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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (May 17, 1908)
7 DEALS WITH VITAL , QUESTIONS OF DIY AUCTI0ESALE AM OOJL iOi Episcopal Address to Metho dist General Conference Important Document. 293 MORRISON STREET COMMENCING TUESDAY, MAY 19, AT 2:30 P. M. REVIEWS CHURCH WORK TUE SFXDAr OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, MAY 17. 1908. rm a nnir? Tells of State of Denomination in All Parts of World Impor tant Recommendations to Governing Body. BALTIMORE, May 6. (Special Cor respondence.) The Episcopal Address, the quadrennial message of the board of bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church to the General Conference, was the special order of business today. It was read by Bishop Goodsell. The doc ument is very lengthy and deals with the state of the church in all parts of t lie world. Following Is the text of the address: Text of the Address. We greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 'The Shepherd and Bishop of our souls." we welcome you to the city of Christmas Conference of 1784. ever memorable for the organi zation of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Here also was the seat of the Cenera! Conference of 1868, which for um lated our constitution. Baltimore welcomed six successive General Con ferences, from 1784 to 1S08. Since then the city has been the seat of the dele Rated General Conferences of 1816, '20, "24. '40, '76 and 1908. She has thus earned her dignity as the "Mother Home" of our church as to organiza tion, constitutional legislation and of our educational system in the founding of Cokesbury College. Here, too, the first foreign missionaries, in the per sons of Garretson and Cromwell, went out. appointed to Nova Scotia. The hospitality which drew Asbury, Whatcoat, Roberts and McKendree again and again to this city in the car talnty of welcome and rest still exists and blesses us their descendants in faith and labor. We cannot walk these streets without recalling those great leaders, an well as others who were early members of the Baltimore con ference, and whose usefulness contin ued within the memory of living men. The names are deeply engraved on their monuments. On Episcopal Visitation. The bishops have performed all the duties asnigned to them by law and custom. With two exceptions no con ference or mission in the entire world has been without episcopal presidency during the quadrennium. In obedience to the law. Bishop Fitzgerald was ap pointed to visit India. e was pres ent at the jubilee, and died on his way home at Hongkong. Bishop Foss at tended the jubilee at his own wish, and lia.s returned in broken health. The missionary bishops for India and Ma laysia give cheering accounts of the progress of our work, and will lay be fore you an account of the Jubilee, as also of the progress of the church." Bishop Burt, in conjunction with Bish ops Scott and Hartzetl, presided over the conferences and missions in- Africa and returned unharmed by tne climate. The missionary bishops for Africa will report to you that the quadrennium has been marked by great prosperity. Bishop Spellmeyer has visited China, even to its most eastern border, aid ing Bishop Bashford in the visitation of the work, and brings back inspiring accounts of the growth of our fa'tli and order among the Chinese. Blsnop Cranston presided over the last ses sion of the Japan conference and as Fisted In the organization of the new Japanese Methodist Church. His col leagues wish publicly to recognize the tact and skill which he brought to the ronduct of those negotiations, to which we believe he gave large and wise di rection. No further exhortation to thought fulness, unselfishness or consecration is reeded than a clear perception of the Interests In your hands and the des tinies you may effect. "We rejoice to re port that the church of your love still grows and prospers, and we refer you for minute Information to the reports of the several great interests and activ ities of the church, which will be laid before you by those who have them in charge. Great Gain Is Shown. It Is certainly Inspiring to know that itlie gain In communicants for this quadrennium Is 278.357, reported by the editor of our Year Book as the great est gain In any quadrennium In 16 years. The number of ministers in our annual conferences Is now 19,353. in cluding probationers, but not including local preachers an Increase of 1171 In four years. The number subject to appointment as pastors on trial and in full membership Is 15,722. The number occupying nonpastoral appointments and those attending schools is ii'JoS. leaving 13.684 in the service as pastors, not counting pastors who are local preachers. The number of local preach ers serving as pastors is 4439. Thu our pastoral army numbers 20,161. By the mercy of God, each general conference represents a large church and a wider swoop of Christian influence. You an swer in your roll call from every con t inent. Japan alone of our mission field ceases to answer, not because our niisyion work has died In Japan, but hrrause. mingling