Evening star., 1924-05-05
METHODISTS TO ACT
ON UNION WEDNESDAY
Amalgamation of Northern and
Southern Branches Proposed
by Bishops.
AMUSEMENT BAN IS HIT
Leaders Favor Lessening of Restric-
tions, in Report.
AMUSEMENT BAN IS HIT
Rr the Associated Press.


SPRINGFIELD, Mass, May 5-Two
events of special interest to Metho-
dists are scheduled for the Meth
odist general conference this week
Today a committee of three from the
National Methodist Students Con-
fcrt nee held at Louisville last month.
will speak from the floor by special
Invitation. They are expected to tell
of the debate which led to that body's
petitioning the general conference to
refuse to bless or sanction war.
The proposed unificatfon of the
North and South Methodist churches
has been made an order of the day
lot Wednesday. The pns in their
Joint address de- Yesterday
favored such unificat.,-.. to consider
which a commission was appointed
at the 1920 general conference in
Des Moines. Iowa.
y plea for support of a proposed
National Methodist Sanatorium for
tuberculosis at Colorado Springs.
Bishop {. L. Mead of Denver.
The union of nations in the cause
of peace and the union of Methodist
churches of America in the cause of
bishops of the Methodist Episcopal
church, in their address yesterday.
The report. the official pronounce
ment of the epiScopacy. was present
ed by Bishop Joseph f. Perry of
Philadelphia, senior bishop of the
church.
Limitation of the church's ban on
amusements to those which cannot
be enjoyed in the name of Jesus
Christ was recommended by the bish-
ops, who also suggested means of
combating the divorce problem, and
favored prohibition enforcement and
restriction of immi grafton into this
country. They reaffirmed the churchs
fundamental doctrines in view of
present day theological controversy.
Condemn War Vigorously.
Condemning war as "a law of the
jungle" and 'organiZed revenge" the
bishops advocated the entry of the
United States into the world court.
The church of Jesus Christ" the
report read, must never again quiet
~ acquiesce in national or interna-
tional politics which promote warlike
tempers and attitude. 1t must do
more than mildly protest. The whole
strength of the united church of
Christ must be thrown with compell-
ing force against warlike policies and
preparations.
Our position must be that inter
national warfare, unless indisputably
in self defense or defense of humanity
is a monstrosity of the pagan past
which has absolutely no proper place
in the program of the modern world.
We respectfully remind the govern
ment of the United States that we
expect the federal authorities to dis
cover a method other than war 10
settle international disputes.
Indorsc Coolidge View.
Emphasizing the duty of America
to use her vast resources and wealth
for the succor of other nations. the
bishops indorsed the statement. of
President Coolidge that the nation
could not maintain itself by material
prosperity alone.
I'VE believe profoundly they said,
that the United States of America
should cooperate with the other ma
tions of the world in bringing about
world justice and world peace. We,
therefore, give our hearty indorSe-
ment to the proposition that our
country shall become a member of
the Permanent Court of International
Justice. And it is our firm conviction
that all nations should agree to sub
nit to impartial tribunals all dis
putes that threaten the world and
which cannot be adjusted by the
usual process of diplomacy"
In their Endorsement of the unifica-
tilon of the Methodist Episcopal
Church with the Methodist Episcopal
Church South, the bishops recalled
with satisfaction an Impressive"
development IN CHRISTIAN unlncatlon.
Two branches of the Evangelical
Church had Joined. they said, three
groups of LutheranS had done the
same and progress was being made
in the merging of three influential
denominations in Canada, while the
union of several branches of the
Presbyterian Church was also under
consideration.
Lands Church Cooperation.
The Methodist Episcopal Church
believes in the largest possible meas
ure of cooperation between denomi-
nations" the bishops said, but be-
lieve also that the freedom of each
denomination should be preserved.
I'VE cannot refrain from an express
sion of unspeakable gratitude and re-
ioicing that the joint commission con
unification of the north and south
churches) has been able to agree
upon a plan for bringing together
these long severed branches of our
common Mcthodism. 1t is eighty
years since the churches divided.
In the new conditions that
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