The Interchurch Council 
 on Organic Union 
 
REPORTS AND PLANS 
 
 FOR 
 
 The Interchurch Council 
 on Or ^anic Union 
 
 FEBRUARY 3-6, 1920 
 WITHERSPOON HALL 
 PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
 
 1920 
 
 Witherspoon Building, Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
OFFICERS 
 
 OF THE AD INTERIM COMMITTEE 
 
 Rev. Wm. H. Roberts, D.D.. Chairman. 
 
 Rt. Rev. EthElbert T.\lbot, D.D., Vice-Chairman. 
 
 Rev. Rufus W. Miller, D.D., Secretary. 
 
 Rev. David G. Downey, D.D., Historian. 
 
 Mr. Edward H. Bonsall, Treasurer, Land Title and Trn.st Co., 
 Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Sub-Committees: Chairmen 
 
 Plan : — 
 
 Rt. Rev. Ethelbert Talbot, D.D. 
 
 Invitations ; — 
 
 Rev. Harlan G. Mendenhall, D.D. 
 
 Publicity 
 
 Rev. Peter Ainslik, D.D. 
 
 Survey : — 
 
 Rev. Willtston Walker, D.D. 
 
 Finance : — 
 
 Mr. Edward H. Bonsall. 
 
THE AD INTERIM COMMITTEE 
 
 The Congregational Churches 
 
 Prof. Williston Walker, Ph.D., 281 Edwards St., New Haven, Conn. 
 Rev. Raymond Calkins, D.D., 19 Berkeley St., Cambridge, Mass. 
 
 Rev. Hubert C. Herring, D.D., 14 Beacon St., Boston, Mass. 
 
 Disciples, Church of the 
 
 Rev. Peter Ainslie, D.D., Seminary House, Baltimore, Md. 
 
 Rev. F. W. Burnham, LL.D., Carew Building, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 Rev. F. D. Kershner, D.D., Stand. Pub. Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 Rev. H. C. Armstrong, Seminary House, Baltimore, Md. 
 
 Rev. Finis Idleman, 461 Ft. Washington Ave., N. Y. City. 
 Evangelical Synod of North America 
 
 Rev. J. U. Schneider, 116 Lower 6th St., Evansville, Ind. 
 
 Rev. F. E. C. Haas, Amsterdam, N. Y. 
 
 Rev. Paul A. Menzel, 1920 G St., N. W., Washington, D. C. 
 
 Friends, The Society of 
 
 Mr. Alfred C. Garrett, York Road and Duncannon Ave., Logan, Phila. 
 Moravian Church 
 
 Rev. John S. Romig, D.D., 1411 N. 17th St., Phila., Pa. 
 
 Presbyterian Church, U. S. A. 
 
 Rev. Wm. H. Roberts, D.D., 513 Witherspoon Bldg., Phila., Pa. 
 
 Rev. Wm. H. Black, D.D., Marshall, Mo. 
 
 Rev. Charles R. Erdman, D.D., Princeton, N. J. 
 
 Henry W. Jessup, Esq., 55 Liberty St., New York, N. Y. 
 
 Rev. H. G. Mendenhall, D. D., 311 W. 75th St., N. Y. City. 
 Protestant Episcopal Church 
 
 Rt. Rev. Ethelbert Talbot, D.D., S. Bethlehem, Pa. 
 
 Rev. Floyd W. Tompkins, D.D., 1904 Walnut St., Phila., Pa. 
 
 Geo. Wharton Pepper, Esq., Land Title Bldg., Phila., Pa. 
 
 Reformed Church in U. S. 
 
 Rev. Geo. W. Richards, D.D., Lancaster, Pa. 
 
 Rev. Rufus W. Miller, D.D., 15th and Race Sts., Phila., Pa. 
 
 Reformed Episcopal Church 
 
 Rev. Robert Westly Peach, D.D., 271 Parker St., Newark, N. J. 
 
 Home Mission Council 
 
 Rev. A. Williams Anthony, 156 5th Ave., N. Y. City. 
 
 Associate Reformed Presbyterian Synod 
 
 Rev. G. R. White, D.D., Charlotte, N. C. R. D. 2. 
 
 United Brethren Church 
 
 Rev. Bishop G. M. Mathews, D.D., Dayton, Ohio. 
 
 Rev. Bishop H. H. Fout, Indianapolis, Indiana. 
 
 3 
 
United Presbyterian Church 
 
 Rev. W. M. Anderson, D.D., 1514 Master St., Phila., Pa. 
 
 Welsh Presbyterian Church 
 
 Rev. R. R. Davies, D.D., 74 S. Meade St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 
 Methodist Episcopal Church 
 
 Bishop John W. Hamilton, LL.D., Stonleigh Court, Conn. Ave & L St., 
 
 Washington, D. C. 
 
 Bishop Luther B. Wilson, LL.D., ISO Sth Ave., N. Y. 
 
 Rev. David G. Downey, D.D., 150 Sth Ave., N. Y. 
 
 Rev. Geo. P. Eckman, D.D., Scranton, Pa. 
 
 Rev. Robt. Bagnell, D.D., Harrisburg, Pa. 
 
 Henry K. Carroll, LL.D., Plainfield, N. J. 
 
 Rev. Frank P. Parkin, D.D., 701 Walnut St., Phila., Pa. 
 
 General Council of the Christian Church 
 Rev. A. C. Thomas, Milo, Iowa. 
 
 Lutheran Church 
 
 Rev. J. Henry Harms, D.D., 1010 S. 45th St., Phila., Pa. * 
 
 Rev. Edwin Heyl Delk, D.D., 630 N. Broad St., Phila., Pa. 
 
 Armenian Evangelical Church 
 
 Rev. H. Y. Yardumian, Perry Bldg., 16th and Chestnut Sts., Phila., Pa. 
 Christian Church 
 
 Rev. R. E. Williams, 56 N. 53rd St., Phila., Pa. 
 
 Prof. W. A. Harper, LL.D., Elon College, N. C. 
 
 Rev. F. G. Coffin, D.D., Albany, Mo. 
 
 African M. E. Church 
 
 Bishop L. J. Coppin, 1913 Bainbridge St., Phila., Pa. 
 
 Primitive Methodist Church 
 
 Mr. W. H. Davies, 2609 W. Lehigh Ave., Phila., Pa. 
 
 Mr. Enoch Georges, 5106 Carnegie Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 
 
 Rev. W. C. Hall, Shamokin, Pa. 
 
 Rev. E. Humphries, D.D., New Bedford, Mass. 
 
 Rev. S. I. Nicholls, 2609 W. Lehigh Ave., Phila., Pa. 
 
 Rev. W. F. Paul, Plymouth, Pa. 
 
 African M. E. Zion Church 
 
 Rev. J. W. Brown, 110 West 139th St., New York, N. Y. 
 
 Rev. C. C. Alleyne, 87 Winyah Ave., New Rochelle, N. Y. 
 
 Five Years’ Meeting of the Friends in America: 
 
 Prof. Rufus M. Jones, Haverford College, Haverford, Pa. 
 
 Rev. Errol D. Peckham, 305 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y. 
 
 4 
 
I. 
 
 DUTY OF AD INTERIM COMMITTEE 
 in re formulation of a 
 PLAN OF ORGANIC UNION 
 
 On recommendation of its Committee on Business and Reso- 
 lutions, the Interchurch Conference on the Organic Union of the 
 Evangelical Churches in the U. S. A., held in Witherspoon Hall, 
 Philadelphia, in December, 1918, created this Ad Interim Com- 
 mittee, and, inter alia, gave it the following instructions: 
 
 “That the members of this Conference from each communion, 
 whether present in official or personal capacity, be asked as soon 
 as possible to appoint representatives on an Ad Interim Com- 
 mittee to carry forward the movement toward Organic Union 
 here intiated 
 
 This Committee shall be charged with the following duties : 
 
 (a) To develop and use at its discretion agencies and methods 
 for discovering and creating interest in the subject of Organic 
 Union throughout the Churches of the country. 
 
 (b) To make provision for presenting by personal delega- 
 tions, or otherwise, to the national bodies of all the evangelical 
 communions of the United States urgent invitations to participate 
 in an Interdenominational Council on Organic Union. 
 
 (c) To lay before the bodies thus approached the steps neces- 
 sary for the holding of such council, including the plan and basis 
 
 5 
 
of representation and the date of the Council which shall be as 
 early as possible, and, in any event, not later than 1920. 
 
 {d) To prepare for presentation to such Council when it 
 shall assemble a suggested plan or plans of Organic Union. 
 
 {e) To consider and report upon any legal matters related to 
 the plan or plans of union which it may propose. 
 
 In requesting the Ad Interim Committee to undertake the 
 arduous task outlined, the Conference desires the Committee to 
 proceed with freedom at every point. As of possible assistance, 
 however, in the deliberations, the Conference expresses its pres- 
 ent judgment as to certain aspects of the problem to be faced. 
 
 1. The Conference is profoundly solicitous that the effort for 
 organic union shall have first regard to those forces of vital 
 spiritual life which alone give meaning to our effort. No 
 mechanical uniformity must be sought, nor any form of organi- 
 zation which ignores or thwarts the free movement of the Spirit 
 of God, in the hearts of His servants. 
 
 2. In line with this desire the Conference hopes the Com- 
 
 mittee will be able to devise plans so broad and flexible as to 
 make place for all the evangelical churches of the land, whatever 
 their outlook of tradition, temperament or taste, whatever their 
 relationships racially or historically 
 
 3. The notice of the Committee is directed to the efforts for 
 Organic Union represented in other lands, especially the Churches 
 of Canada. The remarkable and significant statement recently 
 issued by a joint committee of Anglican and Free Churches of 
 Great Britain will also call for the study of the Committee. 
 
 4 The Conference calls attention to the fact that in its search 
 for a -plan of Organic Union, the Committee will not be pre- 
 cluded from considering plans of Federal Union such as are in 
 varying forms present to the minds of members of this Confer- 
 ence. Our nation is a federal union but it is not the less an 
 organic union. Care should be used not to confuse the term 
 “federal” as thus employed, with this meaning when used to 
 signify “associated” or “cooperative.” 
 
 6 
 
PLAN FOR FEDERAL UNION 
 
 Approved by 
 
 THE AD INTERIM COMMITTEE 
 
 Fathers and Brethren : — 
 
 The 130th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 
 the United States of America convened May, 1918, at Columbus, 
 Ohio, extended an invitation to the national bodies of evangelical 
 communions of America to meet for the purpose of formulating 
 a plan of organic union. In taking this action and extending an 
 invitation to that end it was stated, “The purpose of the Pres- 
 byterian Church is simply to invite her brethren in Christ to meet 
 and counsel together with a view to finding a way by which 
 we may outwardly and concretely express that spiritual union 
 which we believe already exists among the people of Christ.” 
 Pursuant to the invitation a preliminary “Interchurch Conference 
 on Organic Union” was held December 4, 5, 6, 1918, in Wither- 
 spoon Hall, Philadelphia, and the proceedings of that Confer- 
 ence, adopted unanimously by the representatives of seventeen 
 evangelical churches, have been fully recorded in the issue of 
 the Christian Union Quarterly for April, 1919, a copy of 
 which is submitted herewith as “Paper A,” and made by reference 
 a part of this report. 
 
 II. 
 
 In the final resolutions of that Conference (see page 23 of 
 “Paper A”), an ad interim Committee was provided for to carry 
 forward the movement toward organic union initiated by said 
 Conference. This committee was to be composed of one member 
 from each communion, with an additional member for each five 
 hundred thousand communicants or major fraction thereof ; in 
 addition, the Foreign Mission Conference and the Home Mission 
 Council were each asked to name a member of such committee, 
 and provision was made for additions to the membership of said 
 committee, upon the same terms, of representatives of evangelical 
 denominations subsequently receiving and accepting the invita- 
 
 7 
 
tion to take part in the movement. The duties of this ad interim 
 committee (see page — , ) were as follows: 
 
 “5. This ad interim Committee shall be charged with the 
 following duties: 
 
 (a) To develop and use at its discretion, agencies and 
 methods for discovering and creating interest in the subject 
 of Organic Union throughout the Churches of the country. 
 
