Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1920-05-07

METHODlSTS DIVIDE ON FRO
POSED CtUkfh UNION.

TIE Baltimore Sun says:
The proposed plan Of union
Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church with the Methodist Epis-
copal Church, South. will have
great difficulty in getting the app
proval of the Methodist Episco-
pal General Conference, in SeS-
sion here. An effort was made
today to have it brought itnme-
diately before the conference for
action, which would have meant
its defeat, it is firmly believed by
a large body of the delegates.
When the report of tile Com
m Ssion on Un!fcatiou was sub
m'tted this morning it was ac-
compamied by resolution that
it be acted on first by a special
committee composed of five biSh-
ots, two ministers and two lay
men from each Episcopal area !;
two delegates from East Asia.
four from South Asia, four from
Europe and four from Latin
America. For the WaslIingto
area the members will be the
Rev. Dir. J. C. Nicholson, of Bal
timore; the Rev. Emory M. Ste,
venson, of Central Pennsylvania
Judge Henry c. Conrad, of Wash
ington, and Charles P. Ford
(colored), of Washington. The
Reverend DR.. Jno. R. Edward was
elected chairman OF area delega-
ton for the term Of the confer
ence and the Rev. Henry G. Budd,
Of Wilmington. secretary.
1t is the hope of the advocates
of the union that the favorable
report of the committee, repre-
senting world Methodism, will
be so strong that the conference
dare not turn it down. But it is
rea allied that the plan of union
as at present proposed will fail
to get the two third vote neces-
sary for its adoption unless the
conference is swept off it's feet
by the fiery eloquence of one of
the uuion advocates.
OBJECTIONS AGAINST UNION.
Chief of the avowed objections
is that against the regional con-
ference idea which. its oppon-
ents claim, will divide Episcopal
Methodism into seven parts id
stead of two, as at present. Next
is tile objection to segregating
the negroes into a regional con-
ference of their own. Then
there is the fear that the South
ern Church, through the present
grouping of the regional confer
ences, will gain control. Then
there is the inevitable opposition
to any char ge of the status quo
Several bishops are unalterably
opposed to il, and some would
almost give their lives to see the
union of these two churches an
accomplished fact.
DR.. John F. Goucher. of Balti'
more, first made the definite pro.
posal of federation 70 years age
at the Southern Methodist Gen
era Conference in Memphis
Tenn He is on the Commission
of Unifcation and, with BiSlot
Earl Cranston. is among ths
leaders of the fight for union
The foreign Delegates influence
ard the bad light i'll which ad
verse action would place th'
Methodist Episcopal Church be
fore the world might save the
day, but many wise forecasters
believe that union will be defeat
ed"
1t is to be hoped that the Gen
eral Conference of the NJ. E
Church will do what. it is feared
the General Conference OF the
M. E. Church, South, would not
do-put an end to the controversy
by defeating the movement to
have the two branches unite
Some of the Northern preachers
express the fear that it would
place the church under tile Con-
troll of the Southern branch. This
might be an improvement, But
there is no ability of it be-
inx done. The Methodist Church
has heretofore suffered from
Northern domination. and now
being free from it, to again unite,
would be like one placing his
own head in the moose.
While it would increase the
membership of the M. E. Church,
the probability is that in the
S 'utli, the membership would be
greatly decreased many seeking
connection with other churches.