Evening star., 1939-05-11
DC. Church Leaders
Laud Union Of
Methodists
Federation Secretary
Feels All Groups
Will Be Pleased

Washington church leaders today
lauded the formal unification of the
three main branches Of Methodism
which took place in Kansas City
last night, and hailed 1t as a source
of greater cooperation throughout
the country.
The new setup, it was explained
will be known as the Methodist
Church and will encompass almost
8,000.0 900 members Of the Methodist
Episcopal, Methodist Protestant and
Southern Methodist organizations
Washington will become a unit
of the new northeastern jurisdiction
of which Bishop Edwin Holt Hughes
is one Of the bishops, while Metho-
dist churches on the Virginia side
of the Potomac River will be unde,
the new Southeastern Conference
In the washington area the COM
bined Methodist membership totals
1900.
Fine for All Churches.
Dr.. w. L. Darby, executive secre-
tory Of the Washington Federation
Of Churches, said today he felt all
religious leaders were greatly
pleased with the unification.
1T is a fine thing for all churches
as well as the Methodist Church,
he declared. 1T will produce q
spirit Of greater unity and CO.
operation throughout the country
The unification is something that
has been greatly needed and shows
that others can do the same"
DR.. Rufus Weaver, executive sec
retary of the Baptist Convention
here. discussing the union, pointed
out that the Baptists in Washington
have already united and are organ
ically related to both the Northern
and Southern Baptist conventions
THE union of these Methodist
bodies" he asserted, "is a victory
for Christian unity in which all
evangelical Christians rejoice. It Is
evidence of the overcoming Of Sec
tionalism. prejudice and religious
provincialisms. The Baptists of
America will profit by their ex-
ample"
Supreme Accomplishment.
The Right Rev. James E. Freeman,
Bishop of Washington, asserted
THE reunion of the Methodist
churches in the United States is
supreme accomplishment, worthy
of high praise. 1t will add great
strength to this important religious
body. May God abundantly bless
the union"
DR.. Oscar F. Blackwelder, one OF
the leading Lutheran ministers of
the city and pastor of the Lutheran
Church of the Reformation. said he
regarded the success of the Meth
odist unification movement as "one
of the most significant events In
American Professionalism" and pre-
dicted that it would mean much to
every Christian enterprise.
Ministers of the three branches Of
the Methodist Church affected were
all enthusiastic in their praise.
We've all worked for it." said DR..
John w. Rustin. pastor of the Mount
Vernon Place Methodist Episcopal
Church South. TITS q real challenge
to all Protestants to try to get to-
gether and work together"
Rejoice Over Unincation.
DR.. o. G. Robinson, pastor of the
Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church.
declared, Il rejoice with my people
that unification has come to pass.
We have looked forward to it and
prayed for it. 1t Is a forward step
in building the kingdom of God on
earth. We hope that 1t will be the
beginning of united Christian
church"
DR.. H. A. Kester, pastor of the
Congress Street Methodist Pro-
testant Church, expressed himself as