The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-22

discipline says that II shall have ruii
powers to make rules and reeuia,iohs
for our Church. with six res'ricuohs.
This body Ia composed OF an equai mum
Der OF clerical and lay representatives
elected by each annual conference. cierf
cal by clerical members. ana lay py iay
members This conference at its iasI
session, at Memphis, thought proper 10
incorporate the Epworth beafue mto
- ~ II CHURCH South; and to insure
,ts success uassed suitable laws for Its
conduct and elected a general secretary
mr. < A. steel, whose sole duty ~ 10
,ook after the interests or thls society'
Among the laws concerning IL Is tnat
recurring preachers to organize societies
in their churches and that making IL the
duty OF annual. district and quarterly
conferences to inquire into the WORKING
of the league IN each pastoral charge' IL
will be seen from this That our ihlihs teia'
I'm organizing the league in their charges
are doing the duty required OF them by
their Church. We force. we coerce no
ore. The Methodist Church does not
"trespass upon any ones religious hb-
erty." II one desires 10 unite with US
we deem It necessary that he shall prom
Use TO BE subject TO the discipline OF the
Church, attend upon its ordinances ana
support its institutions. i venture 10
say that within the bounds OF the "hoie
Church not CDe has ever ocen torced OF
coerced into joining any society against
their will.
.. The charge against the General Con
ference. bishops and ministers OF the
church. The folly Of UNCONVENTIONAL
zeal and knowledge OF Church history
being put In the place Of a spiritual So
cietv. is put IT the door OF those re-
sponsible for the Epworth League, ana
furthermore the sin of depressing the
voung pcople Of the Church. ana or
''persecuting persons and eociety by or
aanizing our own societies in our own
Church. are charges 50 void OF truth
that they fall 10y their own weight.
3. The charge against the bp"orth
League as an organization. In our DOCK
of discipline we have this questioh anu
answer. What directions shall be gwen
concerning the Epworth League? An
swer: Let EpwOrth Leagues De OF
ganized i'm our congregations for the pro-
motion of piety and loyalty to our Church
among the young people; their education
I'm the Bible and Christian literature, ana
their announcement in works or grace
and charity. (Sec. 2i0. Does II seem
from this that the object of the league
is other than an intelligent Scripturai
pety? Is our league "a heavy, laborl-
GUS extensive literary society, WIN
PRAYER meeting service attached, that
does not take with the young people
From n personal knowledge of leagues
I'm other cities, ] can say No. They
are eminentiy successful in spiritual up
building of their members-as much so as
any society / know Of. pastor SAID
few weeks ago that the league In his
church. in Il sister city, was spiritual
power among young and old. The TACT
that some leagues failed IN time past, De
fore the last session of our general con-
ference. is no argument against them
We have known Of Christian EndeaVor
societies TO die Christian EndeaVor so
cieties are good but for Methodist young
people. Epworth leagues are better -.
These heavy, laborious, expensive NJ
erarv societies" are increasing in our
church at a wonderful rate. The sec
retarv. DR.. Steel, writes: In the past
eight months we have issued charters 10
40 leagues" .,.o.
trust that my friend ana prother'
"OId Methodist" before he writes an
other ill-advised letter. charging folly ana
sin upon his Church, her bishops ana her
ministers. will inform himself ana put
himself IN sympathy with the Methodlsm
which he has wronged.
A YOUNG METHODIST