with other Metho dist life, it has guided, tinctured and ushered Into being an - independent Japanese Methodist Church. The effect of this union upon the official status of Missionary Bishop Harris is a . ques tion for consideration by this General Conference. You come here from every state in the I'nion and some are from the isles of the sea. . Progress of the Church. Thus you constitute In a large sense a world parliament in this that your ac tion loiuhfs tli interests of a world wide Christ. The officers which you cleft will exerciee their functions under many rings. The ministry under your supervision preaches the gospel In 140 languages and dialects. As our ministry in Europe moves eastward from France. Germany and Russia, with the advancing wave of our evangelism, they may soon meet in Western China the vanguard of our Pa cific forces, and so belt the world with our faith, o'ur message. t our triumphant song. We know not whether they will meet at Thibet or at Pamir, on the roof of the world. Preachers from West China are already on the borders of Thibet. The Corean has so turned to Christ that a decade may see Corea Christian. Another century and the world may belong to Christ. The gain in the value of churches is $"JS.14!.ti;M; the gain in parsonages is ft.ilJS.S'l. The total gain in church prop erty for the four years last past is $S2. 67S.4."!!. while the total valuation of our churches and parsonages Is S1S&&4.024. The increase since the General Confer- enee averages !mcrt 5a.iu0.0Mi) per an num, our membcrsliiu in the United WE WILL OFFER THE ENTIRE STOCK FOR SALE AT PUBLIC AUCTION Consisting of $50,000 Stock of High-Grade Watches, Diamonds, Clocks, Cut Glass, Sterling Silver and Silver-Plated Ware, Fine Solid Gold Jewelry and a Beautiful Line of High-Grade Umbrellas THE OBJECT OF THIS STUPENDOUS SALE is to close out the entire stock and fixtures; nothing reserved; everything goes to the highest bidder. You must not fail to attend this sale; the prices that you make take the goods. . ' AN IMMENSE LINE OF BEAU ; TIFUL UMBRELLAS 293 Morrison St? States ia now 3.036,000, while In the whole world the number is 3,307,275. Our for eign communicants number 267,000. The number of departures from us to the ministry of other churches during: the last year is less by 50 than the number of those who have entered our ministry from other denominations. Commission on Evangelism. We gladly recognize the results stim-,, u lated by the work of the commission on aggressive evangelism, created by you and placed under the presidency of Bishop Mallalieu and aided by the sec retary of the commission. The commis sion has been courageously and wisely led. The evangelical note, which seemed Originated, we owe the marked numerical and to this fact in large part, however the church, has been largely recovered, to be lost almost in some sections of progress of the quadrennium. In certain sections where the yearly reports were of constantly lessening numbers the situation has been wholly changed, and gains have been reported for the four years past. We rejoice par ticularly In the work wrought In our colleges and universites. We are con vinced that the commission should be continued. As our church began its work of high er education in the first year of its or ganization, so from that time to this she has steadily recognized her obliga tions to advance the cause of sounc? learning by .fojinding, maintaining and developing her schools of all grades and by keeping Christ at the head of all schools in recognition that he is a 'teacher come from God.' r At this point we wish to speak of the legislation of the last General Confer ence with regard to investigations of charges of heresy, which legislation was recommended toy the committee on edu cation of that body. This legislation made the bishops the official investi gators of heresy charges against minis terial professors in our theological schools. Their oblig-atlon to investigate was made mandatory. Our experience with this law teaches us that it is difficult to administer. We are unanimously of the opinion that the bishops ought not to be charged with any functions of investigation, these be ing foreign to the work to which, they have been appointed. We believe that the ' functions of preliminary investiga tion in these cases should be confined to the annual Conference, the body which has lawful jurisdiction. Would Believe Bishops. We are glad to believe that the evil results of destructive criticism are pass ing away under the more recent con structive criticism to which those sin cerely loyal to the church have turned. In our recent conference visitations we have heard less of the preaching of doubts; more of the positive teach of "faith once delivered to the saints," and of greater results from such teachings. The true servant of Jesus Christ can never be indifferent to any reform In volving moral questions. In these the church must lead, or be willing to be thought untrue to the righteousness which is by faith. We rejoice in the position of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She has always been