Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-10-05
PERILS OF METHODISM.
A GRAVE QUESTION BEFORE THE
ECUMENICAL CONFERENCE.
American and Foreign Speakers on
the Dangers OF the Chureh-mOd-
ern SkeptIcism - Theatrical and
Other Amusements.

| the Dangers of the ChuFeh-MOd-
ern SkeptIcfsm - Theatrical and
Other Amusements.
A recent London letter says: Over the
| proceedings of this day the Rev. Bishop
| Fl. n. McTyeire of the Methodist Episcopal
| Church South, presided. The general topic
| for the day was "The Possible Perils Of
Methodism." Four papers were read, two
in the forenoon and two in the afternoon,
! twenty minutes being allotted to each, and
each being followed with specially invited
address of ten minutes on the same topic,
after which half an hour was given to fve-
minute speeches on the same subject.
The first paper on the theme of the day
was read by Rev. j. Guttridge UNITED Meth
odist Free church, on The Probable Perils
of Methodism from the Papacy, from Sacer-
dotslism and its Connected Errors. He said
"We should clearly state the points upon
which we, as Protestants, differ from the
| Papists and Sacerdotalists. We should show
| that in our churches we have teachers and
pastors, but no priests; that in the New
Testament the word priest never occurs;
that there is no allusiOn whatever either to
the Office or its functions; that Paul inva-
riably speaks of himself as Paul, the Apos-
| tie, but never as Paul, the priest. Aud as
| It was then, so is it now. The public
teacher In the pulpit is only priest In the
same sense as is the private Christian in the
pew"
Rev. DIR. E. B. Ryckman (Methodist
Church of Canada) said '1. There is
danger in the needless sectarianism of Pro-
testanism. 2. There is peril in the convent
schools established by Rome, especially for
young ladies. 3. Rome's extraordinary
vigilance and persistency in politics and
| great wealth and grasping disposition of
the church are other sources of peril. The
largest land owner beyond all comparison
in the province of Quebec is the Roman
Catholic Church. The greater part Of the
island of Montreal is the property of the
church"
The Rev. DIR. Newman said: "In an open
| field, and in a fair fight, Methodism has
nothing to fear from Rome. Rome shuns
such field and hates such a fight. Rome
strikes In the dark; her mailed hand is
| gloved. There are two dangers to Metho-
| dism In our country-one educational and
the other political. The educational grows
out of the fact that while our government
| is not irTeligious, 1t is nOn-religious; and
therefore we cannot introduce into our
public schools that essentially religious ele-
ment necessary to control the intellect, for
the intellect must be controlled by an
enlightened conscience. Then an adjunct
to that is the tendency of Protestants to
send their sons and daughters to Roman
! Catholic schools. l say that this is a crime
| against Protestant childhood. Heari hearll
| The other danger is political. It grows out
| of the fact that Rome is essentially political,
that Rome is nothing without political
power"
Then followed paper prepared by Rev.
DR.. Daniel Curry, of New York, and, In his
absence, read by Rev. DIR. H. Eaton, on
| "Perils to Methodism from Modern Skepti-
cism." He held ''the skepticism which is a
| perpetual source of peril to vital religion,
eminently to Methodism, originates in the
unbelief of the unrenewed heart, which,
while it remains, also dominates the whole
soul, darkening the understanding and per-
verting the will. Till born again. there
fore. men are without any proper knowledge
| of God and of spiritual things, simply and
certainly, because they are without the sub
| jective powers by which these things may
be apprehended.
"Skepticism, the popular euphemism for
this Scriptural unbelief, though always sub
stantislly the same, is protean in its forms
| and chameleon like in icolors. Its latest
| guise is that OF an earnest and acute re-
search among natural phenomena with
| steady disregard of all that lies beyond the
range Of physical law. 1t also sets up its
own laws of belief and canons of criticism,
| making very little account of the records of
the evidence OF the senses. But a method
as unnatural and essentially repugnant to
the laws of mind is sure to defeat its own
purposes. To believe something is a neces-
sity, and the fallacy Of a system Of philoso-
phical nescience will be unmistakably de-
tected and its conclusions rejected, even by
those who fail to trace the processes of the
sophistry."
Rev. DR.. G. r. Crooks, of Drew Seminary,
| hfnLY &c ~
great Importance for us to bear in mind that
the root of skepticism lies in the human
| heart. It is the spiritual principle of mankind
| that exposes t. to unbelief. Rationalism is
the product of cold unbelief applied to
the great truths Of the Gospel, and when
ever the intellect is warmed through the
fires Of the heart, trusting in Jesus Christ,
rationalism, however strong its arguments
may have been, disappears.
! "Skepticism is declining, not increasing,
and, much as men may say of the scientific
and public universities of England, the fact
remains that the great universities of Ger
many have been redeemed from the rational
ism Of the past fifty years, and are becom-
ing more and more evangelical. Rational
istic Heidelberg has scarcely any students
in theology, and we know very well that
evangelical Halle, evangelical Leipsic and
evangelical Berlin are crowded with theo-
logical students. Where at Tubigen there
was school of unbelief, there is no longer
a school Of theology at ALL"
These brief extracts must suffice to indi-
cate the character of this able paper, so
closely connected In all its parts, that to
abridge is to mutilate it.
The points made In the invited address by
Rev. w. L. WatkiDson British Wesleyan
Methodist church, may show the tenor of
his discussion:
"I shall speak of the more probable and
immediate perials of Methodism from
modern skepticism; and Metkodism is being
constantly criticised as a church with a
stereotyped and unprogressive creed, and
there is danger lest we should be provoked
by these criticisms to assume more liberal
theological character. Another peril is, lest
there should be anything like an attempt to
recast our theology with the view of bring
ing it more into harmony with modern
thought. Another peril may be found In
the ministry lacking adequate knowledge of
the various forms of existing error.
"Another peril may arise from the de-
fective Scriptural knowledge Of our people.
The more thoroughly our people are
grounded in the positive truths of revela-
tion the less have we to fear from the all
encompassing presence of error. Another
peril l would suggest will arise when, from
any cause whatever, we abate our angelical
action"
Iu6 dlGtTUOOu bcbblOu COum6HC6u Win
an essay on "The Dangers to Methodism
from Formally, Worldliness and Improper
Amusements Among their Own Members" ;"
by the Rev. ]. w. Mckay, D. D., 1rish
Methodist CHURCH,. The perils to which
Methodism was now exposed were not
slander and persecution; but those arising
from prosperity and increase In worldly
wealth. Bankruptcy and speculation had
come to be lightly dealt with by the church.
He spoke against rivalry in fashionable en-
tertainments and extravaganza in furniture
and dress. He condemned theatricals, and
specially spoke against semi-dramatic en-
tertainment in Wesleyan drawingrooms and
in Methodist schoolrooms.
DIR. Buckley, editor of the New York |
Christian advocate, spoke on improper
amusements, but was not opposed to inno- |
cent amusements. Their young people were |
no longer isolated, and had to mingle with |
those In similar social position. Neither |
theatres. dancing, nor card-plaYing were |
was injurious to the soul. The practical |
and should be avoided. They must explain |
the evils of such amusements, especially to |
their young people.
Bishop Peck said If the church ioined the |
world 1t was difficult to tell why the world |
should be asked to join the church. What |
ever else they might make with dancing |
people, they could not make Methodism by |
themi 1t could only be made by the godly |
and self-denyiDg.
Strong condemnation was expressed of |
the completely Of the British Government in /
the opium trade, and It is intended to pass /
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