The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-13
JUST like ORDINARY MEN
Methodist Preachers Get Mad When
Their Political Corns are
Trampled Upon.
A Lively Scene In the Great Ecu
menical Council at the
Capital

Relation of the Press snd Pulpit Dis
cussed by Preachers and Kditors-
Religious Newspapers.
WASHINGTON Oct. 12.--The fifth day of
the eoumenical Methodist council opened
with Bishop Hood. OF the African M. j..
Zion church, of Fayette, N. c.. in the chair.
The opening services of the great council
were conducted by three colored men. Tho
topic for the morning session was the
church and her agencies, and Bishop X. y.
Foster, Of Massachusetts, proceeded to
address the council on the responsibilities
and qualifications of the preacher. He
said the preacher needed high qualities of
mind and proper qualities of body. He
should know that about which he spoke.
He should be a man Of experience. He
must consider his environments and the
people addressed; must be able to recognize
distractions that stood in the way of
his mission. Preachers became at times
imbecile in their Efforts because of
lack of knowledge of the way to 90 abont
their mission. No man could think of God
understandingly who did not understand
His power as manifested in His works, SO
when those to whom He preached came to
their teacher with doubts he should be able
to grapple with those doubts overcome
them and show them the way to the truths
Of the gospel. Rev. John Bond, of London,
followed Bishop Foster in brief address
in the same strain. Rev. Frank Ballard, of
Ta-l,x 13ov n w Hl;ptop re pittuhurn
also spoke, and Rev. DR.. Leonard. of New
York, closed the morning session with few
remarks condemnator5 of preachers who
invited doubt by delivering sermons on
Darwinism and on Huxley.
During recess the delegates were received
at the White house by President and Mrs.
HARRISON.
At the afternoon session the topic for
discussion was, the religious press and the
religious uses of the secular press, lev.
Hugh PRICE Hughes, of London. being the
essayist 1t was strange, said DIR. Hughes,
that this great agency-the .press-has
| rarely received the consideration of the
churches. It was now the fourth estate,
tho greatest engine of the world. and be-
came SO without the aid OF the church or
its blessings. Christian churches must face
the fact that this great engine is in the
hands of men who are in some cases indif-
| ferent to- the church and in 9th ers abso.
lutely full Of hatred for it. For the creation
of publie,s opinion in these swift days
the press is supreme. II SO disposed the
editors of daily papers could render incal-
religious press should never be used fol
political purposes [hear. hear] and il
should do its work in learning and record
ing the progress of Gods work on earth.
4 "Ihe preacher has learned from the jour
nalist," said Mr.. Huges in conclusion, 'and
MI hot fhax, knar T. q
from us; for united, we and the journalists
can hasten the creation Of that state which
Christ is bringing to all lands, in which
there shall be no room for or sign of mis-
ery."
Rev. DR.. Ferguson, president of the Prim.
itive Methodist church of England, could
not say Amen to DR.. Hughes assertion that
religious papers should not take cognizance
of politics. In England there were thous
ands of people that received their politics
not from daily papers, but from weekly re-
ligious journals and occasionally it became
necessary that religio,,politioal questions
ther into that subject, because he
fr@ friends. ~ fcries Of aoh, no."7 He had
been told that parts of this great country
we're influenced strongly by. tho Roman
Catholic power. 1t might be because that
also be because of their use of the press!
The churches should ally themselves with
the daily press and give the press thell
sympathy. Very few of tho mon who stood
at the head of the great dailies would reject
that alliance. The great questions OF the
day, questions of science, mortality and re,
ligion, should be dealt with, not in the pull
pit. but in the press. a
Rev. DR.. Buckley, editor Of the Christian
Advocate, believed the weekly religious
paper had greater influence in manufactur'
ing public opinion than the daily. lie war
severe in his criticisms upon the secular
press for it's treatment of serious topics
laughing at suicides and publishing scan.
dalous divorce cases.
| Mr.. Atkinson. an English member OF
parliament, thought religious papers shoulc
take no account of political matters. lie
was proud of DR.. Hughes as preacher, but
was not and never would be proud OF him
as an editor. When DR.. Hughes was in.
vited to come down from his high place as g
preacher to aid decrepit party, he said
he would. When he got down there he de-
livered himself of a sentence almost as neal
iiblasphemy as n religious man could have
come. The gavel fell at this point, but At
kinson called out, 1T was merely ques-
tion as to how Jesus Christ would speak or
the Irish question"
Rev. DIR. Balmer, of England, aroused
Mr.. Atkinson by expressing gratitude to Dr
Hughes, and adding that condemnation bJ
some speakers was equivalent to the praise
of others, whereupon Mr.. Atkinson, will
some spirit, demanded to know''if that SO
of insinuation is to be brought forward OF
another brother" Tho chairman re-
stored order and DR.. Balmer withdrew
his remark. but soon aroused Atkinson
again by referring to n remark made BY
Mr. Shape to the effect that ono of the
English political parties had ridden intt
power on beer barrel, and. adding, 1--WE
have never learned that their body wal
divorced from the barrel"
Atkinson replied exoitedly that the part,
never was married to it. DIR. Balmel
reioined that he was GO years OF ago and al
competent to form a Judgment as Others
At this stage DIR. Morley, of New Ioaland
raised n point of order that English politics
could not be discussed i'll the conference
DIR. Balmer said his illusions had beer
called forth by preceding speakers and ht
hoped he would be allowed his full tvt
minutes. Atkinson subsided with parting
shot Of II hope yon won't" Dr. Balme
then finished his discussion of the prope
functions of the press.
OPPOSED TO REVISION.