 {b) To make provision for presenting by personal dele- 
 gations, or otherwise, to the national bodies of all the evan- 
 gelical communions of the United States, urgent invitations 
 to participate in an Interdenominational Council on Organic 
 Union. 
 
 (c) To lay before the bodies thus approached the steps 
 necessary for the holding of such Council, including the 
 plan and basis of representation, and the date of the Council, 
 which shall be as early as possible, and in any event, not 
 later than 1920. 
 
 {d) To prepare for presentation to such Council when 
 it shall assemble a suggested plan or plans of Organic Union. 
 
 (<?) To consider and report upon any legal matters re- 
 lated to the plan or plans of union which it may propose. 
 
 6. In addition to the above, the Ad Interim Committee 
 is directed to report to the Interdenominational Council on 
 any and all matters within the field of its inquiries. The 
 Committee will be subject to the jurisdiction of the Council. 
 
 “In requesting the Ad Interim Committee to undertake 
 the arduous task outlined, the Conference desires the Com- 
 mittee to proceed with freedom at every point. As of 
 possible assistance, however, in the deliberations, the Con- 
 ference expresses its present judgment as to certain aspects 
 of the problem to be faced. 
 
 1. The Conference is profoundly solicitous that the effort 
 for organic union shall have first regard to those forces of 
 vital spiritual life which alone give meaning to our effort. 
 No mechanical uniformity must be sought, nor any form 
 
 8 
 
of organization which ignores or thwarts the free movement 
 of the Spirit of God, in the hearts of His serv'ants. 
 
 2. In line with this desire the Conference hopes the 
 Committee will be able to devise plans so broad and flexible 
 as to make place for all the evangelical churches of the land, 
 whatever their outlook of tradition, temperament or taste, 
 whatever their relationships racially or historically. 
 
 3. The Conference regards with deep interest and warm 
 approbation all the movements of our time towards closer 
 cooperative relations between communions, especially the 
 notable service rendered by the Federal Council of the 
 Churches of Christ in America. While the Ad Interim 
 Committee’s aim and function will lie in a field entirely dif- 
 ferent from those movements, it will be expected to maintain 
 sympathetic relations with them, and to regard with satis- 
 faction any reinforcement which its activities may bring 
 to them. 
 
 4. The notice of the Committee is directed to the efforts 
 for Organic Union represented in other lands, especially the 
 Churches of Canada. The remarkable and significant state- 
 ment recently issued by a joint committee of Anglican and 
 Free Churches of Great Britain will also call for the study 
 of the Committee. 
 
 5. The Conference calls attention to the fact that in its 
 search for a plan of Organic Union, the Committee will not 
 be precluded from considering plans of Federal Union such 
 as are in varying forms present to the minds of members of 
 this Conference. Our nation is a federal union but is not 
 the less an organic union. Care should be used not to con- 
 fuse the term “federal” as thus employed, with its meaning 
 when used to signify “associated” or “cooperative.” 
 
 III. 
 
 Thus constituted, and with the foregoing instructions, the Ad 
 Interim Committee was duly convened and organized, appointed 
 officers and sub-committees adequate to cover the various duties 
 assigned to it, all of which appears in the minutes of said Ad 
 
 9 
 
Interim Committee, recorded by its secretary, and which are 
 subject to the orders of Council. In announcing its organization 
 and purpose and extending an invitation to communions not 
 previously represented at the Conference, the Committee issued 
 a statement of its activity, entitled “Preliminary Statement,” 
 copies of which are presented to the Council In this paper the 
 following statement appears; 
 
 “In addition, we are asked to submit for the considera- 
 tion of such Council, when it shall assemble, a plan or plans 
 of organic union. Upon this task we have made a beginning 
 and hope to be able to place in the hands of the delegates 
 the results of our study some weeks in advance of the date 
 which may be set for the meeting of the Council.” 
 
 The invitation to appoint delegates to this Ad Interim Com- 
 mittee with a view to being represented in the Interdenomina- 
 tional Council when called was duly extended to 
 communions, a list of which is hereto annexed and marked “Paper 
 D.” The Ad Interim Committee having received acceptances 
 from communions and having accordingly 
 
 deemed it expedient and proper in performance of the duty laid 
 upon it to convene the Interdenominational Council for the 
 Third day of February, 1920, it became necessary that we 
 should adopt for the consideration of said Council a plan or 
 plans of organic union, bearing in mind the instructions of the 
 Interchurch Conference hereinabove referred to. 
 
 IV. 
 
 The Sub-Committee on Plan has met, not only at the monthly 
 meetings of the Ad Interim Committee, but between the sessions 
 of that Committee, and has submitted regular reports outlining 
 its progress and the various plans which have been laid before 
 it for examination, and at the May meeting of the Ad Interim 
 Committee held in New York City, at the Broadway Tabernacle, 
 these various plans as then elaborated and submitted were set 
 forth in a Blue Book, a copy of which is herewith presented as 
 an Appendix to this report and marked “Paper E.” 
 
 Your Ad Interim Committee, with these plans before it, has 
 
 10 
 
adopted for presentation for the consideration of the Interde- 
 nominational Council after discussion at several meetings of the 
 Committee, the plan below set forth as in its judgment conform- 
 ing to the intent of the Interchurch Conference : 
 
 (a) In that it recognizes “those forces of vital spiritual life 
 which alone give meaning to our effort.” 
 
 (b) In that “no mechanical uniformity must be sought, nor 
 any form of organization which ignores or retards the free move- 
 ment of the Spirit of God in the hearts of His servants.” 
 
 (c) In that the plan is so broad and flexible as to make place 
 for all evangelical churches of the land, whatever their outlook 
 of tradition, temperament or taste, whatever their relationships, 
 racially or historically.” 
 
 (d) In that it recognizes the principle laid down by the 
 Conference that this “Ad Interim Committee is not precluded 
 from considering a plan of federal union which is none the less 
 an organic union.” 
 
 V. 
 
 Accordingly, we, the members of the Ad Interim Committee 
 created by said Conference, together with representatives of other 
 churches who have since been similarly delegated, in obedience to 
 the direction that we prepare for presentation to an Interdenom- 
 national Council on Organic Union a suggested plan of organic 
 union, do hereby recommend the following plan : 
 
 Preamble ; 
 
 Whereas: we desire to share, as a common heritage, the 
 faith of the Evangelical churches, which has, from time to time, 
 found expression in great historic statements ; and 
 
 Whereas: we all share belief in God our Father; in Jesus 
 Christ, his only Son, our Saviour ; in the Holy Spirit, our Guide 
 and Comforter; in the Holy Catholic Church, through which 
 God’s eternal purpose of salvation is both to be proclaimed and 
 realized; in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as 
 containing God’s revealed will, and in the life eternal ; and 
 
 Whereas : having the same spirit and owning the same Lord, 
 
 11 
 
we none the less recognize diversity of gifts and ministrations 
 for whose exercise due freedom must always be afforded in 
 forms of worship and in modes of operation : 
 
 Plan : 
 
 Now, we the churches hereto assenting as hereinafter provided 
 in Article VI do hereby agree to associate ourselves in a visible 
 body to be known as the “United Churches of Christ in America”, 
 for the furtherance of the redemptive work of Christ in the world. 
 This body shall exercise in behalf of the constituent churches the 
 functions delegated to it by this instrument, or by subsequent 
 action of the constituent churches, which shall retain the full 
 freedom at present enjoyed by them in all matters not so dele- 
 gated. 
 
 Accordingly, the churches hereto assenting and hereafter thus 
 associated in such visible body do mutually covenant and agree 
 as follows : 
 
 I. Complete autonomy in purely denominational affairs. 
 
 In the interest of the freedom of each and of the cooperation 
 of all, each constituent church reserves the right to retain its 
 creedal statements, its form of government in the conduct of its 
 own affairs, and its particular mode of worship : 
 
 In taking this step, we look forward with confident hope to 
 that complete unity toward which we believe the Spirit of God 
 is leading us. Once we shall have cooperated wholeheartedly, 
 in such visible body, in the holy activities of the work of the 
 church, we are persuaded that our differences will be minimized 
 and our union become more vital and effectual. 
 
 II. The Council. (Its Constitution.) 
 
 The United Churches of Christ in America shall act through 
 a Council or through such Executive and Judicial Commissions, 
 or Administrative Boards, working ad interim, as such Council 
 may from time to time appoint and ordain. 
 
 The Council shall convene in 19 and every second year 
 thereafter. It may also be convened at any time in such manner 
 as its own rules may prescribe. The Council shall be a rep- 
 resentative body. 
 
 12 
 
Each constituent church shall be entitled to representation 
 therein by an equal number of ministers and of laymen. 
 
 The basis of representation shall be ; two ministers and two 
 laymen for the first one hundred thousand or fraction thereof of 
 its communicants ; and two ministers and two laymen for each 
 additional one hundred thousand or major fraction thereof. 
 
 III. The Council. (Its Working.) 
 
 The Council shall adopt and promulgate its own rules of 
 procedure and order. It shall define the functions of its own 
 officers, prescribe the mode of their selection and their compensa- 
 tion, if any. It shall provide for its budget of expense by equi- 
 table apportionment of the same among the constituent churches 
 through their supreme governing or advisory bodies. 
 
 IV. Relation of Council and Constituent Churches. 
 
 The supreme governing or advisory bodies of the constituent 
 churches shall effectuate the decisions of the Council by general 
 or specific deliverance or other mandate whenever it may be 
 required by the law of a particular state, or the charter of a 
 particular Board, or other ecclesiastical corporation ; but, except 
 as limited by this Plan, shall continue the exercise of their several 
 powers and functions as the same exist under the denominational 
 constitution. 
 
 The Council shall give full faith and credit to the authenti- 
 cated acts and records of the several governing or advisory 
 bodies of the constituent churches. 
 
 V. Specific Functions of the Council. 
 
 In order to prevent overlapping, friction, competition or waste 
 in the work of the existing denominational boards or administra- 
 tive agencies, and to further the efficiency of that degree of 
 cooperation which they have already achieved in their work at 
 home and abroad : 
 
 (a) The Council shall harmonize and unify the work of the 
 United Churches. 
 
 (b) It shall direct such consolidation of their missionary 
 activities as well as of particular churches in over-churched areas 
 as is consonant with the law of the land or of the particular 
 
 13 
 
denomination affected. Such consolidation may be progressively 
 achieved, as by the uniting of the boards or churches of any two 
 or more constituent denominations, or may be accelerated, 
 delayed, or dispensed with, as the interests of the United 
 Churches may demand. 
 
 (c) If and when any two or more constituent churches, by 
 their supreme governing or advisory bodies, submit to the Coun- 
 cil for its arbitrament any matter of mutual concern, not hereby 
 already covered, the Council shall consider and pass upon such 
 matter so submitted. 
 
 The Council shall undertake inspirational and educational 
 leadership of such sort and measure as may be decided upon by 
 the constituent churches from time to time in the fields of 
 Evangelism, Social Service, Religious Education, or the like. 
 
 VI. The assent of each constituent church to this Plan shall 
 be certified from its supreme governing or advisory body by the 
 appropriate officers thereof to the Chairman of the Ad Interim 
 Committee, which shall have power to convene the Council as 
 soon as the assent of at least six denominations shall have been 
 so certified. 
 
