Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-10-28
TO THE METHODIST PEOPLE THROUGHOUT
THE WORLD.

At the conclusion of the regular pro-
gramme of the afternoon session of Monday,
Oct. 10Th, Secretary King announced that
the subcommittee which had been charged
with the preparation of the address from
the Ecumenical Conference to the Method
list churches and Methodists throughout the
world had completed its work, and the re-
port would be presented by DR.. James
Chapman, of England. This gentleman
came upon the platform and read the ad
dress, as follows:
The Ecumenical Methodist Conference to
the Methodist People Throughout the World:
We, the members of the Second Ecumenical
Methodist Conference assembled in Wash
ington, greet you, brethren, 10 every land
to which our common faith had spread
"Grace unto you and peace from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" We
glorify God for the prosperity which he has
given to our churches. By His blessing
they have grown until they number some
twenty five millions of adherents.
This is full of encouragement. An or.
ganization which has grown 80 rapidly in
the free competition of churches and even
crippled in some of its branches by many
artificial disabilities, must be in vital har.
mony with its environments. By the most
inexorable test Methodism is proved to be
singularly adapted to the needs of men.
Although many adjustments and develop
ments must undoubtedly be made to push
fully our mission let us beware of thinking
that any vital changes are necessary. Faith
fully using Onr present means under the
ofn nod will
We rejoice to recognize the substantial
unity which exists among the various Meth.
odist bodies; its firm basis is common
creed. We are all faithful to the simple
Scriptural and generous theology which
God, through the clear intellect and loving
heart of John Wesley, restored to His
church. The intellectual movement and the
social changes of our time may have led to
some change in the form of expression or
some shifting of the emphasis Of the teach.
ing, but they have not led us even to re.
consider that living theology which has
abundantly proved itself upon our pulses.
Indeed, it would be strange, while other
churches are drawing toward it, we should
have departed from it. There are other
grounds of unity: We are proud of the same
spiritual ancestory; we sing the same holy
hymns. our modes of worship are very
similar, and, most immortant Of all, the
type of religious experience is fundamental
ly the same throughout the Methodist
world. Our ecclesiastic principles are not
so varied as the forms in which they are &C.
cidentally embodied.
Rejoicing in these things we think that
the time has come for closer CO. operation
of the Methodist churches, both at home
and abroad, which shall prevent waste Of
,Io11 - hn
fore the eyes of SO many of Us as pass the
delightful union of time when in each
land where it is planted Methodism shall
become for every useful purpose one, and
the Methodism of the world shall be a close
and powerful federation Of churches for the
spread of the kingdem of Christ.
We need to combine our energies, for
the work we have to do is vast and urgent.
The skepticism and indifference, which are
so natural to the human heart, has been re.
enforced by an abuse of science and phil
Osophy. The hard lot of millions makes it
very difficult fo- them to believe in God,
our Father. There is so much that the
churches have not done to redress the wrong
and heal the sufferings of mankind that it
is hard for many to believe in their Divine
m .ssion. The standing evils OF society are
aggravated by the close pressure in our
great cities, and are discovered to the eyes
of all in our daily newspapers. Let US
preach and live the gospel of Christ in it's
integrity, dismissing all narrow conception
of eur duty. Lat US trace the moral evil of
men to it's true sources, in their surround
ings, their physical natures, their ignorance,
their passions and their will, and set our
selves to deal comprehensively with them.
To these specific ailments of mankind let
-, a.
To do this it will be necessary for the
members of our churches tomake full use
of their political rights; to allow the great
powers of law and government and their
still greater influence to fall into the hands
of ungodly men would be Incredible folly
and sin. God forbid that any of our church
es should become the Instruments of politi-
cal parties. 1t is doubtless necessary that
individuals should have party attachments,
and Methodsts are found in all the great
historic parties, but when member of our
church has taken his place in that political
connection which is mcst in harmony with
| bis ideas and convictions let him never for
get that there are great moral interests su.
perior to all party exigencies in which he
must seek first the kingdom of God aud his
righteousness. Every proposal that i'm.
perils the sanctify Of home, the purity Of wo
man, the innocenceof children, that violates
the Christian Ssbbath, that sanctions and
increases wrone ahonld be impartially and