The record-union., 1891-10-20
Special to the REcoRD-UN1ox.

Fcpcclal TO Ine EGECORD-UN1ON.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 19.-The eleventh
days session of the Ecumenical Metho-
dist Council opened with William War
den of the Methodist Reform Union,
England, in the chair.
The committee made report upon the
subject of the week of prayer, recon-
mending the week beginning November
18th next be set aside for that purpose.
The report was adopted.
The Committee on Methodist Statistics
reported that since the London Ecumeni-
cal Council there had been an increase of
80 per cent. in Methodist believers. The
report shows that the ministers number
1865, members 6,495, 500, and adherents
25,57S, 600. The report was adopted.
\ resolution was adopted making to-
norrOw's session the last of the confer
1nce.
The report of the Committee on Execu-
ave Session recommended that the Third
1cumenical Council be held in 1861, and
That an Executive Commission, to con-
slst Of eighty members, divided into two
sections, called, respectfully, the Eastern
section and the Western Section, be APP
pointed, to make the necessary arrange
inents for the next conference. The re-
-opic of the day, The Church and Public
Morality" was taken up.
After reading an essay by B. w. 3. Hill
Of Macon, Ga, on the Legal Restraint of
the Vices of Society,"" Rev. Joseph Pos
nett of the Wesleyan Methodist Church
ut Hull, England, delivered the first APP
pointed address OF the morning session.
His subject was the same as that of the
essay.
Judge II. L. Sidley of Marietta, Ohio,
spoke on the Marriage and Divorce
Laws" His proposition was that the
right to divorce is complemental to and
demanded by the right to marriage. not
only in cases of adultery, but also Of de-
sertion. Marriage was a means, not an
end, special cases excepted. God and ma
sure had made those relations the uni
vcrsal right Of mature men and women.
This included the right of each party to
The union TO its essential benefits. De-
bertlon deprived the innocent party of
heSe, unless made q ground Of divorce.
The gist OF it all is in principle, deduc-
bic alike from reason and scripture, that
The right TO marriage on its essential
benefits and as the only condition for
righteous propagation, becomes para
mount 10 the rule OF its permanence in
cases o. wrong TO an innocent partner
whereby the fundamental obligations Of
Lhe relation are abnegated. Finally, it
caves the innocent parties escape from
he propagation with the foulness of un-
-lnown adultery and from being forced
)y the weakness of desertion into life
of celibacy.
Thomas Ruddle, Head Master of the
Bible Christian College of Devon, Eng
and, spoke on the attitude of the church
toward amusementS. He said there is
nothing in the spirit of the New Testa-
.ncnt opposed to moderate and rational
use of amusements. Whatever NAV be
The duty of the church toward amuse-
1nents, it is obviously not her duty to be
hostile toward them.
Bishop Foss of Philadelphia said the
urgent need of children was play, and as
-or athletics, the jollier the better if they
were harmless. But if the training made
nothing but splendid brutes, the church
college should put them out. Sunday
papers, he said, were indictable before
the bar Of God, and the church stood
with it particeps criminis.
Rev. Mr.. Ralmer Of Manchester said it
was strange that the church failed to re-
cognize the need Of people for anluse-
1nent. He StrOllcd once into the T.yceum
tneater, and found so many preachers
there that he thought for a moment that
he was IN an ecumenical council. People
would GO TO the theater. The theaters
we're full, while the chapels were half
empty. The church should purify the
theater, and to do it church members
would have to go there. mingled cries
OF "Oh, non' and you are right."I
Rev. MIR. Hubbard of Baltimore feared
that the gates were too widely opened.
We have got in the dance and
theater, and by and by we viii get in
The circus said he.