The Portland daily press., 1891-10-21
WITH A GLANCE INTO THE FUTURE
The EcumenIcal Council Closed Its
Labors Yesterday.
Figures Which Tell the Story OF
New World Christianity.
A Resolution Adopted concsrni ng
the Church OF Rome.

WASHINGTON, October 2O.-In the ECU
menical Methodist Council today. Chancel-
lOr Edward Meigs of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church, South, spoke of the christian
Resources Of the New World" he said the
first and most important thing to be coDsid-
cred was the membership Of the church mil
liant. "It appears from well authenticated
statistics that the actual communicates in
the various churches number about 17,000,-
600, about one-fourth Of the entire popnla-
tion. The total is four times as great as 1t
was out Of the entire population century
ago. In connection with this. must be con-
sidered the Sunday school where the little
children in hosts are being led to the Savior.
Then consider the great auxiliary societies.
They are OF various kinds and all have GER
tain common characteristics. The invested
values in churches, Dars0nages, rectories,
schools, colleges, religious periodicals., or
phanages, hospitals and refugees are en0r-
nous in the total. We may note the vast
missionary enterprises expending more than
$4,000, 900. Forty-fve religious publishing
houses are maintained in the United States
and Canada and there are over 800 colleges
and universities of UNCONVENTIONAL charac-
ter In the United States, exclusive of semi
naries, academies and institutes. The Meth
Oulot LplctUpdl CuuLCu dlOu6 HAS
Invested in higher school property with
$15, 5,000. 900 in endowments. The foregoing
statement of Christian resources in the New
World fills us with thankfulness for the ad-
yancement made and with hope for the fu-
ture."
Bishop John f. Hurst of the Methodist
Episcopal church Of Washington. called the
council to order this afternoon. The follow
ing resolution was adopted:
That this conference views with deep concern
the subtitle and persistent efforts Of the Roman
hierarchy TO make Its power felt outside Its own
proper sphere in many lands to the detriment and
danger Of civil and religious berties,of the people
This conference recognizes with satisfaction The
fact that the Roman Catholic laity have. in nota.
bic instances, had the courage and wisdom to
wltnstand the unwarrantable pretentions of their
disclams any intentions to seek for ITSELF or the
churches 1t represents single privilege which It
would not readily concede to all others; it feels
bound TO remind the members Of the churches of
the sacred rights and privileges they enjoy, won
for them by the sacrifice and fidelity of their fore
members Of other Protestant churches in
maintaining their great inheritance of freedom
and handing down the same, intact, to succeeding
generations.
In speaking of "The Outlook" Rev. w. j.
Dawson, of the Wesleyan Methodist Church
OF England. said the church of the future
must essentially be the church of the past
Its fundamentals could not be altered. The
first note of the church of the future would
Do cllupHuCdblOus OUBuldS anu ulSSeQSlOUS
would then disappear. Too long the church
has been keeping an eye upon heaven and
falling to see the Injustice of earth. [Cries
OF "Oh, no." II the people within the
walls did not believe that, vast multitude
outside did. The most Democratic church
would win.
The toilers were justly discoDtented. The
Christians weIe followers of the Divine so
clallst. Ii men could not get the socialism
Of Jesus, they would get the socialism of the
devil. How little was the degree Of separa-
tlon between the. Methodist and ether Pro-
testant churches and how much better
would 1t be were they all in one fold. ZAP
plause. How much was there in common
between the Protestant and Catholic church.
The Roman Catholic was nearer to the
Methodist than was the Unitarian. Was it
too wild dream that the Church of Rome,
which had done so much for the gospel cause,
might yet be purified and in the end stand
hand IN hand with its great Protestant sis
ter. Applause
Resolutions voicing the thanks Of the con-
ference in various directions were adopted,
and after half hour spent in prayer, the
conference adjourned sine die.