a leader in ethical and social reforms. She suf fered herself to be dismembered rather than have her episcopate tinged, how ever remotely, by slavery. While so large a body, and one so- widely distributed, is necessarily alow to climb to the white summit from which her Lord calls all to better things, yet her movement towards Mis nonition has. we believe, been more prompt on some questions than most of our sister cnurcnes, ana equal to any on all. Standpoint Is Ethical. She cannot decide these questions from the standpoint of political expediency or political economy. With the church the standpoint must be first of all And ever more ethical. Naturally our members svmpathtze with those political move ments which are ethically and philan thropicallv based. We must never march th forces which seek to perpetuate moral wrong. The church cannot ask her members to surrender the right of the in dividual to determine through what polit ical organization they will seek an ethical aid. She does, however, expect them to protest against moral wrong everywhere and at all times. She must pronounce those unfaithful to her ideals who. by either silence or speech, agree to the rule of evil. We rejoice that so many of our public men. whether national or state officers, have been true to the churches which trained them. They have made good con fessions in principles and conduct. Al most dally we hear the voices of men in office pleading for reforms or refusing to be governed by political expediency when moral questions are at stake. The last four years have been note worthy for the quickening of the national conscience as to civic righteousness. The LI i individual citizen, and especially the Christian citizen, has awakened to the importance of sustaining. Independent of party, men who bring a Christian con science to the care and administration of public trusts. Thanks Due Reformers. We thank God for those who. in the high places of our country, have by word and life preached righteousness and rebuked iniquity, but especially for the growing independence of the citizens who cannot be driven, either by party clamor or neglect, into justifying meth ods of political life sometimes called "business methods," and which strongly condemn business methods If they are common in the commercial life of the United States. We see clearly that within the next generation there are to be great social changes. The influence of wealth on po litical life and measures is to grow less, whether it be in the hands of individuals or corporations. The workingmen are to have more power;, the idler less. Anar chistic movements are less successful here than abroad because of universal suffrage. So now with a restless and iconoclastic future before us, we must both lead and restrain by religious forces. The social philosopher and the sociologist can detect injustices and wrongs, but he cannot create the desire to remedy the wrongs which are the issue of greed. The heart to do this born of the Holy Spir it. Only God can turn the soul -of man from selfishness to brotherly love. We have good hope that in the better atmos phere thus created the destructive schemes of reckless anarchists may be impotent for mischief. Let It be remembered that nowhere In the world does wealth manifest its ob ligation to contribute to the public wel fare as in the United States. If fortunes are here attained which belittle the wealth of kings. let it be remembered that the rich give here for public uses as kings have never done. While we have a class of rich people among us who live In idleness, luxury and folly, they are the exceptions among the rich. Education, religion, philanthropyall have received gifts of astounding munificence from the rich men of America, Work for Temperance. While we cannot doubt that some fail to set aside for public uses any consider able portion of what they have gained by opportunity opened and worked for by others, it is true that there Is now great surprise If a rich man lives or dies with out leaving to the community which gave him his opportunities some substantial evidence that he appreciated the aid ren dered him by those among whom he lived. When, some years ago, the general conference planted our church on the heights of legal and constitutional pro hibition, some in the church and many In the world felt that we had passed from sobriety of judgment to fanatic Ism, and in short had become Intem perately temperate. Today we find that state after state has climbed to our position, and that unexpected aid has reached us from railway and other cor porations, as well as from some trade unions. States which have been no toriously unfriendly to any temperance legislation, except general license, have passed local option bills which have been accepted by county after county, until most the whole state has ban ished the saloon. We can measure the sincerity of the organs of the liquor traffic, as well as of the politicians they control, in saying that prohibition does not prohibit, by their frantic ef for to defeat all prohibitive or re strictive legislation. The well-wishers of mankind will