 Your Ad Interim Committee submitting this draft of a plan 
 would respectfully emphasize the following features thereof : 
 
 (a) That it is in the nature of a federal union in that the 
 constituent churches cooperate in the futherance of Christ’s 
 redemptive work in the world through an independent body by 
 which their various joint activities are mediated. 
 
 (b) That it is an organic union in that it has the vital prin- 
 ciple of growth and development ; that the Council has definite 
 functions and duties, and that these functions and duties may 
 from time to time be developed in like manner as the functions 
 of our federal government in the United States of America may 
 from time to time, by Constitutional Amendment, be modified or 
 enlarged. 
 
 Among the papers that are submitted with this report subject 
 to the orders of Council are the successive reports of the Sub- 
 
 14 
 
Committee on Plan, recording the inadvisability of attempting 
 to achieve by one step what may more orderly and surely be 
 accomplished by several steps, and in particular the following 
 from the third report of such Sub-Committee (see page 15 of 
 “Paper E.”). “In order to progress, the first step must be taken 
 in the right direction . . . the plan of federal union (that is, 
 
 by uniting the churches through the mediation of a Council that 
 shall have real powers of review and control and unify the work 
 of all the communions participating), will have this result; That, 
 after it shall have been in operation for a term of years, the 
 importance of divisive names and creeds and methods will pass 
 more and more into the dim background of the past, and acquire, 
 even in the particular denomination itself, a merely historical 
 value, and that the churches then will be ready for and will 
 demand a more complete union ; so that what was the United 
 Churches of Christ in America can become the United Church of 
 Christ in America, a real ecclesiastical entity, with ecclesiastical 
 powers, holding and administering ecclesiastical property and 
 funds of such united church. 
 
 Accordingly this Committee has submitted but one plan with 
 its recommendation, but there appear in the Blue Book (Pages 
 — ), submitted with this report, among the other plans considered 
 by your Ad Interim Committee, documents embodying plans of 
 such complete united church, with more specific articulations of 
 powers and functions, which can be preserved for the considera- 
 tion of the Council at some future time when it may be deemed 
 expedient to take a further step in the direction of organic 
 union. 
 
 We respectfully submit that the form of union at present 
 commended for the consideration of the Council does not inter- 
 ject into its deliberation any disputatious topic, any question 
 of the validity of orders or of the modes and subjects of baptism 
 or of the formulation of a specific or comprehensive creed. But 
 that we contemplate a preliminary period of cooperating in this 
 union that shall fulfill the hope and longing expressed by the 
 Conference (see p. 25, “Paper A”), “That the evangelical 
 churches may give themselves with a new faith and ardor to 
 
 15 
 
the proclamation of the Gospel, which is the only hope of our 
 stricken world, and to all those ministries of Christian love and 
 leading for the community, the nation and the nations, by which 
 they shall reveal to men the mind of Christ and hasten the 
 coming of his Kingdom.” 
 
 We call to the notice of the Council that the taking of this first 
 step toward unity will not call for a present report on any legal 
 questions since denominational autonomy is continued and no 
 property rights impaired. 
 
 RECOMMENDATIONS. 
 
 First. We recommend that the foregoing plan be placed upon 
 the docket of the Council for its consideration and action. 
 
 Second. We recommend that, in contemplation of the fact 
 that in the various groups of churches belonging to the same 
 denomination mergers or unions may from time to time occur 
 by appropriate ecclesiastical action and resulting in the creation 
 of new or consolidated denominations : the Council should estab- 
 lish a commission to be known as “The Commission on Group 
 Union of Constituent Bodies,” for the purpose of conferring 
 with any communion about to merge or consolidate, with a view 
 if possible to the unification of the constitutions of such con- 
 solidating churches in order to simplify the progress of all the 
 churches toward the ultimate adoption of a constitution for the 
 United Church of Christ in America. 
 
 Third. We recommend that the Council consider, and if 
 deemed advisable, make provision for its relationship to such 
 independent, unattached, or so-called union or community 
 churches which shall hold to the faith commonly held in the 
 Council as shall in time effectually relate them to this movement 
 for the organic union of the evangelical churches of America. 
 
 Fourth. We recommend that the attention of the constituent 
 churches be called to the fact that the assent called by Article VI. 
 of the Plan should be secured in conformity with the constitution 
 of each constituent church. 
 
 16 
 
CONSTITUTION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNITED CHURCH OF AMERICA 
 
 [Presented by Dr. Hubert C. Herring, Secretary. | 
 
 Article I. Name. 
 
 The name of this body shall be the United Church of America. 
 Article H. Membership. 
 
 It shall consist of all denominations and local churches who 
 accept this Constitution and are admitted to membership by the 
 National Conference of the United Church. 
 
 Article HI. Faith. 
 
 The United Church recognizes in the historic creeds of the 
 evangelical communions varying expressions of their common 
 Christian faith. It shares their belief in God the Father, Infinite 
 in wisdom, goodness and love ; and in Jesus Christ, his Son. our 
 Lord and Saviour, who for us and our salvation lived and died 
 and rose again and liveth evermore ; in the Holy Spirit, who 
 taketh of the things of Christ and revealeth them to us, renewing, 
 comforting, and inspiring the souls of men ; in the Holy Scrip- 
 tures by which the will of God is revealed ; in the Church, the 
 living body of Christ ; and in life eternal beyond the grave. It 
 accords its members both as groups and as individuals in all lesser 
 matters to that broad liberty wherewith Christ has set us free. 
 
 Article IV. The Local Church. 
 
 Each local church belonging to the United Church will have 
 authority over the following matters : — 
 
 (a) The control of property held by it. See («) below. 
 
 (fc) The terms of admission of members on confession of 
 faith. 
 
 (c) The times and modes of administering the Sacraments, 
 save as limited by (j) and (k) below. 
 
 17 
 
[d) The initiative in the settling or dismissal of a pastor. 
 See Article V (e) below. 
 
 (c) The forms of worship used. 
 
 if) The discipline of members save as limited by V (/) 
 below'. 
 
 {g) The causes to which it shall contribute and the amounts 
 to be given for the same. 
 
 In the interest of fraternity, order and union of effort, each 
 church becoming a member of the United Church agrees to the 
 following; — 
 
 (//) It will receive into its membership, without other con- 
 dition, any person bearing a certificate of dismission 
 from any church of the United Church. 
 
 (;) It wfill maintain the stated observance of the sacraments 
 of baptism and the Lord’s Supper in the use of the 
 words and acts prescribed in the New Testament. 
 
 (/) It will make careful and fraternal provision for admin- 
 istering baptism by immersion to those who desire 
 that form. 
 
 { k) It will make provision for administration of infant bap- 
 tism either statedly or (if baptism of adults only be 
 its regular mode) at the request of parents, a neigh- 
 boring pastor being asked to officiate if needful. 
 
 (l) It will recognize the authority of the District Council in 
 
 whose territory it is located on the matters and within 
 the limits described below. 
 
 (m) It will participate through statedly chosen delegates in the 
 
 meetings of its District Council. 
 
 (7;) It will make definite legal provision for the reversion of 
 its property to the Synod of its State, if it shall cease 
 to exist as a church and for a decision by a Board 
 of Appraisers (see below) as to the respective equities 
 of itself and the United Church in its property in case 
 it w'ithdraw's from the United Church. 
 
 18 
 
Article V. The District Council. 
 
 Local churches belonging to the United Church shall be 
 grouped geographically into District Councils of such size as shall 
 appear expedient. Each church shall be represented in the Coun- 
 cil by its pastor and one delegate, with an additional delegate for 
 each 100 members or major fraction thereof. 
 
 The powers and duties of the District Council shall he as 
 follows : — 
 
 (a) To pass upon applications for ordination to the ministry 
 
 and to ordain the candidates accepted. 
 
 (b) To pass upon applications for acceptance made by min- 
 
 isters of other communions and, in case of those 
 received, to require reordination if deemed desirable. 
 All ministers received under this section or under (a) 
 above become ministers of the United Church, their 
 membership being thenceforth not in a local church, 
 but in a District Council, by which they may be trans- 
 ferred to other Councils. In the case of communions 
 initially joining to form the United Church in case of 
 any communion thereafter accepted as a body, all 
 ministers become ipso facto ministers of the United 
 Church. 
 
 (c) To have oversight of the ministers enrolled in it§ mem- 
 
 bership with power of discipline or expulsion under 
 conditions prescribed by the National Conference. 
 
 (d) To have oversight of the churches enrolled in its mem- 
 
 bership calling their attention to any failure to meet 
 obligations assumed under this constitution and with 
 power to terminate the membership of any church 
 persistently refusing to meet those obligations. 
 
 (e) To receive from the churches within its bounds nomina- 
 
 tions to vacant pulpits and to pass upon the same. 
 Approval of such nomination shall be requisite for 
 the establishment of the pastoral relation whether in 
 the form of temporary supply or of installation. The 
 19 
 
National Conference shall present the details under 
 which this relationship shall be conducted. 
 
 (/) To hear and pass upon appeals from decisions of local 
 churches. 
 
 (g) To collect from each church in its membership an annual 
 
 sum not exceeding 25 cents per member, the same to 
 be known as “Council Dues.” With the amount thus 
 collected the Council shall meet its own expenses and 
 its share of the administrative expenses of the State 
 Synod and the National Conference. 
 
 (h) To serve the churches in its membership on all the lines 
 
 of practical church life as opportunity may offer. 
 
 (f) To share in the general life and work of the United 
 Church under plans adopted by the National Con- 
 ference. 
 
 (j) To conform in its organization, times of meeting and 
 procedure to the general plan prescribed by the 
 National Conference. 
 
 Article VI. The State Synod. 
 
 • 
 
 The churches in each state (contiguous states being grouped 
 or single states being divided if circumstances suggest) shall 
 form a State Synod. It shall consist of five delegates from each 
 District Council and five additional delegates for each 25 churches 
 or major fraction thereof in such Council. Its duties shall be 
 as follows: — 
 
 (a) To have charge of such missionary work within its 
 bounds as may be assigned it under the general plan 
 adopted by the National Conference. This duty in- 
 cludes the educational and Sunday school field as well 
 as the church field. 
 
 (t>) To have charge of the promotion of beneficence within 
 its bounds. 
 
 (c) To support the Bishop or Bishops chosen by it in the 
 
 prosecution of his or their duties. 
 
 (d) To form a legal incorporation to receive, hold and admin- 
 
 20 
 
ister property given or bequeathed, also church prop- 
 erties reverting under Article IV (n) above. 
 
 (c) To make provision under general plans adopted by the 
 National Conference for appraisal and division of 
 church properties under Article IV (n) above. 
 
 (/) To promote relations of fellowship and to give inspira- 
 tional leadership among the churches composing it. 
 (g) To hear and pass upon appeals from decisions of District 
 Councils, such appeals being limited to questions on 
 which the Council has original jurisdiction. 
 
 Article VII. The National Conference. 
 
 The central authority in the United Church shall be vested 
 in the National Conference. It shall meet annually and shall 
 be composed of two delegates chosen by each Synod, with two 
 additional for such number of churches in each Synod as shall 
 make the Conference membership not less than 5(D0 nor more 
 than 1000 at any time. 
 
 The duties and powers of the National Conference shall be 
 as follows : — 
 
 (a) To receive and pass upon applications for membership 
 
 in the United Church, whether by local churches or 
 denominational bodies. Assignment of churches thus 
 received to District Councils shall be made by the 
 Conference or delegated by it to the Synod. 
 
 (b) To organize, control and conduct all missionary opera- 
 
 tions of the United Church. In the discharge of this 
 duty it will assign such functions and authority to 
 Synods and Councils as it deems expedient. 
 
