churches will have upon the more than
$4,000 Negro communicates of the
Methodist Episcopal church is prob
lematical and is attracting consider
able attention among though, full people
Of the race as the time for the commits
sion meeting approaches.
The original one body of Methodists
suffered division in 1874 over the fact
that a white bishop became involved
in slavery by marrying a wife who had
one Negro girl named Kitty as a slave
Thus seventy-two years ago the white
people in the Methodist Episcopal
church, north and south. parted COM
pany, with the Negro as the innocent
occasion of the division. Now that the
reunion of these two branches Of Meth
odism is imminent the relation Of the
Negro to the reunited church is one of
the innocent causes involved.
Upon the commission representing the
Methodist Episcopal church are two
prominent men of the race, DR.. Robert
E. Jones, editor Of the Southwestern
Christian Advocate, New Orleans, La,
and DIR. I. Garland Penn, correspond
ing secretary Of the Freedmen's Aid
society, Cincinnati. Drs. Jones and
Penn represent the ministry and laity
respectively upon the commission, but
sentatives of the 10000 Negroes in
the Methodist Episcopal church, whose
fortunes in large measure arctic be
effected by the final conclusions Of the
commission. mr. Io73 ~c7f
It is quite the understanding that
these distinguished Negro leaders were
placed upon the commission in order
that the interests Of the Negro mem
bers should be safeguarded. The as
signment Is an important and RESPONSE
BILE one, for there has been no such
historic commission touching the re-
iigious and educational life Of the ma
ton since emancipation. Holding briefs
for the $4,000 Negro members, they
stand unique and alone and yet hold
their commissions from members who
are organically a part Of one Of the
great churches and who, in theory,
should not be considered apart from
the other members.
Both the Methodist Episcopal church
and the Methodist Episcopal Church
South subscribe to a plan of unifica-
ton by reorganization, in which each,
1t is supposed, will lose it's identity in
the unified church. Both have stated
their positions as to, the Negro. The
southern church prefers that the $780,
600 Negroes in the Methodist Episcopal
church shall be organized into a sepa-
rate and Independent body. holding only
fraternal relations to the unified white
body, II such union should be accom-
plished. The Methodist Episcopal church
at its general conference in Saratoga
last May stated its position as follows {:
That the Negro should he 4 part Of the
reunited church, with. representation
neral conference, and support