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." .