sing doxologles in view of the astounding progress of the prohibitive idea,, a progress so great the middle-aged may hope to see this cuise of curses, alcoholic liquor, put In the cabinet of drugs and no more free ly sold than any other irritant or spor iflc poison. For a. long time It has giv en joy to your general superintendents to observe that this evil traffic has known that when a Methodist Episco pal minister arrived in town, no mat ter how he came, an unsparing, no quarter enemy had arrived. Lead in Great Cause. On this account our ministers have been frequently chosen to lead the tem perance army, whether fighting for lo cal, state or National prohibition, and we unfeignedly rejoice that the Wom en's Christian Temperance Union, so recently led by a sainted member of our church, aided by the anti-saloon league, has prevented the re-establishment of the canteen and the fouling again of the Nation's hand by direct participation in the sale of liquor. We salute our colleague. Bishop Wilson, as president of the anti-saloon league of America, and Bishop McDowell, as president of the- Church Temperance Society. We have no doubt that yon will re inforce our position by some strong; REMEMBER that the well-known responsibility of A- N. WRIGHT is behind this sale, and all goods warranted. TWO SALES EVERY DAY 2:30 and 7:30, until the entire stock is disposed of. E'TPIUFTP It? w BETWEEN FOURTH declaration which may for the next quadrennium serve as a warcry for the temperance forces whose victory, though In sight. Is not yet wholly won. The consecutive polygamy permitted by the divorce laws of some of our states Is a disgrace to our country. It continues to undermine family life and to break up into helpless and warring factions that which God means shall be a unit. We greatly rejoice that the con science of the Nation is being quick ened on the subject, and that the de mand for uniform divorce laws In creases. While we shall welcome any assimilation of legal provisions as to divorce by the action of the several states, it seems doubtful ir uniformity can be secured except by National leg islation. National Divorce Law. As the matter of divorce is not now within the scope of the general Gov ernment, we can only hope that the individual states will so perceive the need of so safeguarding the homes from divorce for trivial and unscrlp tural reasons that uniformity will be steadily approached, when it will be possible for a constitutional amend ment to permit a National divorce law, and so prevent a marriage which is unlawful in one state from being lawful In another. We are of the opinion that para graph 66 of our Discipline, which is wholly mandatory in language, ought to be placed among our laws, it being evident from the language of the para graph that it is law, and as such had no place among the special advices. Among the questions referred to the bishops for legal decision is one relat ing to the duty of the church in cases wherein husband and wife, one or both, being members of the church, are liv ing apart, their home broken up, their children, " if any, divided, and, conse quently, robbed of one parent or the other. Whether this occurs by decision of either parent or mutual action on the part of both, the question of moral or scriptural justification Is so plainly raised that it would seem to be the duty of the church to take cognizance of such cases. We therefore recom mend the subject to your carerul con sideration In connection with the sub ject of divorce. Polygamy Still Exists. We believe, from the best evidence we can obtain, that the polygamous practices of the past are still found in the states and territories occupied In nart by representatives of the Mor mon body. In several states they have Buch po litical strength and furnish such sym pathetic juries that laws against these polygamous practises cannot be exe cuted. We believe that, as in divorce, they must be brought within the scope of National legislation before the evils can be reached with sufficient vigor to punish them as they deserve. We trust, therefore, you will consider whether it is not wise for you to ad vocate some constitutional amendment which will make polygamy and polyg amous practices a crime against the United States. For those who labor with their hands and whose reward is a wage the, church has a great sympathy. While perceiving the dangers to Ameri can civilization, and especially to the wages of the laboring classes, if the im mense population of China and Japan were free to enter this country with habits of living which are hardly possi ble to the last extremity of American poverty, we claim for the immigrants from Eastern Asia who are already here, and for those who lawfully "come, the most just and equitable treatment. Es pecially do we insist upon protection for them from the mob spirit, so often in spired and led by those who are them selves new arrivals upon our shores. It is impossible that the Methodist Episcopal Church, under the command to love and serve all men. can be opposed to the working classes. We hold the right of those workingmen who desire to do