 (c) To maintain and direct such Commissions, Committees 
 
 or officials in the fields of evangelism, social service, 
 etc., as may seem needful to give due leadership to the 
 thought and work of the churches. It may require the 
 appointment of corresponding cooperating committees 
 in Synods and Councils. 
 
 (d) To maintain a national office for collection and dissem- 
 
 21 
 
ination of statistical and other information and for 
 rendering assistance to committees of the Conference 
 not having other executive service at their disposal. 
 
 (e) To represent the United Church in relations with other 
 religious bodies and with the civil authorities where 
 needful. 
 
 (/) To make regulations for the orderly and uniform opera- 
 tion of the provisions of this Constitution as related 
 to Synods and Councils. 
 
 (g) To provide for all matters of common concern not reserved 
 by this Constitution to Synods, Councils or local 
 churches. 
 
 {Ii) To allocate to the Councils the raising of such annual 
 sums as are required for the maintenance of its 
 national office, payment of expenses of delegates to its 
 meetings, etc. 
 
 (t) To hear and pass upon appeals from Synods, such appeals 
 being limited to matters in which the Synod has orig- 
 inal jurisdiction. 
 
 (;) To provide for such officials of oversight in the Synods 
 as may prove expedient. 
 
 Article VIII. Amendments. 
 
 This Constitution may be amended by a majority vote of two 
 General Conferences, provided that in the intervening period the 
 proposed amendment receives the approval of two-thirds of the 
 District Councils. 
 
 REVISION OF THE CONSTITUTION WRITTEN BY 
 DR. HERRING 
 
 [Prepared and Offered by Dr. Peach.] 
 
 [Note. — At the June meeting of the Ad Interim Committee 
 1 stated, in effect, that the Constitution drawn up by Dr. Herring 
 substantially expressed, in detail, what my Constitutional Plan 
 
 22 
 
proposed in broad outline ; and that, with some revision thereof, 
 I should hope, in due time, to be permitted to advocate considera- 
 tion of his proposed Constitution, rather than my own plan. My 
 suggested revision is here submitted, after having been read by 
 Dr. Herring, who wrote that my emendations appealed to him 
 almost without exception. May it here be well’ noted that 
 this Constitution is equally adaptable for consolidations of groups 
 of constituent bodies of “The United Churches of Christ in 
 America” after the federal union so named shall have been 
 achieved, as steps toward the complete organic union for the 
 use of which it was designed. — R. W. P.] 
 
 THE REVISIONS. 
 
 Title (and elsewhere throughout), after “Church of” add 
 Christ in. 
 
 Art. II, line 1, for “who” substitute which. 
 
 Art. Ill, line 1, after “Church” insert of Christ, not adopting 
 any symbol or creed ; line 3, for “shares their” substitute avows 
 their common; line 5, after “us and” insert for; line 10, after 
 “Christ” insert in the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Sup- 
 per, instituted by Christ and committed by Him to the Church; 
 line 12, omit “to.” 
 
 Art. IV, transpose (c) and (/) ; in (d) put “See . . . below” 
 within brackets; combine (;) and (k), conjoined by and, striking 
 out of the former “careful and fraternal” and of the latter “It 
 will make provision;” and after “parents” insert in either case; 
 re-letter the succeeding sections; in the present (/) for “de- 
 scribed” substitute prescribed ; in (n) for “a decision” substitute 
 an adjudication. 
 
 Art. V, line 4, after “one” insert lay; after “additional” insert 
 lay; re-letter this section as (b), and the succeeding sections in 
 order; insert as new section (a) : To approve or reject the appli- 
 cation for membership of newly organised congregations, or of 
 consolidations of two or more neighboring congregations, taking 
 the name “The United Church of Chrisf’ in addition to some 
 specific chosen designation; in the present (b), line 1, for “ac- 
 
 23 
 
captance” substitute enrollment , and strike out line 2 beginning 
 with “and” and all of line 3 ; in line 4, after “All ministers” insert 
 ordained under [the former] (c) or, and strike out “or under 
 (a);” line 8, insert District before “Councils;” line 9, . after 
 “Church” insert likewise; change period at end of this section 
 to comma and add with authority to administer the sacraments 
 and perform all other recognised offices of the ministry. In the 
 present {e) of Art. V, line 6, for “present” substitute prescribe; 
 line 7, for “conducted” substitute constimmated ; in the present 
 ill), line 2, for “life” substitute work. 
 
 Art VI, line 2, for “circumstances suggest” substitute condi- 
 tions make advisable; line 3, omit “five” and after “delegates” 
 insert two ministers and two laymen; line 4, strike out “five” and 
 after “delegates” insert {two ministers and two laymen) ; in (c) 
 of Art. VI, for “Bishop or Bishops” substitute bishop or bishops, 
 or, superintendent or superintendents; and in {g), line 3, for 
 “Council has” substitute said Councils have. 
 
 Art. VII, line 3, after “delegates” insert one minister and one 
 laxman; line 4, after “additional” insert {one minister and one 
 layman). In (a) of Art. VII, line 2, strike out “whether” and 
 “local churches or ;” line 3, strike out sentence beginning “Assign- 
 ment ;” in (;), for “in” substitute of. 
 
 'I'he proponent of these changes begs to add that, in his judg- 
 ment, the Constitution drawn up by Dr. Herring and not thus far 
 given the benefit of his own revision is, even in its first state, 
 admirably complete, detailed, and thoroughly coordinated. When 
 it shall have received the emendations of its author and others, 
 with the inclusion possibly of some of the foregoing, it may prove 
 an acceptable basis of complete organic union in the day — may 
 it be not far off — of happy consummation. It illustrates the 
 thesis of St. Augustine ; “In essentials, unity ; in non-essentials, 
 liberty ; in all things, charity.” It posits a unity not of Order but 
 of Organization ; not of faith in every detail of doctrine, but of 
 faith in its fundamental articles; the unity toward which we be- 
 lieve the Spirit of God is leading us. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 Robert Westly Pe.\ch. 
 
 24 
 
VI. 
 
 ORGANIC UNION OF EVANGELICAL CHURCHES IN 
 THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
 
 [Submitted by Dr. Peach.] 
 
 I. The Need. — The competitions and rivalries of the evan- 
 gelical denominations in our country have resulted in astounding 
 waste and inefficiency. 
 
 Illustration: In 1906 (the 1916 census omitted this item) 
 eighty-six per cent, of the Protestant congregations reported 
 church sittings for 53,000,000 people. Doubtless many reports 
 were over-estimated. Possibly an actual count of sittings would 
 have given no more than 53,000,000 for one hundred per cent, 
 of the churches. Even so, if not a single church had been built 
 in the last thirteen years, those standing in 1906 would accommo- 
 date at a single service every Protestant communicant of the year 
 1919 and every Roman Catholic in our country, baptized infants 
 included, and besides, every man, woman and child in Canada, 
 Cuba and Porto Rico ; and, as many membership rolls, also, 
 unrevised are too large, there would still be much room to spare. 
 
 These eighty-six per cent, of our churches reported over three 
 sittings for every communicant. At the same time, the Roman 
 Catholic churches reporting had one sitting for every two and 
 one-fourth members — a ratio of nearly seven to one in our dis- 
 favor. The Roman churches are crowded, ours, on an average, 
 less than one-quarter filled — for it is the exceptional church 
 which, at its principal Sunday service, has an attendance 
 equalling eighty per cent, of its communicant roll. 
 
 This is because our denominational attachments and rivalries 
 have caused us to build perhaps over 100,000 superfluous 
 churches, at a cost of far over $500,000,000. Their upkeep and 
 the salaries incident to maintaining services make necessary the 
 raising annually of millions of wasted dollars ; make necessary, 
 moreover, gruelling efforts to raise this money. Inevitably there 
 has arisen The Great Protestant Order of Mendicant Pastors and 
 Sisters, unincorporated. Inevitably also has followed a wide- 
 spread defection of church members, wearv of continual solicita- 
 
 25 
 
tion to give outright and to buy tickets for suppers, entertain- 
 ments, bazaars, etc. Not the giving has repelled, in most instances 
 — for the American people are generous — but the needless calls 
 for uneconomic giving. Upon members who remain steadfast 
 have fallen the heavier burdens. This defection also is mainly 
 responsible for increasing the two out of three empty pews caused 
 by over-churching to three out of four. Let not the pastors and 
 members of exceptional congregations blindly question the general 
 validity of these estimates. 
 
 Withal, we have thousands of settled communities without 
 a single church. In Ohio, for example, the recent Methodist 
 Episcopal survey has discovered scores of townships, six miles 
 square, without a single resident minister. To wicked waste we 
 add woeful inefficiency. 
 
 In our division, our people are groaning under the burdens 
 caused thereby, and under the reproach of incompetency, not 
 only, but the unchurched masses ignore our weakened testimony 
 and reject our appeal ; our problems are multiplied, our fellow- 
 ship is marred, our Lord is dishonored. These are the conditions 
 organic unity is set to cure. 
 
 II. The Plan. — Ideal unity as to form and spirit, no matter 
 whose ideal is advanced, is unattainable. What plan, less than 
 ideal, can carry? 
 
 First, not any plan of conformity. 
 
 Seven years ago your essayist proposed to the Twentieth 
 General Council of the Reformed Episcopal Church the appoint- 
 ment of a Commission on Church Union charged to confer with 
 other commissions or committees on the proposition that “The 
 doctrine, polity, and order of worship of the Reformed Episcopal 
 Church afford in our judgment practical basis of such union.” 
 He was made and remains chairman of the commission. The 
 warrant for that proposition was strong. Upon our revision of 
 Thirty-nine Articles Calvinists and Arminians stand together 
 without discomfort ; our bishops of the Historic Episcopate and 
 other presbyters annually on the Thursday before Easter and 
 often beside upon occasion invite non-Episcopal ministers to assist 
 them in administering the Holy Communion ; we receive ministers 
 
 26 
 
without re-ordination, communicants without confirmation, upon 
 credentials, from other evangelical denominations; we use the 
 historic Anglican liturgy, evangelically revised by Bishop White 
 in 1785 and by us in 1874 and since, and exercise our freedom 
 to add to it extemporaneous prayer at any service. Nevertheless, 
 as I now see, our canon law would have to be amended, else we 
 sliould needs require an impossible conformity to the use of our 
 Prayer Book at least “invariably on the morning of the Lord’s 
 Day.” Non-liturgical churches would reject this, and we with 
 them would reject the use of the Prayer Book as revised in 1789 
 and since by the Protestant Episcopal Church. Liturgical con- 
 formity is excluded. 
 
 Conformity in ordination as a pre-requisite of union is impos- 
 sible. Not a single evangelical church in America, for example, 
 could be presuaded to accept from the Protestant Episcopal 
 Church the laying of the hands of its bishops upon the heads of 
 all ministers, whether this were called ordination (on the theory 
 that non-Episcopal ordination is really no ordination), or hypo- 
 thetical ordination (on the admission that non-Episcopal ordina- 
 tion may not have been valid, or re-ordination, extra-ordination, 
 super-ordination (call it what you may — for the sake of order 
 and conformity). 
 
 Again, conformity in baptism as a pre-requisite of union is 
 impossible; immersion of all communicants who had been bap- 
 tized in other forms, by the ministers of the Baptist churches or 
 those of the Disciples of Christ, for illustration. Impossible also 
 of acceptance, for one more out of many cases, would be con- 
 formity to the exclusive use of versifications of the Psalms in the 
 service of praise, according to the manner of the United Presby- 
 terian and some other Churches. 
 
 All these modes may not exclude or be excluded by other 
 modes in the United Church. Conformity is now and ever will 
 remain an insuperable obstacle to union. 
 
 Second, not any plan of Federal Union. 
 
