The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-10-23
THEIR WORK DONE.
Methodist Ecumenical Confer
ence Adjourns Sine Die.
SYNOPSIS OF THE FINAL DEBATES.

'Ihe outlook" the General TOpic-A
Clergyman who Despairs of Unity with
Roman Catholicism and Another Who
still Has Hope-The Deterioration of
Sunday and the Future Church-Dr.
Stephenson Presents the Resolutions
of Thanks = Felicitous Closing Re-
marks.
WASHINGTON, Oct 81 The ecumenical
Methodist conference, after two weeks
session spent in discussing many ques-
tions and interchanging ideas for the BEN
eft Of humanity throughout the world,
entered upon its last days session yester-
day morning. The topic for the day was
"The Outlook" The secretary of the bust
ness committee announced that certain
amendments had been made upon the me-
mortal presented Monday appointing an
executive commission to look after the
business Of the next ecumenical confer
ence. The memorial as amended was
adopted. A resolution providing for send
ing delegation to the Pan Presbyterian
council at Toronto next fall was also
adopted.
Christian Resources Of the World.
Rev. j. s. Simon, of Kent, and Rev. j.
G. Watts, of Landon, discussed Christian
resources in the Old World. An essay on
the Christian resources of the New World
was read by Chancellor Edward Mayes, of
Oxford. Miss. He said that south Of the
United States all of the New World was
Roman Catholic excepting the English
possessions, and in several countries the
Methodist had slight foothold. In the
United States and British possessions the
principal religion was Professionalism with
about one-seventh Of the whole popula-
tion Roman Catholic. Rev. j. A. M.
Chapman made an address on the topic
under discussion.
Talked of the Church of the Future.
There was throng in attendance at
the afternoon session, the church being
crowded with delegates, their families.
and visitors. An essay on "The Church of
the Future" was read by Rev. j. M. Buck
ley of New York city (Methodist Episco-
pal church). He said the church of the
present has always been the church Of the
future. The church in some places had
lost it's hold on Sunday; in England and
Scotland it has deteriorated, and in the
United States Sunday is becoming Con-
tinental. The revivals nowadays appear
to be more superficial, and conversions do
not seem to take deep hold. Too little
Importance Is paid to secret prayer and
family worship. Union between Roman
ism and Professionalism, he said, was i'm
possible. AS to the future OF the church,
whatever changes take place in the
churches, salvation must and will go for
ward. In the ultimate church the changes
will be few, and all people will be alike in
privileges.
Didn't Agree with Buckley.
Rev. w. j. Dawson, of Glasgow, Scot.
land wesleyan Methodist church), de-
livered an address on the same subject.
He said there were four notes to be taken
in regard to the church of the future.
First. simplifcation; second, a democratic
policy; third, the social note, and last, in
tellectual comprehension. He took ex-
ception to DR.. Buckley on the Catholic
question. and said the Romanists were
closer to the Methodists than the Unitar-
ians, and he hoped that some day Roman
ism would go hand in hand with Protest
antism. Bishop e. r Hendrix, of Kan
sas City, Mo-, ON. e. church south), said
there would be a church of the future
with Jesus Christ as its cornerstone, and
that no church can survive that can not
dominate in intellect. The church of the
future should employ the majesty of truth
and the power Of sympathy in its work.