Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-06-12
.UN|F |CAT|ON Critics
(. ARE TAKEN To TASK
BY JUDGE GAMBLER

Opposition to the uniication Of the
Methodist Episcopal church, south,
and the Methodist Episcopal church
the measure to occupy tho atten-
ton of a called session of 20 gen.
eral conference of the southern body
July in Chattanooga-wa criti-
cized Monday before the Atlanta
Methodist Ministers association
meeting, in the Wesleys Memoria.
church, by Judge John S. Gambler,
prominent Southern Methodist lay
man and chairman of the commit
tee which drafted the plan.
Judge Gambler characterized cur
rent objections to Inification as Ely
specklng,' and said the strongest
argument against unification was
that there is not enough religion in
either church for one to trust the
other"
Judge Gambler, taking an opposite
view on unifcation from that of his
brother, Bishop Warren A. Gambler,
| senior bishop Of the Methodist Epis-
copal church, south, IN prefacing his
| remarks said. Il don't want any
| body to believe there's any persona.
difference between myself and any
| body close TO me-"
At the conclusion of Judge Can
dler's talk, upon motion of DR.. L..
j. Ballard, associate editor Of the
| W. T'an Christian Advocate, ris-
! iner vote Of thanks was given the
| SPEAKER by the Methodist ministers
assembled for his review of and
comment on the question of unfit.
cation.
In discussing the legality of the
| called session of the conference,
Judge Gambler said there no longer
existed any doubt that the meeting
would be in accordance with the
constitution Of the church.
Meetings to discuss this matter
have been called by two general con-
ferences," Judgo Gambler said. II
know this to be true for I drew the
orders myself. In 1918 and 1922,
the question was brought up. In
| H. Bishop james G.. Cannon, Jr.,
and myself fought 1t out right here
in the Wesley Memorial church. and
the college of bishops did not oues-
ton the legality Of such a meeting.
OF course, [ am not speaking of the
Inconsistency Of anybody
Judge Gambler, throughout his
| talk, emphasized the statement that
1--WE are pledged to notification
through reorganization We are not
absolutely committed to this plan. If
you don't like it, you can do as Bob
Toombs said: Pour it back il the
Jug"
In discussing the negro bishop
question which has been the
center Of much discussion due to
the fact that there are $4,000
negroes in the northern church
Judge Gambler said it had been ren.
dered impossible for one to serve n
southern conference in the document
drawn up by himself and his assoc
ciates on the committee on confer.
ence relations. There is a provision.
he said, that no bishop of one juris-
diction can execute an episcopal act
outside his own jurisdiction without
a majority vote of acceptance from
the bishops of the other jurisdiction.
Qualification, under the present
plan,' Judge Gambler said, will eff
feet no noticeable change in the rou-
tine of either conference. Unless
there had been so much talk about
it, nine-tenths of the people in the
two conferences never would have
known unification had been perfect.
ed, under the present plan.
Some offer the feeble objection
that the property of the Methodist
Episcopal church, SOUTH is being
jeopardized. Putting the question on
the lowest basis-that of business
when it comes to funds for educa ton
and other sources, we stand a chance
to get more out of the Methodist
Episcopal church than it does to get
anything out of us. There are A.
500, 900 members of the northern
church and about 100000 in the
southern church, with financial re-
sources in proportion. There is alb
! SOluteiX no. zinc 10 this objection"