 [N. B. — The writer became convinced by the discussions in 
 the early meetings of the Ad Interim Committee that a federal 
 plan was the only first step possible of adoption; and now (Octo- 
 
 27 
 
ber, 1919) believes that the plan wrought out by the committee, 
 while it cannot nullify all of the following objections, promises, 
 when adopted, to achieve no slight degree of actual union.] 
 
 The question must be changed, for admittedly some such plan 
 may carry. Would it result in much more than union in name? 
 Could it cure the diseases with which we are afflicted? Would 
 it be organic? It could not be after the pattern of the political 
 union of States in our Country, because, unlike the States, our 
 denominational bodies occupy common territory. In any federal 
 plan this condition will remain, denominational names anc 
 autonomy will be preserved, conflicting interests will continue in 
 force — and these it is our chief concern to abolish. 
 
 Cnder any federal plan the organization of new congregations 
 where they were not needed could not always be prevented ; there 
 would often be friction, sometimes mutiny. Old congregations 
 would go on in their separate ways, no two neighboring parishes 
 being able to unite without the reproach of desertion of its denom- 
 ination being laid upon one of them. Still we should have the 
 hundred thousand superfluous churches ; still the old waste, the 
 old inefficiency, the old groaning under needless burdens, the old 
 scorn of the unchurched for the Church, all only slightly remedied. 
 
 Third, the plan of organic unity. 
 
 This, in the judgment of many, cannot carry; many others 
 believe that it can, in time. Of these latter I am one. No other 
 plan is supremely worth while, as the most if not all of the 
 evangelical Churches of America would come to agree if this 
 plan were adopted as the basis of agitation and action by the 
 forthcoming Conference, upon its submission thereto by the 
 Ad Interim Committee. 
 
 This plan would recognize that unity of the Spirit already 
 subsists in large degree; also, that great diversity is now found 
 within each of the denominations, as to doctrine, details of polity, 
 and modes of order in public worship. Not uniformity, there- 
 fore, but agreement in diversity, would be its basic principle. 
 
 Through the Ad Interim Committee, I beg to propose to tbe 
 Conference on Church Union “The Constitutional Plan for 
 
 28 
 
Organic Unity of Evangelical Churches.”* Under this plan — 
 the Conference on Church Union would propose to the supreme 
 councils of the Churches the appointment of delegates to a 
 Constitutional Convention, which, in turn, would draft, and 
 refer back to the said supreme councils, for amendment, if need 
 be, and adoption : 
 
 “The: Constitution of the United Church of Christ in 
 THE United States of America.” 
 
 The preamble to this Constitution would set forth the irre- 
 ducible minimum of fundamentals of the faith as held by us all. 
 It would be derived from our common beliefs as embodied in 
 acts of public worship : the exclusive use of the Holy Scriptures 
 of the Old and New Covenants for devotion and instruction ; 
 prayer to the one and only God our Father, in the Names of Jesus 
 Christ His Son, our Lord ; baptism of subjects into the Name of 
 the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; administration 
 of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper with His words, "This 
 do in remembrance of me;” preaching of salvation from sin and 
 guilt through the merits and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. It would 
 well be stated in the very words of Scripture. 
 
 The first article would establish the parity of the uniting 
 Churches as to their ministry and communicant membership at 
 the moment of union. If the ministerial standards of some 
 denominations were found too low for recognition on a parity 
 with others, such bodies could be excluded for a season, until 
 the disqualifications were removed. 
 
 Another article would secure a large measure of autonomy to 
 the individual congregation. In particular, free choice thereof 
 as to liturgical or non-liturgical worship ; as to the subjects of 
 baptism and reception into communion, and the modes of admin- 
 istering the two sacraments ; and as to the use in the service of 
 praise of Psalm-versions, or other hymns, or both, would be 
 guarded. 
 
 *The writer first set forth this proposal for a Constitutional Con- 
 vention on Organic Union in resolutions received by the Reformed 
 Episcopal General Council on May 18, 1918, as found on page 149 of 
 the Journal of the Twenty-second General Council. 
 
 29 
 
Another article would provide for ordinations after the 
 moment of union, setting forth the conditions, and safeguarding 
 the continuance of historic forms, either by combining, or by 
 authorizing two or more forms with freedom of choice. 
 
 In other articles the Constitution would reconstruct the com- 
 plex organizations of the Churches into an organic oneness ; 
 abolishing old denominational names, dissolving old conferences, 
 associations, synods, councils, conventions and assemblies ; bring- 
 ing their former members into new fellowships within compact 
 territorial limits ; grouping these into State organizations, and 
 these in turn into a national legislature and court. 
 
 By the Constitution a similar process of consolidation of edu- 
 cational institutions and publishing houses would be provided. 
 Likewise, on foreign fields, replacing a still defective comity, con- 
 solidation would be effected, to the effacing of competition and 
 overlapping, to the resolving of confusion on the part of converts, 
 and to the immediate gain of new power by the Gospel 
 proclamation. 
 
 III. Results. — Alike at home as abroad, beneficent results 
 would follow constitutional organic union. For examples : 
 
 In overchurched neighborhoods consolidation of congregations 
 would in many places almost automatically take place, the move- 
 ment quickly gathering momentum, once the reproach of denom- 
 inational desertion were taken away. The strength thus con- 
 served, the investments and giving power thus released, would 
 turn to supply the needs of unchurched places. 
 
 The minds and wills of leaders would be relieved from the 
 often irksome problems of denominational needs and a new vital 
 force thus set free for carrying on the great works of evangelism, 
 social service, and Christian statesmanship. 
 
 A power unknown to separate denominations would accrue 
 to the United Church of Christ, which would make for the over- 
 throw of entrenched evil and the exalting of righteousness in 
 the nation. 
 
 A new loyalty would come to birth, higher than denomina- 
 tional loyalty, with worthier, less selfish incentives, broader, more 
 
 30 
 
holy. Who would not rather belong to the United Church of 
 Christ than to his present honored fragment of the Church? 
 
 Are there lions in the way, and shall they make us falter? 
 
 Happily, our several Churches have not at their heads popes, 
 kings and presidents, jealous of sovereignty, but one Father in 
 heaven, one King of kings, enthroned on high, one presiding 
 Spirit — one sovereign God. 
 
 May He, in His Mercy, grant us wisdom, patience, perse- 
 verance, faith, and devotion, to work out the plans of organic 
 union of those bodies of believers which acclaim Him as their 
 only Head, to the glor\- of His ever-blessed Name. 
 
 Yours fraternally, 
 
 Robert Westly Peach, 
 Representing the Reformed Episcopal Church. 
 
 Newark, New Jersey, March 6, 1919. 
 
 VII. 
 
 [Submitted by Dr. Black.] 
 
 RESOLUTION AND PLAN OF 
 CHURCH UNION 
 
 Marshall, Mo., February 25, 1919. 
 To The Committee ox Plax: 
 
 I venture to submit for your inspection, study, and such use 
 as you care to make of it : 
 
 1. A tentative Plan of Church Union, the result of consider- 
 able premeditation on my part and of conferences with various 
 brethren, especially in the West. 
 
 2. I have tried to frame my Plan on the basis of what is 
 familiar and approved by all denominations, /. e., the form of 
 Government of the United States of America. The less of the 
 unfamiliar there is in our plan, the less previous educational 
 work will be required in order to secure its adoption. 
 
 3. I have been impressed with the necessity of providing a 
 plan which would include the historic faiths of all types of 
 
 31 
 
Evangelical Churches ; Episcopal, Presbyterian and Independent. 
 I have been greatly impressed with the deliverance, last year, by 
 the Anglican Conference on the subject, and with the way by 
 which they proposed the preservation of the Episcopal function. 
 My scheme will provide for that in the constitutional definition 
 of the judicial department of the United Church, the more demo- 
 cratic functions being represented in the executive and legislative 
 powers, or departments. 
 
 4. My plan provides that there shall be a distinct difference 
 between the Plan on which we shall get together and the Consti- 
 tution by which the various churches shall be ultimately bound 
 together. The United Church, itself, in its first Congress should 
 frame the constitution and submit it to the various State church 
 legislatures for adoption. I think it is better that the plan should 
 simply be submitted as a bond of initiatory union, with a view 
 to the subsequent framing and adoption of a constitution, not 
 framed as a prerequisite but in all its details, by the constituent 
 churches in their national assemblies. 
 
 5. I prefer the terminology of the United States Government, 
 itself, because it is already familiar to all of us (/. e., Congress, 
 President, Governor, Legislature, etc.), in order to abbreviate 
 the necessities for explanation. 
 
 6. My plan I prefer to call “A Declaration of Church 
 Union,^'’ again following our National history. 
 
 7. There is no creed in my Plan, for the reasons stated in the 
 accompanying resolution, which I submit also for your consid- 
 eration. 
 
 8. I do not think that wisdom will die with me, but I do 
 think that the nearer )'our sub-committee has the views of the 
 Ad Interim Committee before it for consideration, the nearer 
 the committee will come to making an adequate consensus of 
 opinion ; hence, I submit my Plan to you rather than to bring 
 it up later. 
 
 9. Your committee has on it a most important task and will 
 need the sympathy and cooperation of us all ; hence, I am putting 
 in constructive form my suggestion. I am glad that this will be 
 
 32 
 
only one among many suggested plans which will be submitted 
 for your consideration. 
 
 10. The Resolution, which I think is very important, is as 
 follows : 
 
 A RESOLUTION. 
 
 In view of the fact that the fundamental doctrines of Christian 
 Faith have already been adequately expressed in the venerable 
 and revered Creeds now held by the Protestant Evangelical 
 Churches of the United States ; and, in view of the further fact 
 that some of these Churches do not believe it is wise to formulate 
 and impose upon office bearers such creedal statements however 
 orthodox they may be: and still further, in view of the fact that 
 Protestant Evangelical reunion can be effected only in an irenic 
 spirit without raising questions which have divided denomina- 
 tions in the past; and moreover, in view of the fact that all 
 recognize and teach that the Holy Scriptures are the inspired 
 Word of God and are the only infallible rule of Faith and Prac- 
 tice ; Therefore, the Ad Interim Committee recommends that it 
 is sufficient for the purposes of Reunion to declare our continued 
 adherence to the Fundamental Doctrines of Christian Belief with- 
 out attempting their restatement. 
 
 11. My Plan called “A Delaration oe Church Union” is 
 herewith submitted and is as follows: 
 
 A DECLARATION OF CHURCH UNION. 
 
 The Church. 
 
 When it becomes apparent in the course of Divine Providence, 
 as now, that in order to . fulfill the prayer of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ that His people may be one ; in order that the world, 
 recently torn and bleeding with the horrors of war, may feel the 
 sympathy and help of united Christianity ; in order that believers, 
 in the United States especially, may render undivided service to 
 those for whom Christ died ; in order that by union we may 
 hasten the coming of the day of a united Christendom ; in order 
 that we may conserve the spiritual and material resources of the 
 people of God ; in order that we may have a happier and more 
 efficient fellowship with our Christian brethren ; and moved 
 thereto by the Spirit of God who dwells within and amongst us : 
 we declare that all Evangelical Churches should be one, and 
 covenant in the Name of the Lord and depending upon Him for 
 grace and wisdom as follows : 
 
 33 
 
1. That we will accept the history and service of all Evan- 
 gelical Churches as parts of the history and service of the Church 
 of the Living God. 
 
 2. That we will recognize the ordination of all ministers or 
 clergy, in each and every denomination entering this union as 
 valid for the Church of Jesus Christ, both for preaching the 
 Gospel and administering the ordinances. 
 
 3. That we will give to the members in good standing in all 
 such Churches full credit for such baptism as they may have 
 received, regardless of mode, and will make no distinction as to 
 their rights at the table of the Holy Supper of our Lord. 
 