so to form labor unions for . the ad vancement of their interests, as we hoid the right of individual laborers, who pre fer to do so, to seek the control of their own labor. . We have never been without a ministry ready to adjust itself to difficult condi tions and to count it an honor to bear hardship with its people. We have in the rigors of our most severe climate and difficult fields many men of college prep aration, whose homes are scant in every thing except family love and Christian cheerfulness. They are there because they have sought to endure hardness as good soldiers." We beseech this General Conference to consider what it can do within our prin ciples, to improve these conditions. A plan carefully worked out by our com missions for the better support of our superannuates, their widows and orphans. AND FIFTH STREETS- will be laid before you. God grant that it may prove to be a method so wise, 1 acceptable and adapted to alt sections that our men may work In the certainty I that where age and illness destroy their pastoral activity they will have their . necessities met by a grateful church. We thank God daily for the happy con- i dition prevailing as shown b the growth , of fraternity and co-operation among the churches. Yet we cannot believe that the unity for which Christ prayed was to be always a visible union in government and order, . as well as in creed and spirit. Unable to recognize as true churches those who abandon all sacramenU. cr those who deny the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have, as opportunity has offered, united with -them in Chris tian philanthropic effort. The providential foundation of our American churches permits a vision of Christian unity which respects the his toric genesis of the churches, believes all to be justified of God when witnessing for truth and righteousness, permits the belief that God must be "present where his spirit, is breathed and expressed in pure words of holy living. This view of unity holds that humanity is immersed in God, and that, therefore, all the good of all men is from him. Such a unit will not through pride waste resources in multiplying denominational posts, but will seek only to arrive and stay wh?re it Is evident that what is already point ing men Godward in any place, points with wavering finger or misleading twist of direction. Hope for Church Unity. ' To all who recognize the "apostolic de posit of truth and who, free from heirar chical claims, acknowledge that true churches.- as in God's world of nature, may secrete different shells from their own substance, and still be one under a divine plan, we hold out the hope of unity "of faith in the bonds of peace. We feel strongly the evils of too many churches in small communities, but we are not able to say that the history, too well known, of one sluggish church in a community unstirred by Christian rivalry is better than present conditions, which at least permit the survival of the most active and of the one which best justi fies itself to the community. A generation has passed since fraternal relations were established with the Meth odist Episcopal Church South. With va rying success, but, we believe, with a sincere desire on both sides to succeed, efforts have been made to apply practi cally the principles recognized by both churches as the basis of improved rela tions. Both churches have maintained representative commissions for the pur pose of promoting a better understanding and for securing co-operation, Instead of rivalry. In some notably successful in stances adjacent or overlapping annual conferences of the two churches have adopted plans looking to the relief of local irritation by a process of exchange and union. But. In the absence of any authority to pass legally on-such cases, the execution of a case agreed upon can not be guaranteed. If a constitutional method can be found of giving the an nual conferences thus situated authority to make such adjustments binding, it will be a great step toward happy relations when the two churches touch each other. The General Conference of the, Metho dist Episcopal Church South did not find It practicable to authorize the exchange of ministers between the two churches by episcopal authority, as recommended by the joint action of the two commis sions, thus doing away with the necessity of withdrawal to enter either church from the other. We trust, that nothing will prevent the continuance of the Com mission on Federation in some form nor Induce this body to withhold its approval of such closer approach as promises, with out prejudice to our work, to bring us into harmonious relations with our breth ren of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Federation of Sects. The great interdenominational federa ton convention held in New York wel comed full representation from our church, and several of our bishops, ministers and laymen took part In Its deliberations. We believe that this convention did much to unify the faith and love and aim of the chief Protestant denominations. 