The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-15
The METHODISTS.
Sunday Closing Of the Worlds Fair-De-
bate on Popular Education.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14-Rev. j. D. Mur-
ray of the Methodist Episcopal Church of
Baltimore presided over the EcumenicaI
Council to-day.
After the usual devotional exercises the
Committee on Sunday Closing Of the Chi
cago Columbian Exposition made report
which was prefaced by statement that the
local Direc tors of the fair were under the
control of large stockholders. sand these
stockholders are the railroads, the street-car
companies and the brewers. All these cor
porations are clamoriug to have the exposi-
ton open on Sunday. The only hope of
success of conference lay in the United
States Commission, which in some sense is
responsible to the people.
The reasons given for closing are that the
opening Of the exposition on Sunday would
violate the Sabbath keeping traditions of
the American people, and also the laws Of
the United States and Illinois; that thou
sands of employees in the service of the ex-
position would be deprived of their right to
rest one day in seven, and that 1t would
furnish an excuse for employers for refus-
ing to grant holidays for the purpose of
visiting the exposition. which would other
wise be given. The committee asserts that
stockholders will not lose money by closing
on Sunday, and say they believe many ex-
hibitors from Great Britain and other
0UTSJid0 IduuS Will T61uSo 10 eApUS6 LleiE
exhibits on Sunday, which will be unsatis-
factory to visitors.
After some debate the report was adopted
unanimously.
METHODIST FEDERATION.
The Business Committee next reported
back the resolution On the subject of Meth
odiSt federation. II recites that the confer
ence recognizes the desire for Christian
cooperation among evangelical churches,
and especially among the various Methodist
churches; that while the time for an or
ganlc union might not have arrived, yet
concerted action is now possible. There
fore 1t was recommended that the churches
represented in the conference consider
whether such concerted action be possible.
and If so by what means and ways. The
Secretaries were also directed to send
copies Of the resolution to tire senior Bishops
and Presidents of the conferences repre-
sented here. Further consideration of the
subject was postponed until tomorrow.
EDUCATION OF THE YOUNG.
The topic of the morning session was
Education" and the first paper was one
proposed by Rev. w. NJ. Fitchett Of the
Australian Methodist Church at Victoria,
entitled "The Religious Training and Cul-
ture of the Young" In DR.. Fitchett's ab-
sence the paper was read by Rev. DR.. w.
MoreIy of New Zealand. The writer urged
strongly the duty of the church in the edu-
cation of the young When the State entered
the field OF primary education no e0mpeti-
tiOn was possible. 1t was great monopoly,
and therein lay the danger of the church.
In ten years the primary education of the
young would be secular. The peril was
that it might be not only On-Christian, but
anti-Christian.
Hon. John Evans of Denver, Colo, who
was to speak upon Sunday-schOols, was ill,
so the subject was treated by Rev. DR.. Rob-
ert Coliey of London. From an English
int Cf not ,Nra1r- faaa
derstand the truth as taught by Jesus. but
teaching now was incoherent and indefinite.
There were few teachers who could deal
thoroughly with book of the Scriptures.
Rev. DR.. Waller of England said the SAL
vatiOn OF country depended upon the sal
vation of the children. By a strange irony,
in Victoria they took the Bible from the
hands of the school child, only to thrust it
into the hands of criminal when he en-
tered jail. The Bible was being driven out
of the public schools in America, and the
church shonid redouble its efforts to reach
the young in other ways.
Rev. John Smith of England read an es-
say on Elementary Education" The ele-
mentaIy public schools should be freed
from ali religious denomination, as they
were sustained by the people. They should
be kept in the peoples hands. lApplausel
Alderman J. 81. CrOsfield of Manchester,
England, condemned the existing school
system of England, saying that it turned out
many little higotS instead of scholars.
A number Of other delegates discussed the
subject pro aud con.