Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-12-18
The Methodist Pastoral Address.

The Centennial Conference of the Metho-
dist Church in the United States and Cana
da, which has been in session at Mount Yer
non Church, in Baltimore, since Wednesday
of last week, concluded ills deliberations
yesterday. Prior to adjournmenta pastoral
address.was adopted which begins by con-
graduating 1.-The Methodist people in the
United States and Canada" on the grace
which has made them "a people who were
not people," and on the unparalleled
achievement wrought upon this continent
through the instrumentality of our forms of
toctrlue aud work" Nobler and grander
achievements, however, it adds, await the
methodist faith, the distinctive doctrines OF
which are realtrmed and emphasized with
great earnestness. An appeal is made for
,he.preserration of these doctrines las they
COME from the fathers, AS they appear in the
Scriptures, and as they have been attested
~ !be experiences of the church in past
ages and warning given against "a spirit
Of inquiry" which needs 10 be directed and
restrained" The special mission Of Meth.
udi>in is defined as being the promotion of
holiness, aud Methodists are urged to stand
~ their standards on this subject. An ear
nest plea is made for the preservation OF
faulty religion. 1.-The hottest sanctuary on
earth" it is declared, lis the Christian home.
Neither church nor sunday school can do
t h. work Of the home or become An ade-
qnale sub-litn.e for the influence of piety in
Tie household" The observance of Sun.
day ~ day Of rest is enjoined as being not
less 3 benevolent than purely religious in
s;itution. ITO the luhorer it is a boon of
priceless value, and to the professional man
aud the man of business, with nerve and
brain strained TO the utmost tension, it comes
~ u beuediction indeed to the Christian it
is Indispensable, This precious gift of
Cod )" adds the address, sis imperiled by the
| sordld claims of mammon and the 10 less i'm
peiious clauor OF sensuaIity. 1t behooves
the church TO stand up in the frmness other
God given might to Withstand the aggres-
sions Of evil men who would destroy this
| pillar of our Christian civilization" With
reference 10 the sale of intoxicating liquors
| The language Of the address is strong aud
explicit. "Mrthodism," it says, cannot
afford to stand behind the foremost ranks
i'll the battle against profanity, icentious-
| cess and lntemperance, or whatever kind
rad vices CAUSE the land to mourn. Her
voice is for war against everything that dis.
honors God or a1licts humanity. From the
brgiuniug she has given clear and emphatic
testimony against the liquor traffic, and is
fully committed to the exiirpation of this
monstrous evil. Let there he no faltering
| III this purpose. We counsel wisdom and
prudence rs to methods, and hearty coop
Grafton with all whose plans accord with
Christian principles, and yet we most earn
eslly insist that the ultimate aim of all our
| endeavors shall not fall short of constitu
tional prohibition of the traffic in the States
and in the nation" The facilities afforded
! for easy divorces in many of the States are
cited as another abuse which is earnestly
condemned by the address, which declares
that 1.-The sacredness Of the marriage rela.
ton as an institution Of God must be main
tained" Reference is made TO the fact that
| the spirit of strife and division has not yet
been eradcated from the church, but Meth
odists are congratulated on the growth
among them Of fraternal spirit (which
promises much for the future success of the
| cause we love- and the address in closing
urges upon the members Of the Methodist
communion the vastuess of its mission, and
the responsibility resting upon them to pro.
mote as far as may be its fuliilment.