'We trust that the plan of federation, which will be laid before you, will meet with your approval and co-operation. The path of federation would be smoother if the testimony of the churches as to tem perance, divorce and the obligation to better social conditions were alike. We thank God for the common hymnal, the common order of worship and the com mon catechism, which speak of our grow ing unity with out South brethren. Be lieving, singing and worshiping alike, we shall surely find other unities appearing in their time. - If there be increasing difficulties in any degree it Is because of growing interfer ence on the part of ministers and lay men with the judgment of the bishops NOTICE TO THE LADIES Each lady attending this sale, beginning Tues day at 2 :30,v will be given a ticket which will entitle her to participate in several beautiful presents to be given away. LADIES attending will be treated with the utmost courtesy and their comfort provided for in the wav of seats. (nrrn a rmm as to what is best for the work, since ministers demand to be kept within range of the more lucrative charges, be cause they have had one or two of that sort and they feel humiliated and de graded if they are sent even to a small reduction. Churches make it impossible for the bishops to justly arrange the work by insisting on appointments, which. If granted, compel widespread injustice as to other members of the conference. Conferences pass resolutions protesting against transfers without equivalent ex change, and then wholly refuse .to trans fer, thus putting the appointing power where it must disappoint a church by sending a man not wanted, or crucify a man by sending him to a disappointed officiary, If not a disappointed church. This has reached a pass where the bish ops are accused of ty.anny and self-will when they do what the law of the church demands of them. Seeking always to be considerate of every interest; eger to listen to all communications and peti tions; not daring to use self-will while standing In the Master's place to send out the 12 and 70 into the world, we keenly feel the embarrassment thus created by both ministers and churches by proceed ings wholly outside the law, while we as bishops are held, as we ought to be, to the strictest accountability to the laws which compel us to give every effective man a church, and every church a pastor. Very Little Fa ction. We unfeignedly rejoice that God has helped us in the matter of appointment to such a degree that pastoral delation? have - been inaugurated and continued among us with stonishingly little fric tion. Not for the joy of exercising authority; not for the complacent play of self-will; not for the maintenance of old power in new conditions, by men habituated to control, do we sometimes wish that the church could return to the days when strong men could bo sent to build up weak churches, and the waste places could be made to bloom like the rose, because men who knew how to care for the garden of the Lord were found ready to undertake the task. Grad ually, It must be confessed, an element had crept in until service, opportunity, certain growth and victory are with some, less esteemed than a fixed degree of comfort and emolument. Not now, as formerly, does the church in any similar degree furnish us with men from secular life, whose joy it is to preach the word and r who can minister to the weaker places until they become strong. The problem of the country charge cannot be met except as the local preacher shall again be raised up In willingness and power to preach the gospel. Today most of our charges which paid $600 are In the care of local preachers. Below this sup port they must necessarily be under their care. The church has not yet reached unanimity concerning the removal of the time limit from the pastorate. The observations of some of our number are quite favorable to the new order. Oth ers would advocate 1 return to the old plan, with provisions for certain cases. The annual conferences also differ, as their memorials will show. We leave the subject to the wisdom of this great body of preachers and laymen. The great growth of the deaconess work of the church has in some- cases brought such overlapping of labor and uncertainties of relation that all the leaders in this great movement and the bishops, as constituting the gener al deaconess board, have united In rec ommending not consolidation, but uni fication under a central board created by the general conference. In which all the centers of organization and support shall be officially related. We believe that the plan which has been worked out by the commission ap pointed under: the authority of the last general conference, and aided ' by the wise and willing counsel of several of the representatives of the deaconnees' organizations, and which will be laid before you. removes all probability of friction andharmontzes the work with out destroying the place and useful ness of any organization. We believe that this proposed action is Indispensa ble to the well-being of the deaconess work. We are moved by a profound convic tion of duty In again calling your at tention to the subject of popular amusements In relation to