The forum. [volume] (Springfield, Ill.) 1904-192?, 1917-01-20
North and South Branches Of
Church Will Meet.
PARTED BY THE NEGRO.
Question of Slavery Split Denomination
Seventy Years Ago-Prominent
Leaders of Both Races Are Members
of Commission Called to Convene In
Baltimore on Dec. %.
BY HORACE D. sLATrHR.

South Will meet in Baltimore Dec. 2S
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 thoughtful people
of the race as the time for the commits
sion meeting approaches.
The original one body of Methodists
suffered division in 1914 over the fact
that white bishop became involved
in slavery by marrying a wife who had
one Negro girl named Kitty as 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, DIR. Robert
u. Jones, editor of the Southwestern
Christian Advocate, New Orleans, La.
and DR.. /. 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
beyond that they are the sole repre-
sentatives of the $4,000 Negroes in
the Methodist Episcopal church, whose
fortunes in large measure are to be
effected by the final conclusions Of the
commission.
1t 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-
igious and educational life of the ma
ton since emancipation. Holding briefs
for the 100000 Negro members, they
stand unique and alone and yet hold
their commissions from members who
are organieally 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 uniiea-
ton by reorganization, in which each,
it 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,
900 Negroes in the Methodist Episcopal
church shall be organized into sepa-
rate and independent body, holding only
fraternal relations to the unified white
body, If such union should be accom-
plished. The Methodist Episcopalchure
at its general conference in Saratoga
last May stated its position as follows
That the Negro should be part Of the
reunited church, with representation
in the general conference, and support
ed its position by naming these two
colored men on its commission to meet
the white commission from the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church South.
The members of the commission are
Methodist Episcopal church - Bishops
william Frazer Mcdowell, Earl Cranston
and John w. Hamilton of Washington;
Frederick D. Leete Atlanta; X. ]. Cooke,
Helena, Mont Ministers-Edgar Blake,
D. D., Chicago, secretary board of Sunday
schools: J. R, Day. d. D.. president Syra-
cuse university Syracuse, N. Y; David
G.. Downey, d. d. book editor, New York
city; John r. Goucher, d. D.. Baltimore
Robert E. Jones' editor Southwestern
Christian Advocate New Orleansi A. j.
Mast, ID. D., editor Der Christliche Apollo
gete. Cincinnati Frank Neff. pastor First
church. Oklahoma, Okla; e. NJ Randall,
Seattle, Wash, pastor Gilman Park
church; c. B. Spenser, D. D., Kansas City,
editor Christian Advocate; J. w. Van
Cleve. Chicago, executive secretary COM
mission on finance. Laymen-George War
rem Brown, St Louis, shoe manufacturer
C. W. Fairbanks Indianapolis Ind form
er vice president of the United States A
W. Harris New York city, corresponding
secretary board OF education. C. w. Kline,
Jacksonville, Fla, real estate; l. Garland
Penn, Cincinnati, corresponding secretary
Freedmens Aid society; l. e. Robinson,
Charleston, w. Va, ex-chief justice court
of appeals of West Virginia. Henry Wade
Rogers, New Haven. Conn. Judge United
States district court; Colonel William
Rule, Knoxville, Tenn, editor Knoxville
Journal and Tribune: Alexander Simpson.
Philadelphia, lawyer; Rolla V Watt San
Francisco insurance.
Methodist Episcopal Church South-Bish-
ops A. w. Wilson, Baltimore Z. e. Hoss.
Musi<ogee, Okla: Collins Denny Rich
mond. Va. Edwin D. Mouzon, Dallas,
Tex; w. A. Gambler. Atlanta. Ga. Minis
ters-Frank NJ Thomas. d. D, Louisville,
Ky. w. J. Young d. D., Gambler School
of Theology, Atlanta, Ca; John NJ. Moore.
d. D., secretary home missions, Nashville.
Tenn. C. NJ Bishop. D. D., president