Evening journal., 1920-03-29
NOT Time FOR
CHURCH union
IS M. {. VIEW
cnnllnned from FIrsl rage.

bv Bishop Mcdowell helore iSlt lia
afternoon or This evening
favorable majority report and an
opposing minority report by the Con
ference commmiile on unilcatlon Of The
Methodist Episcopal Church with the
Methodist Episcopal Church South. led
10 a lively discussion at the session OF
Wilmington Conference this morning
The majority report read by the Rev.
j.. II Dashien. stalled
Resolved, First. that we as a Confer
cnce declare ourselves in favor OF uni
ncaiion or the Methodist Episcopal
Church with the Methodist Episcopal
Church South.
second. We believe he proposed
constitution for The reorganized church
workable plan.
Third, The report asked That the
delegates from Wilmington Conference
20 General Conference be instructed 10
use their influence TO procure the
adoption Of the proposed plan Of uni
Hc3iion by General Conference
The resolution was signed by G. W
preiiynan. D. W Colona and r. II Da-
she'll
Dr. John ". "a sumwali, chairman
az the committee moved that The mi
norliy report Of the committee. sign
I'd by himself and the Rev. g. r. Alder
son be substituted for the majority
report and be adopted by Conference
Speaking OF the proposed plan for uni
cation the minority report reads.
Whereas. Tho proposed plan pro-
,ides for uniicaiion by reorganization
on such a basis as VIII inevitably tend
10 the development OF sectional and
racial divisions rather than 10 a real
and lastlng union and
Whereas. The proposed plan be-
cause Of these racial and sectional D
and destroy The work of lhc church
amoug many Of Che people 20 whom
We now minister and
Whereas. the proposed plan provides /
for a church which differs 80 radically I
from either OF The contributins
churches. as 40 make substantially a
new church and relieve our members
~ any claim upon their loyalty and
support:
Therefore. be il Resolved That the
Wilmington Annual Conference hereby
memOrlalizc the General Conference 20
reject ihis and an other plans for Mclh-
0dist union which do not provide for
a really united church. capah of min
islering effectively TO an mankind.
Resolved That we instruct the
members of the delegation Of the VIII
mlngton Conference 10 The General
conference 10 use their influence In
every possible way 10 continue the
Commission on unincation unhampered.
10 study The situation ia lhe hope that
some plan of union may be proposed
Which shall preserve the salient and
traditional characteristics OF Method
ism"
Conference adopted the minority re-
port against the proposed plan OF uni
iicaiion by a large majority
Moving The substitution OF the minor
iy. Or. Sumvalt after expressing his
high regard FOR Bishop Mcdowell as
member OF the unncation Commission. !
SAID.
"A man who has not thought about Ia
his proposed plan OF unihcatioE Is not
70 for membership in this Conference. +
Ne have debated this uni1cation ques- ii
ion in Our Wilmington Preachers e.
meetings and read everything about it
peak as an entire amateur. was on \
ho commission OF uniiicaton between
he Methodist Episcopal Baltimore Con-
orencs and the Methodist Episcopal i
lhurch South. Baltimore Conference, as
.ecreiary and member FOR four years. n
|Nhen was District superintendent in
he Baltimore Conference. ! turned two
II our circuits over 20 the Southern
so yon can see ] am not
opposed TO unity, but 20 this plan before
IS. This plsn was not adopted by the
commission on Unihcation but merely
transmitted for consideration by the
nnual Conferences. Ia
"Thc proposed constitution CON
luued Dr. Sunwaii rs subject TO criti-
sm along Two lines. First 4 proposes
ever. regional conferences. one Of them
olored. An OF The southern Confer
noes are IN three ~ these regional
odies The other three while regional
differences would be almost entirely
he Methodist Episcopal Conferences
AS result. regional conference
'o covering Delaware District of
and Maryland would contain r.
hOut 100000 members of the MeihO- "
list Episcopal. 10 6OO00O members OF
he southern church 70 would put
lie nations capitol under control Of
inc southern church."
secondly. Dr. Sumwalt thought the
plan reelected against worthy colored ID
and foreign members ss 10 forbade
fAfir having more than > ner cent. :
membership in General Conference
Also. he said. the plan prevented
church progress. by permitting re-
sional conferences 10 hold up church
lesislaiion.
le concluded. III we hove not reach
ed The point where neither church feels
We can unite without losing our ind-
s-idual autonomy, We are not ready TO
sign the marriage contract F
BY q vote OF i2i 90 one opposing
Conference voted against ihc proposed
amendment 20 admit b
aymen as members OF conference.
delegates viii be instruc
ed 10 vote against the amendment al
;enersI Conference.
Dr. e. II. Dashiell. Who moved The
nst majority report on uni0caiion, de-
,nded that report. saving Dr. Sumwalt's r
ears were grim fairy tale.
The Rev J.. L. Johnson. on behalf Of
Church, Crisneld. Nd, in
tied the Conference TO meet in Cris- n
eld next year
The invitation to hold the conference p.
Q the New Castle church was extend
q by the Rev. j. r. Bickng, OF that
'iace Mr. Bicking reverted TO the