Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-11-11

AO 0CtiOu VI Tic ltOCh ItINcE SOIlIcI
ence, on the reception of the ncws from
the recs mt elections in Indiana and Ohio
has been variouslys criticised by the
secular press throughout the country
And nov that the smoke has cleared
away little, we wish to view the action
of the Conference in its proper relate n
to thS church. and its friends. There
are two principles that we WISH first to
recognize. First, that the ministry OF
any church have . perfect right to their
political opinions; and secondly, that a
body Of Methodist ministers is repre-
sentative body. That the entire church
is affected more or less by ihe action OF
any,gsefof our ninety-four annual con-
feren6ss. There is no Church in whici,
the principle of unity, as set forth in the
Bibla holds good 80 con, plctely a. in our
Ownehurch. Paul says, speaking Of the
church in its general character: "For
none OF us liveth to HIMSELF" "FOr we
being many are one head, and one
body" From whom the whole body
fifty coined together, and compacted by
that which every joint supplieth ~
" And He is the head of the body, the
Church;" $50 We, being many, are one
body in Christ, and every one members
one of another" (" "That there should be
no schisfn in the bo,ly; but that the
members should have the same care one
for another. And whether one member
suffer, all the mem bers suffer with it; or
one member be honored, all the MEM
bers rejoice with it," Sometimes, bod
les of ministers, under little excite
ment, forget this relative and connec-
tioIfal law, and the relation they sustain
to the great body, Of which they are but
a part; iAnd that 10y imprudent actions
and sayings they are affecting Others
besides themselves. THIS action Of the
RtJsk River Conference in Cheering" /"
land singing the Doxoiogy"-strange
cOngruity-at the news of the result OF
the recent election was certainly i'm
prudent. and has laid them open to Sc
we're criticism. The Methodist Church
is not : political organization, neither
are our ministers politicians. We are
supposed to stand related alike to all
political opinions. That man shall
not be excluded from membership i'm
our church, nor be debarred from any
privileges or honor i'm the church for
any political opinion he may entertain.
These brethren ought to have remem-
btred that, that which was good news
TO them, was bad news to many of their
brethrrn; and that by giving the dem
Onstration they did, they would neces-
sarily offend their brethren of opposite
political opinions. 1t will not do to say
that those Of opposite political opinions
are in the minority i'm our church; this
may be, and doubtless is the case, but
in the Church of Christ, the feelings and
opinions of the minority ought to be and
must be respected. We have in the
Methodist Episcopal Church men who
did not and do not rejoice at the result
devoted, and piOus as any of our men,
bers. We have men here in Missouri
who have been long Democrats in ILL
nOis, Ohio and other States who have
come to this State, and have resisted
all efforts made TO get them into the
other church which is exclusively Of
one party, and boast that their men,
bers are all Democrats. These brethren
have stood firm to the old church, have
sustained it, and are yet sustaining 1t,
and doubtless will continue to do SO.
Now we want you, brethren OF the
Rock River Conference, to remember
that these brethren have feelings, and
if they do not entertain the same pOlit-
ical opinions that you do, nevertheless
they are your brethren, and they are
as true to the church as you are. And
we respectfully demand of you that
you place no embarrassment in the
way of the church in any part OF this
great country Of ours. That you lay
down no club, whereby our enemies,
here or elsewhere, may wound us. "If
you have faith, have it to yourselves"
And if you have any more of that kind
Of meat to eat, refrain, for the sake OF
your brethren. A. III. HEINLEIN.