Evening star., 1923-07-28
METHODIST UNION
PLANS DISCLOSED
Outline Provides One Big
Church With Two Separate
Jurisdictions.
By the Asanciated Press

by the Associated Press.
CLEVELAND, July 2s.-Details of
the plan for merging the separate gen.
eral conferences of the Methodist
Episcopal Church and the Methodist
Episcopal Church South adopted by
the joint commission on unification
conference here this week. were learned
last night.
The report of the commission of six
teen. which was approved by the joint
commission. holds that these two
churches are essentially one church in
origin. belief, spirit. purpose and in
policy. and. desiring that this essential
unity may be made actual In organiza-
t1on and administration throughout
the world, proposes plan Of unifica-
tion and recommends its adoption by
the two churches.
Article l is a declaration of union.
as follows:
The Methodist Episcopal Church
and the Methodist Episcopal Church
South shall be united in one church
with two Jurisdictions under a consti-
tuition with a general conference and
TWO .Jurisdfctional conferences"
Name Left to Conference.
Article 2 provides that the name of
the Church shall be referred to the
first general conference Of the united
church.
Article says that jurisdiction No. /
shail comprise all the churches. an
and missions now constituting the
Methodist Episcopal Church and any
other such conferences and missions
as may hereafter be organized by its
Jurlsolctlonal confer ence, with the ap-
proval of the general conference.
jurisdiction No. shall Comprise
all the churches, annual conferences.
mission conferences and missions now
constituting the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South. and any other such
hereafter be organized by it's juris-
dlction at conference with the ap-
proVal OF the general conference
Delegates Apportioned.
The general conference and the
Jurisdictional conferences shall be
composed of the same delegates,
elected by and from the annual con-
ferences. provided said general and
Juri9dictional conferences shall have
not more than one ministerial dele
gate FOR every forty-ive members of
each annual conference and not less
than one ministerial delegate for
every l20 members Of each annual
conference and an equal number OF
lay delegates. chosen according to
the regulations of each Jurisdiction.
Every vote in the general confer
ence shall be by Jurisdiction and shall
require the accepted majority vote Of
each Jurisdiction to be effective.
Bishops to BE Retained.
Subject to the limitations and re-
strtctions of the constitution, the
general conference shall have full
legislative power over all matters
distinctively correctional
BISHOPS of the two churches q
present constituted shall he bishops
of the united church without further
action,
The bishops shall select by a ma
number from each Jurisdiction to pre-
side at the sessions of the general
conference.
Each Jurisdiction shall have juris-
dictional conference, possessing the
full powers of the general conference
OF the church now constituting said
Jurisdiction, except such powers as
are herein vested in the general con
ference. or which may hereafter from
time to time be legally delegated to
the general conference by the jvris-
dictionai conference.
Majority to Rule.
Each conference shall meet quad
rennially where the general confer
ence is to assemble and Immediately
prior to its assembling. and when de-
sirable may meet during the sessions
of the general conference.
All decisions of the judicial council
shall be made by majority of the
tctal membership of the council.
The general conference at its first
session will provide method OF
amending the constitution.
In all matters not specifically set
forth in the plan. and until the gen
eral conference shall otherwise order
the rules of government of the re-
spective churches shall be in full
force and effect.
The plan recommends that finan-
cial support of the Colored Methodist
Episcopal Church be continued by the
Jurisdiction with which it is histori-
cally related and to such extent as
that Jurisdiction may deem wise"