 4. That wherein we differ from our brethren on questions of 
 Faith and Order we will depend upon the ministry of teaching, 
 rather than on harsh judicial process, in order to effect like- 
 mindedness. 
 
 5. That all Protestant Evangelical Churches which officially, 
 or constitutionally, adopt this Declaration and give notice of the 
 same to a Commission hereafter to be designated, are members 
 of the United Church, which membership includes all organiza- 
 tions, congregations, institutions, ministers, officers, members, 
 administrative agencies connected with or under control of such 
 consenting Churches. 
 
 6. The Commission on Membership referred to in Item 5 
 shall be the members of the Ad Interim Committee, or their 
 successors. 
 
 7. The Ad Interim Committee, or their successors, shall act 
 as convener and as the Committee on Credentials of the National 
 Church Congress until said Congress is properly organized by the 
 election of Permanent officers. 
 
 I. 
 
 The Church so constituted of such consenting Protestant 
 Evangelical Denominations shall hold its first General Congress 
 at Washington, D. C., the first Wednesday in May, 1925. Said 
 General Congress shall be composed of at least two representa- 
 tives from each State and Territory of the United States of 
 .A.merica and one additional member for each one hundred thou- 
 sand adult members in each State or Territory, and said Church 
 Congress-members shall be at least twenty-five years of age and 
 shall have been members of one of the constituent denominations 
 at least five years prior to his nomination. Said Congress-mem- 
 bers shall be elected by the adult members in each State or Terri- 
 tory on the second Tuesday in October, 1924, from a group of 
 nominees who shall be nominated by a State Convention of adult 
 
 34 
 
members to be held at the State Capital the second Tuesday in 
 September, 1924, which nominating Convention may nominate 
 three candidates for each Church Congressional office to be filled ; 
 provided, however, the nominees are equably distributed among 
 the denominations of the State or Territory ; and provided also 
 that half the Congress-members shall be ministers. When said 
 Congress-members so elected shall meet at Washington, D. C., 
 the first Wednesday in May, 1925, the Congress shall be called to 
 order by the Chairman or Secretary of the Commission on Mem- 
 bership at 9:00 A. M., and he shall conduct a suitable service of 
 worship, including a sermon to be preached by some minister 
 previously chosen for the purpose. The said Chairman or Secre- 
 tary shall preside until the President of the Church Congress be 
 elected by ballot to serve a term of four years. 
 
 II. 
 
 After completing its organization by the election by ballot of 
 proper officers, committee on credentials, etc., it shall be the first 
 duty of the Church Congress to prepare a Name and Constitution 
 for the Church in the United States and submit the same to State 
 Church Legislatures for adoption. Said Name and Constitution 
 shall be binding upon the United Church in the United States 
 when two-thirds of the State Church Legislatures adopt the 
 same. 
 
 III. 
 
 The First State Church Legislatures shall meet on the first 
 Tuesday in October, 1925, and the members thereof shall be 
 nominated, elected and constituted on a plan to be provided by the 
 Church Congress at Washington, D. C., in May, 1925. 
 
 IV. 
 
 The National Church Congress shall define the Executive, 
 Legislative and Judicial functions of the Church and provide for 
 the proper inauguration of these Departments and for all National 
 Administrative Agencies. Provided, that the President of the 
 National Church Congress and the General Secretaries of the 
 National Administrative Agencies shall constitute the National 
 Church Cabinet, or Executive Committee. 
 
 V. 
 
 The National Church Congress shall have authority to take 
 up any business which in its judgment is proper, shall elect by 
 ballot the General Secretaries of the National Administrative 
 Agencies, and shall determine the sources and amount of the 
 per diem of its members. 
 
 35 
 
VI. 
 
 An Emergency Fund of Dollars, to cover initial 
 
 expenses shall be raised on the following plan ; 
 
 Dollars from each consenting denomination and in [addition 
 
 thereto Dollars for each one hundred thousand 
 
 members of each consenting denomination. Said Fund to be paid 
 to the Treasurer of the Ad Interim Committee and subject to 
 the use of the Ad Interim Committee until the National Church 
 Congress is constituted in May, 1925, when the balance shall 
 be paid into the Treasury of the National Church Congress for 
 its use. 
 
 Yours fraternally, 
 
 William Henry Black. 
 
 A STEP IN THE DIRECTION OF CHURCH UNION 
 
 Several premises present themselves to guide us in the solution 
 of the problem which is before us. 
 
 1. The prospect of persuading all or any of the churches to 
 surrender their individuality and merge into an organic Union, 
 by concerted action, is very remote. 
 
 2. Any attempt to establish a super-body with authority over 
 the various denominations seems to have little prospect of 
 success. 
 
 3. Any attempt at church union which threatens religious 
 liberty is not to be countenanced. 
 
 4. No union we may form can prevent the establishment 
 of new movements, if religious liberty is preserved. 
 
 5. We can go no faster in this matter than there is sympathy 
 with the project. 
 
 6. There is no need of applying the principle further than 
 there is particular call for it or opportunity to employ it. 
 
 7. The surest way to persuade the churches of the practica- 
 bility of union would be to give a practical demonstration of the 
 scheme. 
 
 8. It would be reasonable to build on foundations already 
 laid ; natural to take a step in advance in the direction in which 
 progress has already been made. 
 
 36 
 
9. If union could begin in a small way and prove its worth, 
 it would naturally extend its area of control until it might 
 become well-nigh all inclusive. But it must come gradually. It 
 must be a growth. 
 
 10. The loudest call for union seems to come from over- 
 churched communities, and their needs should be met. 
 
 If these premises are correct, it would seem that a conclusion 
 something like this would follow : 
 
 An effort should be made, either by application to the indi- 
 vidual bodies comprising the Federal Council of Churches or by 
 the formal action of a delegated convention. Synod or Assembly, 
 representing all the churches, to secure common consent for the 
 Federal Council to found Federal Churches, especially in new 
 sections and in old sections where churches are willing tO‘ consoli- 
 date. From such a beginning the step would be quite logical to 
 a study of the field in general and in detail to the establishment 
 of parishes or spheres of influence, to the adoption of strategical 
 plans for the whole battle. It might even be possible that entire 
 denominations would identify themselves with the Federal Church 
 and thus the movement might grow, if worthy of success and 
 energetically pushed. Meanwhile, there would be no compulsion, 
 and denominations would be at liberty to preserve their individu- 
 ality until they were ready to come in. If the movement proved 
 impracticable, little damage would be done by the experiment. 
 
 A Commission of the Federal Council, composed of repre- 
 sentatives of all co-operating bodies, would be charged with the 
 duty of carr}-ing on a propaganda for the “Federal Church,” 
 and with the duty of selecting and ordaining, jointly, a ministry 
 for the Federal Churches. The idea would be to have a ministr\- 
 which would be recognized by all co-operating bodies, so that 
 the Federal Churches might be recognized as the joint enterprise 
 of all these bodies, and not as a separate or rival denomination. 
 If the movement grew, it would follow that State and County 
 Commissions would also, in time, be established. 
 
 In such a Federal Church the common denominator would 
 have to be accepted for the common denomination, but, after 
 that, questions of faith would have to be left to the individual 
 
 37 
 
conscience, and questions of order would have to be left, in large 
 measure, to the individual congregation or individual Society 
 within the “Federal Church.” The democratic principle would 
 have to prevail. Perhaps an entirely new cultus would develop. 
 
 Fraternally, 
 
 John S. Romig. 
 
 SUGGESTED CONTRIBUTION TO THE PLAN FOR 
 ORGANIC UNION 
 
 Alfred G. Garrett. 
 
 At the outset of this movement for Organic Union it was the 
 hope of many that it would be a deeper, more spiritual, union 
 than sortie others — one in which, as it was roughly put, we should 
 unite not only in work, but in worship, and find fellowship in 
 faith as well as works, while at the same time preserving unim- 
 paired the individuality of each constituent denomination. The 
 proposals were not only to form a Council but to effect closer 
 relations between the denominations under the Council (1) by 
 more interchange of membership, (2) by more interchange of 
 ministry and (3) by closer fellowship in worship, and, “wherever 
 possible, intercommunion.” But when the subject of member- 
 ship was approached, we met “divisive” considerations regarding 
 forms of baptism, and when ministry was considered, “divisive” 
 difficulties regarding ordination ; and if intercommunion were 
 taken up, we should obviously meet with similar difficulties. And 
 yet ought we to drop those subjects so soon because of the 
 difficulties ? 
 
 We may observe that beneath the divisive differences lie cer- 
 tain great spiritual realities that are common to us all : — Thus 
 beneath the baptism with water, there is the baptism of the Holy 
 Ghost and of fire ; back of the communion of bread and wine, 
 lies the communion of the body and blood of Christ ; deeper than 
 all ordination by imposition of hands, there is what the poet calls 
 “the mighty ordination of the pierced hands ;” for it is what 
 Christ himself — the living Head of the Church — does to a man 
 that really matters. The deeper spiritual realities which in each of 
 
 38 
 
these three subjects lie beneath the divisive forms — are we not all 
 one in regard to them? Does not our deepest religious life lie in 
 them? Are they not therefore the proper sphere of our union? 
 Accordingly can we not find some way of expressing the deeper 
 realities as the real medium that binds us together? 
 
 Simply as a starting point for practical application of this 
 principle, take the matter of membership — the interchange of 
 members. We need an interchangeable membership so simple, 
 so grounded in the deeper realities, so centered in Christ, as to 
 be free from divisive differences, and to form a general interde- 
 nominational medium of union. This would seem the most 
 fundamental, and the most inclusive, visible manifestation of our 
 inner unity as Christians. 
 
 Some of the facts that lead one to think there is hope in this 
 direction are these: There have been numerous instances where 
 members of one denomination have been received by letter into 
 other churches without any questioning or going back of the 
 terms or forms by which they were first admitted. Thus many 
 Baptist Churches are acknowledging an ‘‘Open Membership ” — 
 that is, a membership of those coming by letter from other denom- 
 inations who have not necessarily been immersed ; and these 
 people, if they move away again, though not given a letter by the 
 Baptist Church, are given their original letter again, to carry 
 with them as their recommendation. Again, in some bodies — 
 e. g., parts of the Society of Friends there is an “Associate Mem- 
 bership,” into which may be received by letter from other denom- 
 inations persons who are not fully convinced of the tenets of the 
 Friends. And, conversely, members of the Friends are frequently 
 received by letter into membership of other churches without bap- 
 tism, and retained without partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Such 
 facts as these suggest that we are nearly ready for a freer inter- 
 change of letters or recommendations, and on terms of Christian 
 faith simpler than those of the individual churches concerned. 
 It suggests preparation for The United Church of Christ in 
 America, and a universal membership in that church which 
 should nevertheless leave the constituent denominations and their 
 membership tests undisturbed. The members of this Lmited 
 Church who might not yet have become affiliated to any regular 
 
 39 
 
denomination would naturally belong to these several existent 
 churches, by enrollment in their “Associate Membership, or 
 “Open Membership” or some form of preliminary, probationary 
 or unconfirmed membership; from which they might in time 
 proceed to full membership by confirmation in the full tenets of 
 the denomination of their choice if desired. They would mean- 
 while partake of fellowship in worship and pastoral care, in social 
 opportunity and common Christian work, without being required 
 at first to subscribe to denominational peculiarities, or submit to 
 all the special ceremonial forms of the church they thus join, 
 until ready so to do. 
 
 One may cherish the hope that thousands of persons now 
 estranged from organized Christianity by its divisions would join 
 in the simple membership of the United Church, even though they 
 proceeded no farther ; and that in time this membership would be 
 regarded as the greater thing, as Paul’s Roman citizenship was 
 greater than his citizenship in Tarsus, and so would be more 
 and more sought after, and more and more claim the faith of the 
 unbelieving world. In no way, it may be, would the great aspira- 
 tion of our Master be more practically approached, “that they 
 all may be one, that the world may believe that thou didst send 
 me.” 
 
