Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1920 — THE PROPOSED CHURCH MERGER [ARTICLE]

THE PROPOSED CHURCH MERGER

Church union is a subject that has been Inuch discussed for many &««« taken that while it Would be an admirable thing it Was and not practicable. Nevertheless, the idea.has grown and at last a movement has been started looking to merger.” The conference delegate from 20ff denomination* called by terian church to meet at Philadelphia next month will consider a proposal for a national merger of Christian interests under the name of the United Church of America. Exactly what form the merger will if such action is agreed upon,.can hot, of course, be known now, but the proposal is to form a council elected by the supreme bodies of the various denominations, two ministerial and two lay delegates 'being suggested as representatives of each 100,000 communicants. The plan is to retain the present denominational organizations, but the constitution outlined by" the promoters of the un-

dertai<W *‘loofa< forward ultimately to a complete union of the Protestant churches and opens the way for a gradual merging of the interdenominational interesta” The plan calls for the administration ox home and foreign missions on apof the supreme «oW“T and advisory board*. The council will accept the ordination and doctrinal views of the Evangelistical churches. ". ‘A number of considerations have doubtless hastened this The condition of the rural church has attracted much attention in recent years both in clerical and dvie circles. The up two or three churches of different sects, yet of the same general beServers. Only en nn occasions, towever, has a vjllage or hood agreed to the mtaor uigeregees 01 been uftener a^,jklapersonal prejudice or f

un i ting element would ■ gain con- * • trol of affairs than any desire fdr ies of theoeveraldOnonrinatioris workitfgfnhMony. fte tendency to individual approval of the lesser mergers would increase. | Another strong element tive machinery and monetary expanae in sionary Mdother through many agencies instead or one central body., T Each denominaanm 1 ■„ , ?y 4 BOUSeB, so? ®VWDJE®HiUKS**® MuCL Owlr ■

er religious purposes has great trust in the y** manner. Ha doubt it ■ -we funds and & r€sn*tew outlay. that aje said to have ering a merger. melude, an jamtdon to the Presbyterianik thl odist Episeowi > ant Episcopal dmiA States, the wn«ii®ra©Mi