The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-01-19
THE SITUATION -
= IN METH0D|SM
Joint Commission on Union
Fails to Agree.
LENGTHY DEBATE IS HELLO

Representatives Of ths Methodist Epis
copal Church North and South Rsf.
Whole Matter Relating to statu. O.
$4,000 Members to a Special Com.
mittse.
Cincinnati.-The future status of thf
$4,000 colored people who are mem
bers OF the Methodist Episcopal churcl
north and south was one Of the bia
topics for discussion at the meeting
OF the joint commission on union held
at Baltimore from Dec. %, 1915, to
Jan. 3, 1917. No agreement, however
was reached on the subject, and the
matter has been referred to a special
committee, which will meet in Cincin.
natl April 10 in order to make further
study Of the question and make a re.
port to the full commission, which will
meet June 27.
The more important features Of the
difference Of opinion between the two
bodies find expression in the follow
ing:
First.-Powers and restrictions of the
general conference, or should the gen.
eral conference be sole interpreter of
the constitutionality Of its own acts,
or should there be tribunal outside
" the general conference with power,
in the nature Of supreme court, to
decide upon the constitutionality Of
any act Of the general conference.
Second.-Should the united church of
100000 people be divided into juris-
dictional or regional conferences for
the conduct Of the local church work
and the handling Of problems peculiar
to sections and peoples?
Third.-What relationship should the
$4,000 colored people in the Metho-
dist Episcopal church sustain to the
united church OF, {. 900. 900 Of white peo-
pie? Should they be jurisdictional
conference having voice and vote In
the general conference of the united
church along with the white people,
or should they be an independent body
holding only fraternal relations to the
white body?
It is reported that the principal block
to union Is the colored membership
Of the Methodist Episcopal church.
The southern Methodists insisted upon
the colored people not being in the
general conference with power to vote
and make laws. The Methodist Epis-
copal church commissioners insisted
that the colored people were part Of
the church; hence no one could dis
place them In that right save the COL
ored members themselves. Moreover,
at the last general conference Of the
Methodist Episcopal church in the
quadrennial address Of the bishops
this statement appeared:
I'm the Methodist Episcopal church
the colored members sustain precisely
the same relation to the church that
the white members do. Both laymen
and the preachers share In all the
rights and privileges, including i'm.
munities and emoluments guaranteed
any other members, and we desire and
expect them to continue in member
ship In our church"
That declaration is supposed to set
tie the status Of Negro Methodist Epis-
copalians in the united church.
The 'colored men on the commits
sion, Drs. r. E. Jones, editor Of the
Southwestern Christian Advocate, New
Orleans, La, and I. Garland Penn OF
Cincinnati, corresponding secretary Of
the Freedmen's Aid society, acquitted
themselves in a most creditable man.
ner. They engaged in oil the discus
sions, and those who were loudest IN
praise Of their addresses were the COM
missioners from the southern church,
although the stand Of the colored men
was for representation In the general
conference with voting power equal
to any others. T..
The following committee was ap-
pointed to make further study OF the
Negro membership involved in the un'
Ion question::
Bishop Earl Cranston, washington;
Rev. J. w. Van Cleve, Chicago, gen.
eral secretary Of commission on
finance; Rev. j. ]. Wallace, D. D., ed
itor Of the Pittsburgh Christian Advo-
cate; Rev. r. q. Jones, D. D., New
Orleans, editor Of the Southwestern
Christian Advocate; George Warren
Brown, capitalist and shoe manufac-
turer, st. Louis; DR.. I. Garland Penn,
corresponding secretary Of the Freed
mems Aid society, Cincinnati; Judge
Henry. Wade Rogers, United States
district court, New York; from the
Methodist Episcopal Church South,
Bishop Collins Denny, Richmond, Va;
Rev. w. W. Ainsworth, pastor OF the
Wesley Monumental church, Savan-
nah, Ca; Rev. w. J. Young, D. D"
professor Of the Chandler School OF
Theology, Atlanta, Ca; Rev. John M.
Moore, D. D., corresponding secretary
o. the home. mission board NJ D.