The Washington times., 1895-03-09
Bishop Andrews Says Or. Park
hurst Has Done a Great Work.
NOT EVERY ONE FIT FOR 1T
He Doubts if 1t Lies Properly Within q
ClergYman's Province to Engage Upon
more Conference Promise to Abstain from
Tobaccc-W Withdrawal of Minister.

Baltimore, March Sat the forenoon
session of the Baltimore conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church this morn
ing Revs l.. f. Dutton, John L. Ensor, and
Amos f. Spielman were taken into full
membership Dr. j. NJ Buckley ana Bishop
Andrews, of New York, delivered addresses
The bishop said:
''Dr Parkhurst has done a great work in
New York. but the trouble about it, as see
it, is that there will be a great many weak
lings over the country endeaYoring to imi-
tate him. DR.. Parkhurst has been labor
ing, / think, under very special call.
Not every one has a call to that kind OF
work. 1t does not seem TO me to be the
province Of the pulpit to discuss questions
of currency, law, strikes, and the rights
of labor and capital.
NOT QUESTIONS FOR THE PULPIT.
when a minister OF the gospel speaks
on these questions he ought to be very mod
est and conservative about it. These great
questions are not such as may be easily
solved by minister of Christ, whose prin-
cipal business is to set mems hearts and
consciences right. II does not seem TO me
to be the province of the pulpit to settle
these questions. Rather ii is The duty OF
the minister to build up Christian men, a
strong body of laymen filled with right
principles. and they viii go forth and settle
these questions of the world.
1T may be, however, that occasionally
the time and circumstances may make 1t
advisable that the minister should speak
TO his congregation on the desirability Of
applying Christianity in some particular
direction. / So he should do il with wis
dom and discretion"
HOUSE TO HOUSE VISITS.
Bishop Andrews called attention TO the
serious phases OF the work OF St. Paul,
his tact, versatility, faithfulness, methods
of work, etc He advised ministers to
visit from house to house and not to use
manuscript in tie pulpit
Rev. Dr.. Buckley, representing tn @
New York Christian Advocate, told q
number of anecdotes and discussed the
management Of the paper, telling OF the
communications received, attacking every
thing and everybody He believed every
part of the canon of the Holy Scriptures
| contained a revelation sufficient to guide
a man to salvation.
The livelieSt debate Of the session took
! place on a motion of Rev j A Price for the
| conference stewards to consider certain
| supernumerary preachers in distributing
necessitous funds
Rev Herbert Richardson opposed the
motion and moved 10 repeal the whole plan
| of distribution which, he said, cut off
| supernumeraries His motion was laid
on the table, and the present plan was
allowed to stand
The candidates received into the ministry
| to-day all promised to abstain from TIE use
! of tobacco.
FREE SUNDAY SCHOOL BOOKS.
Rev. DR.. Sanford Hunt, agent of the
Book Concern, said the Book Concern pro-
posed to furnish Sunday school literature
to schools as cheap as any other house, and
would give it away if the schools were too
/ poor to pay.
! Rev Dr. j. F. Goucher. president of the
| Women's College, in this city, took his
| place to-day in the conference, and asked
! to be recorded present" Dr. Goucher
! has just returned from tour of Egypt and
/ Palestine. He was obliged to hold an in
| formal reception. so great was the desire
to give him warm welcome home.
Rev. Wnlie Morgan Cross was allowed
| to withdraw. under charges. at his own re
! quest Several years ago Mr.. Cross, who
/ is not yet twenty-five years old, was en-
| gagged TO a lady living al Hancock, Md. He
| desired 10 break the engagement, Dut the
| lady refused. He ceased his attentions
| and married a lady of Baltimore.
The lady TO whom he had been engaged
reported to Presiding Elder Ferguson. An
| investigation followed, and Rev. Mr.. Cross
was suspended from the ministry, pending
trial by the conference. He is now a sue
| cessful business man.
Several members of the conference par
| ticipated in the funeral services of Joseph
| Newman Ruckle. He was the great
nephew of Barbara Heck, who, with Phil
! ip Embury, was Instrumental in introducing
| Methodism into this country.