 The test for this general membership, as suggested above, 
 should be exceedingly simple and central, so as to be as clear as 
 possible of all the divisive differences that now separate us. This 
 should resemble the test indicated by our Lord himself at the 
 time he first mentioned his church, (“And he asked them, but 
 who say ye that I am? Peter answereth and saith unto him. 
 Thou art the Christ — Mark 8: 29 — And Jesus answered and 
 said unto him. Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona ; for flesh and 
 blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in 
 heaven. And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon 
 this rock I will build my church” — Matt. 16, 17 and 18) — viz.: 
 what Edersheim describes as “a heaven-taught faith and confes- 
 sion” of him as the Christ. 
 
 Is not such a simple membership the really vital one even 
 today? One meets with many people who pass readily from one 
 
 40 
 
denomination to another, deprecating, as rather narrow, the spe- 
 cial peculiarities which they accept in each, but nevertheless con- 
 vinced of vital fundamental Christianity. Their real conviction 
 does not cover the divisive things, and they would be very willing 
 to be rid of them. 
 
 If such denominations as the Episcopal and Lutheran could 
 accept persons who belong to this general membership on similar 
 footing to their candidates for confirmation, or enroll them 
 officially as Associates, would it not go far as a step to union? 
 
 Resolved : That the foregoing paper be printed in the Blue 
 Book, to the end that the Council may consider whether provision 
 in the Plan should be made for freer interchange of membership 
 and for individual membership in “The United Churches of 
 Christ in America.” 
 
 41 
 
(Subject to Change) 
 
 DELEGATES 
 
 ARMENIAN 
 
 Kalaydjian, Rev. M. T., New York City, 289 Fourth Ave. 
 
 Yardumian, Rev. Haig Y., Philadelphia, Pa., 213 S. Broad St. 
 
 THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH 
 
 Coffin, Rev. F. G., Albany, Mo. 
 
 Eldredge, Hermon, Erie, Pa. 
 
 Harper, Pres. W. A., Elon College, N. C. 
 
 Sargent, Rev. W. G., Providence, R. I. 
 
 CHRISTIAN UNION OF U. S. 
 
 Gordon, O. E-, Rays Crossing, Indiana. 
 
 Payne, Rev. C. T., Craigville, Indiana. 
 
 Taggert, W. H., Waukomis, Oklahoma. 
 
 Thomas, Rev. A. C., Milo, Iowa. 
 
 CONGREGATIONAL 
 
 Anderson, Prof. Louis F., Walla Walla, Wash. 
 
 Atkins, Rev. G. G., D.D., Detroit, Mich. — First Congregational Church. 
 Clark, Prof. C. M., D.D., Bangor, Maine. 
 
 Davis, Pres. Ozora S., D.D., Chicago, 111., 5757 University Ave. 
 
 Davis, W. B., Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 Herring, Rev. H. C., D.D., New York, N. Y., 289 4th Ave. 
 
 Holmes, Rev. John A., D.D., Lincoln, Neb. 
 
 Huget, Rev. J. Percival, D.D., Brooklyn, N. Y. 
 
 Jepson, Paul, Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 King, Pres. Henry Churchill, D.D., Oberlin, Ohio. 
 
 Nash, Pres. Chas. S., D.D., Berkeley, Cal. 
 
 O’Brien, Rev. J. P., D.D., Talladega, Ala. 
 
 Sanders, Rev. Frank K., D.D., New York City, 25 Madison Ave. 
 Walker, Prof. Williston, Ph.D., New Haven, Conn. 
 
 Werner, Mr. Lucien C., LL.D., New York City, 52 Vanderbilt Ave. 
 Whittemore, Harris, Naugatuck, Conn. 
 
 ' DISCIPLES 
 
 Ainslie, Rev. Peter, Baltimore, Md. 
 
 Abbott, Rev. B. A., St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Armstrong, Rev. H. C., Baltimore, Md. 
 
 Bagby, Rev. E. B., Washington, D. C. 
 
 Burnham, Rev. F. W., Cincinnati, Ohio, Carew Building. 
 
 Campbell, Rev. Geo. A., St. Louis, Mo., Union Ave. Christian Church. 
 Cary, T. Archibald, Richmond, Va. 
 
 Chenoweth, Rev. T. S., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Chilton, Rev. C. M., St. Joseph, Mo. 
 
 Goldner, Rev. J. H., Cleveland, Ohio, Euclid Ave., Christian Church. 
 Idleman, Rev. Finis S., New York, Disciples of Christ, Central Church. 
 Jones, Rev. Edgar Dewitt, Bloomington, 111. 
 
 Kershner, Prof. F. D., Butler College, Irvington, Ind. 
 
 Linville, Rev. B. H., Baltimore, Md., Harlem Ave. Christian Church. 
 Lumpkin, Dr. J. C., Baltimore, Md., Maryland General Hospital. 
 Maclachlan, Rev. H. D. C., Richmond, Va. 
 
 Melton, Rev. B. H., Baltimore, Md. 
 
 42 
 
Miller, Rev. Geo. A., Washington, t). C. 
 
 Miller, Rev. R. H., Kansas City, Mo. 
 
 Montgomery, Dr. E. E-, Philadelphia, Pa., 1426 Spruce St. 
 
 Morrison, Rev. C. C., Chicago, 111., 700 E. 40th St. 
 
 Medbury, Rev. Charles S., Des Moines, Iowa. 
 
 Philputt, Rev. A. B., Indianapolis, Ind. 
 
 Rothenburger, Rev. F. W., Springfield, 111. 
 
 Stauffer, Prof. Vernon, Hiram, Ohio, Hiram College. 
 
 Sweeney, Rev. Z. T., Columbus, Indiana. 
 
 Teachout, A. R., Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 Willett, Prof. Herbert L., Chicago, 111., University of Chicago. 
 
 Winter, Rev. T. E., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 EVANGELICAL SYNOD OF N. A. 
 
 Baltzer, Rev. J., D.D., St. Louis, Mo., 6328 Emma St. 
 
 Haas, Rev. F. E. C., Amsterdam, N. Y., 20 Liberty St. 
 
 Schneider, Rev. J. U., Ph.D., Evansville, Ind., 116 Lower 6th 3t. 
 
 FRIENDS 
 
 Five Years’ Meeting of the Society of Friends 
 
 Grant, Elisha, Dr., Haverford, Pa. . 
 
 Jones, Rufus M., Prof., Haverford College, Haverford, Pa. . 
 
 THE YEARLY MEETING OF THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY 
 OF FRIENDS 
 
 Bartlett, Jane W., Philadelphia, Pa., 234 N. 20th St. 
 
 Bartlett, J. Henry, Philadelphia, Pa., 234 N. 20th St. 
 
 Garrett, Alfred C., Logan P. O., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Ladd, Anna Rhoads, Bryn Mawr, Pa. 
 
 Rhoads, Edward G., Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Warner, George M., Germantown, Pa. 
 
 HOME MISSIONS COUNCIL 
 The Evangelical Denominations 
 
 Anthony, Rev. Alfred Williams, D.D., LL.D., N. Y. City, 156 5th Ave. 
 
 METHODIST (Primitive) 
 
 Davies, W. H., Philadelphia, Pa., 2609 W. Lehigh Ave. 
 
 Georges, Enoch, Pittsburgh, Pa., 5106 Carnegie Ave. 
 
 Hall, Rev. W. C., Shamokin, Pa. 
 
 Humphries, Rev. E., D.D., New Bedford, Mass. 
 
 Nicholls, Rev. S. L, Philadelphia, Pa., 2609 W. Lehigh Ave. 
 
 Paul, Rev. W. F., Plymouth, Pa. 
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 
 
 Alcock, John L-, Baltimore, Md. 
 
 Adamson, Dr. C. E., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Allen, Governor, Topeka, Kansas. 
 
 Arter, Frank A., Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 Bagnell, Dr. Robert, Harrisburg, Pa. 
 
 Berry, Bishop J. F., 1701 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Bickley, Dr. G. H., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Baldwin, Dr. F. C., East Orange, N. J. 
 
 Budd, Dr. H. G., Dover, Del. 
 
 Bovard, Dr. F. D., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Brown, E. L., Youngstown, Ohio. 
 
 43 
 
Bryar.t, Dr. G. R., Chicago, 111! 
 
 Brooks, Dr. W. H., New York Ciy, X. Y., 237 W. 53d St. 
 Bradshaw, James W., Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 Bradley, Thomas, Pasadena, Cal. 
 
 Burns, Charles Wesley, Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 Cooke, Bishop R. J., Helena, Mont. 
 
 Coman, Dr. F. H., Buffalo, N. Y. 
 
 Crowther, Dr. J. E., Seattle, Wash. 
 
 Clair, Dr. M. W., Washington, D. C. 
 
 Carroll, Dr. H. D., Plainfield, N. J. 
 
 Downey, Dr. D. G., New York City, N. Y., 150 5th Ave. 
 
 Day, Dr. J. R., Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse University. 
 
 Duncan, Dr. W. W., Brooklyn, N. Y., 268 Stuyvesant Place. 
 
 Dorion, Dr. E. C. E., Boston, Mass. “Zion’s Herald.” 
 
 Dulaney, Dr. H. S., Baltimore, Md. 
 
 Eckman, Dr. G. P., Scranton, Pa., Elm Park M. E. Church. 
 
 Forsyth, Dr. D. D., Philadelphia, Pa., 1701 Arch St. 
 
 Goodell, Dr. C. L., New York City, N. Y., 105 E. 22nd St. 
 
 Gray, Dr. J. M. M., Kansas City, Mo. 
 
 Hamilton, Bishop John W., Washington, D. C., American University. 
 Handley, Dr. John, Long Branch, N. J. 
 
 Henson, Dr. G. W., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Horne, Mr. Frank. N. Y. City, 161 Chambers St. 
 
 Heisse, Dr. J. F., Baltimore, Md. 
 
 Hubbard, Dr. C. L., Wilmington, Del. 
 
 Hiven, Dr. W. I., New York City, N. Y., Bible School. 
 
 Holm, Dr. Gladstone, Frankford, Phila., Pa. 
 
 Hickenburg, Dr. J. H., Reading, Pa. 
 
 Hughes, Bishop M. S., Portland, Ore., 406 E. 24th St. 
 
 Joy, Dr. J. R., New York City, N. Y., 150 5th Ave. 
 
 Jacobs, Dr. H. L., Williamsport, Pa. 
 
 Keeney, H. S., Troy, N. Y. 
 
 Kresge, S. S-, Detroit, Mich. 
 
 Kenney, Dr. F. T., Syracuse, N. Y. 
 
 Keen, Dr. S. A., Jacksonville, Fla. 
 
 Leete, Bishop F. D., Atlanta, Ga. 9 West 11th St. 
 
 Lucas, Dr. A. H., Atlantic City, N. J. 
 
 Lynch, Dr. Frank B., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 MacMullen, Dr. Wallace, New York City, N. Y., 150 5th Ave. 
 KcBrier, E. M., Montclair, N. J, 
 
 Mott, Dr. John R., Montclair, N. J. 
 
 .Mills, Dr. E. M., Syracuse, N. Y. 
 
 Xinde, Dr. E. S., Germantown, Phila., Pa. 
 
 Morth, Dr. Frank Mason, New York City, N. Y., 150 5th Ave. 
 
 Odell, Dr. W. P., Boston, Mass. 
 
 Pilling, W. S., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Penn, Dr. I. Garland, Cincinnati, Ohio, 420 Plum St. 
 