the spirit and conduct of spiritual life. We re gret that the general prevalence of harmful amusements does not dimin ish. We still firmly hold that they are "antagonistic to vital piety, promotive of worldliness and especially pernicious to youth." We have nothing to recall in the deliverance of our church upon this subject, yet we feel It our bounden duty to say that, in our judgment, the testimony of our church against ques tionable amusements will be stronger and the appeal to the conscience by our ministers more easily and forcibly made if we combat this evil by spir TWENTY TEARS OF SQUARE DEALING IN THE JEWELRY BUSINESS 293 Morrison St. itual rather than by legislative meth- 1904 adopted the following declaration. ' which is now an integral portion of our discipline: Improper amusements and excessive '- Indulgence in innocent amusements are serious barriers to the beginning of imp re i lirmuK iiia anti iruiLiui cauEtes of spiritual decline. Some, amusements : in common use are also positively de- -moralizing, and furnish the first easy steps to the total loss of character. We . inereio re ouk w in neeu uuniei u un the great increase of amusements and ; on the general prevalence of harmful amusements, and lift up a solemn note of warning and entreaty particularly against theater - going, dancing and . such games of chance as are frequent- ly associated with gambling; all of which have been found to be antag- . onlstlc to vital piety, promotive of-r to youth. We affectionately admonish all of our people to make their amuse--ments the subject of careful thought r and frequent prayer, to study the sub-- ject of amusements in the light of their ;-. tendencies and to be scrupulously care- ? ful in this matter to set- no injurious Aaiu)iir. x: auj ui c tii cut iu i c in c hi - of action Is positively immoral, but ' and be an urwise example. - We en--;- join all our bchops, presiding elders-': and pastors to call attontlon to this r subject with solemn urgency' in our' annual and quarterly conferences and in all our pulpits, and on our' editors, League officers and class leaders to: aid in abating the evils we deplore. We deem It our boundpn rtntv tn snmmrtn-. the whole church to apply a thought- ; ful and instructed conscience to the choice of amusements, and not to leave them to accident or taste or passion, and we affectionately advise and be-; seech every member of the church ah.. buiuicij iu avuiu me Luaing sucn ai-' versions as cannot be used in the name - aiiiciiu i iirarujMr ZO. t . i. . ..i t embodied in our discipline, we. recom mend, not that paragraph 248 be stricken out, but that it be amended by striking out the confessedly partial list of worldly , amusements found therein, beginning with the last word in the eighth line and ending with the word "other" in the 11th line, which were inserted In 1872, leaving x as the ground for church trial. In case. Riti?h trinl hponmni nMoori' tlu nn,Hnn or the paragraph reading "Taking such amusements are obviously of misleading or questionable moral tendency, or dis obedience to the order and discipline of ' me Liiuicii, unu espfuiany our original ' rule "to taking such diversions as cannot be used in the name of Lord Jesus." Grave Injustice will be done If this rec- ommenaauon is inrerpreiea as an aoan donment of our early opposition to world- the principles and to the exact words the historic method by which Methodism com oa i tea woriaiy amusements for more man a nunarea years, ana to our unfail--Ing testimony that It Is the privilege of an nrisnans 10 oe so aDsoroea ana sat- iBiitru in wiiiiiiuiiiuii wiLii uuu. mn serv ices Of men and the blessing which oUr1" Heavenly Father has provided that the' appetite for- worldly amusements shall entirely disappear. And now, having examined our own for thanksgiving, and having also re-"" it; v iiiuoc iai.m Mini luimn luna ui" tian world, we seek, in conclusion, tOA unewri iiiv i ut-i? lmiii we nnuw iu uv on your Hps "What of the future?" Our outlook prophesies the conversion of the world to Jesus Christ, the coming . through Christian sacrifice of the day with tli a knnvltdEf nf thp Tirrt " Th wavelets onlv recede. The tide steadilv rises. Political humanity comes steadily-? 10 ils menus. i ii? uiu i i iiiiiiff iry iu- grip with the old grasp, but fingers slip- on in I largpr nuirmuiij. me-y are iuu email to hold. Emperors and kings keep .their-, thrones by representing the whole people, not by dictating to them. Religious free-., dom advances with the disestablishment of the Roman Catholic Church in Francef- vrAQ f innpBIsiina mada. .tn 1 i Vi. Artv In Russia and in the South American - republics. The gospel will win and is winning this world. The student of God's word can see It. We do not believe his mes sage a failure. We dare not preach that -his promised victory is to be won by his. sudden appearance after the failure of hi r oa rel. and the comtnsr of a new heaven and a new earth by a tremendous act oW power. Christ works and wins througn men. He comes In and through and by his church. "Even so. Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen." .