The morning call., 1891-10-20
The METHODISTS.
Eleventh Days Session Of the
Conference.
Interesting Address Issued by The Ecu
meniCal Council.
Work of the ChuFCh-DutieS Of The Clergy
and the Laity-llfuelCa
Of Women.
Epecial to THE MORNING CALI


chair.
The committee made a report upon the
subject of the week of prayer, recommend
ing the week beginning November 10Th next
be set aside for that purpose. The report
was adopted.
The Committee on Methodist Statistics
reported that since the London Ecumenical
Council there had been an increase of 80 per
cent in Methodist believers. The report
shows that the ministers. number 1885,
members 6,495,399. and adherents 25.37S,0O0
The report was adopted.
A resolution was adopted making to-mor-
rows session the last of the conference.
The report Of the Committee on Execu-
tive Session recommended that the third
Ecumenical Council be held in 1901, and
that an Executive Commission, to consist
of eighty members, divided into two sec
tions. called. respectively, the Eastern Sec
ton and the Western Section, be appointed.
to make the necessary arrangements for the
next conference. The report went over
until tomorrow, and the topic of the day,
"The Church and Public Morality" was
taken up.
After reading an essay by B. W. b. Hill OF
Macon. Ga, on the Legal Restraint Of the
Vices Of Society,"" Rev. Joseph Posnett Of
the Wesleyan Methodist Church at Hull,
England, delivered the first appointed ad-
dress of the morning session. His subject
was the same as that of the essay.
Judge II. L. Sidley OF Marietta, Ohio:
spoke on Marriage and Divorce Laws"
His proposition was that the right to di-
vOrce is cUmplemental to and demanded by
the right to marriage, not only in cases of
unfaithfulness. but also of desertion. Mar:
riage was means, not an end, special
cases excepted. God and nature had made
those relations the universal right OF mature
men and women.
Thomas Ruddle, head master of the Bible
Christian College, Devon, England, spoke
on the attitude of the church toward amuse-
ments lie said there is nothing in the
spirit of the New Testament opposed to the
moderate and rational use OF anHsemeuts.
Whatever may be the duty Of the church
toward amusements it is obviously not her
duty to be hostile toward them.
Bishop FosS of Philadelphia said the ur-
gent need of children was play, and as for
athletics, the j0lier the better if they were
harmless, but if training made nothing but
splendid hrutes church and college should put
the III out. The Sunday paper, lie said, was
indictable before the bar OF God. and the
church stood with it partlceps crimlns.
Rev. Mr.. BOlmer of Manchester, England,
recognize the need of the people for amuSe-
ment. He strolled once into the Lyceum
Theater and found so many preachers there
that he thought for moment lie was in
an ecumenical council. People would go 10
the theater. The theaters were full, while
the chapels were half empty. The church
should purify the theater, and 30 do it
church members would have to go there.
mingled cries If "Oh, no." and You are
right
Rev. Mr.. Hubbard of Baltimore feared
that the gates were too widely opened.
I'VE have got in the dance ahd the theater,
and by and by we will get In the circus"
said he.
ADDRESS TO METHoDIsTs.
During the afternoon session DR.. Chap
man of England, from the committee
charged with its preparation, read the ad-
dress OF the Ecumenical Conference to
Methodists throughout the world. 1t sends
greeting to the brethren in every land to
which the common faith has spread, and
glorifes God for the prosperity he has given
the Methodist churches, under which they
have grown until they number %. 900, 900 ad-
herents. He says: "By the most in
exorabe tests Methodsm has been proved
to be singularly adapted to the needs of
man. Although many adjustments and de-
velOpments must undoubtedly be made to
accomplish fully our mission, let US beware
of thinking that any vital changes are
means under the blessing of God, our pros
perity will grow. We rejoice to recognize
the substantial unity which exists among
the various Methodist bOdes-the firm basis
in common creed. We are proud of the
same spiritual ancestry; we sing the same
holy hymns; our modes of worship are very
similar. and what is mcst important OF all,
the type of religious experience is funda-
mentally the same throughout the Metho-
dist world. Rejoicing in these things, we
f.Ns- al
Grafton of Methodist churches. both home
and abroad. which shall prevent waste of
power and unhalOwed rivalry.
1--WE need to combine our energies, for
the work We have to do is vast and urgent.
Skepticsm and Indifference, so natural to
the human heart have been REINFORCED by
the abuse of science and philosophy. The
hard lots of millions makes it difficult for
them to believe in God. There is so much
that the churches have not done to redress
the wrongs and heals the sutferiDgs of mau-
kind that it is hard for many to believe in
their divine mission. Let us preach and
live the gospel of Christ in its integrity. dis
missing all narrow conception of our duty;
let us trace the moral evil Of men TO its true
sources in their surroundings. their physical
natures, their ignorance, their passions and
their will, and set ourselves TO deal COM
prehensively with them. To do this It will
be necessary for the members of our
churches to make full use of their political
rights; for to allow the great powers Of law
and government and their still greater in
flueuce to fall into the hands OF ungodly
men would be incredible folly and sin. God
forbid that any of our churches should be-
come the instrument of political parties.
When member takes a place III that poll
tical connection which is most in harmony
with his ideas and convictions let h m
never forget that there are great moral inter-
estS, superior to all party eXigencies, in
which hn SppE first the king of
God and his righteousness. Every proposal
that imperils the sanctity OF the home, the
purity of women. the innocence OF children.
that violates the Christian Sabbath, that
sanctions, and increases wrongs, should be
impartially and earnestly resisted.
"Of few of the great evils which admit
in some degree of public treatment, we can
not be silent. Intemperance, the fruitful
mother of a brood of evils, is largely Gre
ated by legal temptation. Is it too much to
ask that our people combine to use all the
| legal instruments to abate this wanton
solicitation of men to vice and crime? Let
| us discourage in every way gambling and
betting, which spring from a love of excite
ment and the lust OF gain-two of the be-
| setting evils of the modern world; let us
| abstain from all reckless speculation In bus
| iness which cannot be distinguished EX-
cessive and unfair competition should be
| steadily avoided and disc0untenanced. And
shall we not do all we can to mold public
| opinion and eStaDllSh courts OF arbltratlon,
that the complicated crime of aggressive
war may be averted?
"We need to employ with the utmost
| economy all our resources. One secret of
| the strength of Methodism has been the free
| play which it allows TO gifts and energies OF
the laity. 1t is to be hoped that the multi
| plication of ministers may not tempt us to
think lay preaching is unnecessary. Among
the wasted treasures of the church are the
delicate sensibilties, the tact, the tender
| ness, the persuasive powers OF holy women.
We are all agreed that the needs
of the world require. and the conditions
of the age allow, that such women should
take more prominent place in the work oi
the church. The means of grace, in which
Methodism is so rich, are a congenla!
sphere for their best talent in the social