 Richardson, Dr. E. G., Brooklyn, N. Y., 92 Gates Ave. 
 
 Podgers, Judge Henry Wade, New Haven, Conn. 
 
 Rich, Paul, Wollrich, Pa. 
 
 Race, Dr. J. H., Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 Rice, Dr. M. S., Detroit, Mich. 
 
 Shanklin, Dr. W. A., Middletown, Conn., Wesleyan University. 
 5tuart, Dr. C. M., Evanston, 111. 
 
 ■iimpson. Justice Alexander, Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Stephenson, Dr. R. K., Milford, Del. 
 
 Saltzman, Gen., Washington, D. C. “War Dept.” 
 
 44 
 
Tipple, Dr. E. S., Madison, N. J., Drew Theo. Sem. 
 
 Thompson, Dr. John, Chicago, 111. 
 
 Townsend, Governor, Selbyville, Del. 
 
 Vogel, Dr. G. G., Newark, N. J., 285 Parker St. 
 
 Waldorf, Dr. E. L., Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 Wilson, Bishop L. B., New York City, N. Y. 
 
 Willman, Dr. L. K., Camden, N. J. 
 
 Watson, Dr. E. L., Baltimore, Md. Roland Park. 
 
 Woodcock, W. L., Altoona, Pa. 
 
 Wallace, Dr. John J., Pittsburgh, Pa. “Christian Advocate.” 
 
 White, Dr. G. W., San Francisco, Cal. 
 
 Wheeler, Harry A., Chicago, 111. 
 
 Wilson, Dr. Byron H., Los Angeles, Cal. 
 
 Wareing, Dr. E. C., Cincinnati, Ohio, 420 Plum St. 
 
 Williams, Rev. E. S., Baltimore, Md. 
 
 Youngson, Dr. W. W., Portland, Oreg. 
 
 $ 
 
 MORAVIAN 
 
 Bishop, Emil J., Bethlehem, Pa. 
 
 Eysenbach, Louis, Philadelphia, Pa., 1505 N. 15th St. 
 de Schweinitz, Rev. Paul, D.D., Bethlehem, Pa. 
 
 Romig, Rev. John S., D.D., Philadelphia, Pa., 1411 N. 17th St. 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN U. S. A. 
 
 Black, Rev. Wm. H., D.D., Marshall, Mo. 
 
 Beard, Hon. E. E., Lebanon, Tenn. 
 
 Baer, Dr. John Willis, Pasadena, Cal. 
 
 Carson, Rev. John F., D.D., Brooklyn, N. Y., 258 Jefferson Ave. 
 
 Darby, Rev. Wm. J., D.D., Evansville, Indiana. 
 
 Dajdon, D. Draper, Minneapolis, Minn., 2500 Blaisdell Ave. 
 
 Erdman, Rev. Chas. R., D.D., Princeton, N. J. 
 
 Elmore, Rev. Edgar A., D.D., Chattanooga, Tenn. 
 
 Fulton, Robert S., Esq., Cincinnati, Ohio. 651 First Nat’l Bank Bldg. 
 Hartley, Rev. Reuben H., D.D., Quincy, 111., 1260 Main St. 
 
 Hill, Rev. Edgar P., D.D., New York City, 156 5th Ave. 
 
 Hunt, Rev. Geo. E., D.D., Madison, Wis. 
 
 Jessup, Henry W., Esq., New York, N. Y., 55 Liberty St. 
 
 Ligget, Craig N., 4036 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Little, Rev. Chas., D. D., Wabash, Ind. 
 
 McKibbin, Rev. Wm., D.D., Cincinnati, Ohio, Walnut Hills. 
 MacKenzie, Rev. Robt., D.D., New York City, 156 5th Ave. 
 
 Merrill, Rev. Wm. P., D.D., New York City, 112 E. 36th St. 
 
 Marquis, Rev. John A., D. D., New York City, 156 5th Ave. 
 Mendenhall, Rev. H. G., D.D., New York City, 311 W. 75th St. 
 McConnell, Prof. J. J., Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 
 
 Mcllvaine, Judge John A., Washington, Pa. 
 
 Manson, John T., New Haven, Conn., Yale National Bank. 
 
 McClure, Rev. Jas. G. K., D.D., McCormick Theo. Seminary, Chicago, 111. 
 Nicol, A. R., Summit, N. J. 
 
 Roberts, Rev. Wm. H., D.D., Philadelphia, Pa. (Chairman), 
 
 Witherspoon Bldg. 
 
 Reynolds, Rev. George, D.D., New Rochelle, N. Y., 33 Pintard Ave. 
 Snowden, Rev. Jas. H., D.D., Western Theo. Seminary, Pittsburgh. Pa. 
 Smith, Rev. J. Frank, D.D., Dallas, Texas, City Temple. 
 
 Shields, Gen. Geo. H., St. Louis, Mo., 818 Rialto Bldg. 
 
 Speer, Dr. Robert E., New York City, 156 5th Ave. 
 
 45 
 
Stevenson, Rev. J. Ross, D.D., Princeton, N. J. 
 
 Vance, Rev. Jos. A., D.D., Detroit, Mich., 21 Edmund Place. 
 
 Walker, Rev. Hugh K., D.D., Los Angeles, Cal., 2663 Menlo Ave. 
 
 PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL 
 
 Anderson, The Rt. Rev. C. P., D.D., Chicago, 111., 1612 Prairie Ave. 
 Brent, The Rt. Rev. C. H., D.D., Buffalo, N. Y., Bishop’s House. 
 Bartlett, The Very Rev. G. G., D.D., Philadelphia, Pa., 
 
 418 Stock Exchange Bldg. 
 
 Bonsall, Edward H., Esq., Philadelphia, Pa., Land Title Bldg. 
 
 Caley, Rev. L. N., D.D., Philadelphia, Pa., 1626 Mt. Vernon St. 
 Edmonds, Franklin S., Esq., Philadelphia, Pa., Franklin Bldg. 
 
 Fiske, The Rt. Rev. Charles, D.D., Syracuse, N. Y., 909 James St. 
 Garland, The Rt. Rev. T. J., D.D., Philadelphia, Pa., 12th & Walnut Sts. 
 Gailor, The Rt. Rev. T. F., D.D., New York City, 281 Fourth Ave. 
 Gardiner, Robert H., Gardiner, Maine. 
 
 Hodge, The Rev. Geo. W., D.D., Philadelphia, Pa., The Gladstone. 
 Jefferys, The Rev. E. M., D.D., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Lloyd. The Rt. Rev. A. S., D.D., New York City, 281 Fourth Ave. 
 Lines, The Rt. Rev. E. S., D.D., Newark, N. J., Bishop’s House. 
 
 Mann, The Rt. Rev. Cameron, D.D., Orlando, Florida. 
 
 McBee, Silas. New York City, 281 Fourth Ave. 
 
 Morehouse, F. C., Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 
 
 Manning, The Rev. W. T., D. D., New York City, 187 Fulton St. 
 Mikell, The Rt. Rev. Henry J., Atlanta, Ga., Bishop’s House. 
 
 Pronce, The Hon. L. B., LL.D., Sante Fe, N. M. 
 
 Pepper, George Wharton, Philadelphia, Pa., Land Title Bldg. 
 Rhinelander, The Rt. Rev. P. M., D.D., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Tomkins, Rev. Floyd. D.D., Philadelphia, Pa., 1904 Walnut St. 
 Washburn, Rev. L. C., D.D., Philadelphia, Pa., 3’17 S. 11th St. 
 
 REFORMED EPISCOPAL 
 
 Fallows, Bishop Samuel, D.D., LL.D., Chicago, 111., 2344 Monroe St. 
 Peach, Rev. Robert W., D.D., Newark, N. J., 271 Parker St. 
 
 Ray, Samuel B., Philadelphia, Pa. (Germantown), 444 School Lane. 
 Searle, Carleton A., Chicago, 111., 7300 Union Avenue. 
 
 Alternates 
 
 Berry, Thomas L., Baltimore, Md., Fidelitj’ Bldg. 
 
 Rudolph, Bishop Robert L., D.D., Philadelphia, Pa., 103 S. 36th St. 
 Van Epps, J. S., Cleveland, Ohio, 1849 E. 86th St., care of Rev. Thomas 
 
 J. Mason. 
 
 Way, Rev. William T., D.D., Baltimore, Md., 1611 N. Caroline St. 
 
 REFORMED CHURCH IN U. S. 
 
 Ankeney, Albert, Xenia, Ohio. R. F. D. 10. 
 
 Dahlman, Rev. A. E., D.D., Shebovgan, Wisconsin. 
 
 Miller, Pres. C. E., D.D., Tiffin, Ohio. 
 
 Miller, Rev. Rufus W., D.D., Philadelphia, Pa., 
 
 Reformed Church Bldg. 
 
 Rice, E. A., York, Pa. 
 
 Richards, Prof. Geo. W., D.D., Lancaster, Pa. 
 
 46 
 
UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST 
 
 Bell, Bishop N. M., D.D., Harrisburg, Pa. 
 
 Clippinger, Pres. N. G., D.D., Westerville, Ohio. 
 
 Crites, Rev. T. D., D.D., Toledo, Iowa. 
 
 Funk, Rev. W. R., D.D., Dayton, Ohio. 
 
 Font, Bishop H. H., Indianapolis, Indiana 
 
 Kreider, Hon. A. S.. Member Congress, Wash., D. C. 
 
 Mathews, Bishop G. M., D.D., Dayton Ohio. 
 
 McFaul, Judge W. N., Baltimore, Md. 
 
 Miller, Rev. H. E., D.D., Lebanon, Pa. 
 
 Shuey, E. L., Dayton, Ohio. 
 
 UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 
 
 Anderson, Rev. W. M., D.D., Philadelphia, Pa., 1514 Master St. 
 Montgomery, Rev. J. Knox, D.D., New Concord, Ohio. 
 
 McClurkin, Rev. J. K., D.D., Pittsburgh, Pa., 456 Altantic Ave. 
 Russell, Rev. R. M., D.D., Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, 111. 
 Wishart, Rev. W. I., D.D., Pittsburgh, Pa., 2333 Perrysville Ave., N. S. 
 
 WELSH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 
 
 Davies, John, D.D., Utica, N. Y., 1207 West St. 
 
 Hammond, Rev. John, Scranton, Pa., 208 West Summer St. 
 
 LIST OF CHURCHES INVITED TO BECOME MEMBERS OF THE 
 INTERCHURCH CONFERENCE ON ORGANIC UNION 
 
 African M. E. Church 
 African M. E. Zion Church. 
 
 Armenian Evangelical Church. 
 
 Associate Reformed Presbyterian Synod. 
 Christian Church, General Council. 
 
 Church of God. 
 
 Congregational Churches (The). 
 Cumberland Presbyterian Church. 
 Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Colored. 
 Disciples, Church of the. 
 
 Evangelical Synod of North America. 
 
 Free Baptist Churches. 
 
 Free Methodist Church. 
 
 Friends, The Society of (Yearly Meeting). 
 Friends (Five Years’ Meeting). 
 
 Lutheran Church (United). 
 
 Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, South. 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, Colored. 
 Methodist Protestant. 
 
 Moravian Church in America. 
 
 National Baptist, Colored. 
 
 Northern Baptist Convention. 
 
 47 
 
Presbyterian Church, U. S. A. 
 
 Primitive Methodist Church. 
 
 Protestant Episcopal Church in the U. S. 
 Reformed Church in U. S. 
 
 Reformed Episcopal Church. 
 
 Reformed Church in America. 
 
 Reformed Presbyterian, General Synod. 
 Southern Baptist Convention. 
 
 United Evangelical Church. 
 
 United Brethren Church. 
 
 United Presbyterian Church of N. A. 
 Welsh Presbyterian Church. 
 
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