White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1869-06-03

OF the Uulted DfetBfen IN Ohfiet u ~"
10 session. at Lebanon. Pennsylvania. at
which q vigorous effort will be msde to
repeal the article 10 the Discipline pro-
bibiting memb bers OF the Church from
belonging to any secret society. This
provision was adopted at the General
Conference held twenty years ago. OF
Germantown, Ohio. We attended some
Of the most excited debates on the qucs-
tion. Some of the ideas and arguments
Of the opponents Of secret societies were
amusing in the extreme. The leader Of
the opposition TO this article Of proscrip-
tios was q minister from Virginia. nam
ed Msrkwood. We believe he is now .
Bishop in the Church. He was man
Of much talent, and made gallant fight.
but was overcome. We see, by the re-
ports, that one Of the sblest advocates Of
repeal at this time. is Rev. Henry Gsrst.
We knew him as boy. and are glad to
know that be has attained high stand
ing in the ministry. and takes an enlight-
ened and liberal view of questions.
The prohibitory article may not be re-
pealed at this session. but it is bound to
fall soon. The. progress of that Church
has been too wonderful. within the past
few years. to permit the belief that it
will retain this relic of ignorance and
bigotry in its fundamental law for 8
much longer period.
This Church. not q quarter of o ceutu
ry since, was laughing stock and o
by-word. A majority of its member
held education to be o sin, or OF least o
vanity, and temptation to dishonesty.
We have heard preacher in the pulpit
declare that he would "preaeh ignorance
as long as be died." and thank G God that
education was not necessary in the
Church. And such preachers! A large
proportion were the veriest ignorsmuses,
some of whom could not read text nor
give out hymn, and their sermons
were better than'a show. Many OF their
most popular ministers were men who
to-day would hardly be given a license
to preach. We knew Of case in which
they expelled lawyer from the Church.
upon the ground that lawyer could not
be an honest man! We knew one we'll
meaning old sonl. who was counted a
stirring preacher in his day, who invari-
bly, commenced his pulpit prayers thus /:
40. Thou Supremely Good. Incompre-
hensibly Wise, and Notoriously Great
God!"
But their great horror was secret soci.
eties. The Sons of Temperance even
were not tolerated. and simple Temper
sncs Societies Jared i'll. But Free Ma
sonry was ths sum total. the quintessence
of all wickedness. We once heard
preacher at revival meeting exhorting
sinners to come forward and be PRAYED
for, in this wise: "Let sinners of every
kind come forward and be prayed for.
We want everybody to come-liars.
swesrers, loafers, drunkards, gamblers,
thieves, murderers, whoremongers, and
Free Masons |"
But the Church is different to-day. 1t
has some Gne institutions of learning
it has ministers who stand in the front
rank of the profession it supports sew
eral able newspapers and 6ne printing
establishments; and its mem bership ex-
tends throughout the length and breadth
of the land. During tho war, this
Church was among the foremost in fos-
tering loyalty to the Government; it is
an earnest champion of freedom and pro-
gress-in short. in marching in the van.
guard of civilization, spreading and
aourishing on new and uncultivsted
ground. and sustaining the principles OF
loyalty and freedom that now prevail in
our country. they are but little if any
behind the Northern Methodists while
there is no rebel branch of their Church,
founded upon slavery and murder. while
protesting the same religious belief.
1t is strange. then. that q Church so
liberal and progressive should cling to
that relic of bigotry. the article against
secret societies. 1t is q vestige of igno-
rance and prejudice. and bstrays want
Of confidence in the integrity of those OF
its members who enter an organization
bound together by pledge Of secrecy.
The Church assumes control over the
temporal affairs Of its members, and i'm
poses bondage upon their acts. inclina-
ions and consciences, worthy only Of
he Church of Rome.
SpEER's "SrANDaaD WINE BITrERs."