The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-25
SCHELL AND ROYALTIES
EPwORTH BOARD OF CONTROL WILL
INVESTIGATE CHARGES TODAY.
Hints of Larger "Mare's Nest
Bishop McCabe Defends the
Book Concern.

the BOARD or contrOl or the EpHOTtn League
last night. though all are stopping at the
Denison. and those that could be found
were extremely uncommunicative about the
interesting portion of the boards delibera-
tioDs-the investigation OF the alleged
charges against Edwin A. schell general
secretary of the league. You'll hear all
about it Tomorrow" was the most salts
factory information that could be obtained.
1t was evident that there had been an
agreement between the big Methodists"
that all should keep mum about the mat
ter. Bishop McCabe said Mr.. Schell was
as good and true man as there was in
the Methodist Church" A member of the
book committee. however in a noncommit-
tai sort of conversation said: There's a
bigger mares nest than the charges that
Mr.. Schell accepted royalties on hymn
books"
After much pressing he consented to ex-
plain the situation. Mr. Schell. he said, as
chairman of the Epworth League, was also
editor of the Epworth League literature.
The writers of literature and song books
submitted their work TO Mr.. Schel He
passed on it, and if he approved of 1t he
turned 1t over to the Methodist Book Con-
Germ to be published. 1t would be possible
for Mr.. Schell, this member of the book
committee said, to make the writer's con-
sent to pay him royalty on their work in
consideration Of his approving it for pub
lication. 1t is alleged that Mr.. Schell did
accept royalties on hymn book written by
Professor Excel, the singing evangelist.
Whether these royalties that Mr.. Schell is
alleged to have accepted amounted to 5000
or $50. the members of the book committee
refused to say. He intimated that there
were others concerned besides Mr.. Schell,
and In speaking OF another mares nest"
he limited at further complications.
Mr.. Schell was in consultation with his
friends last night. When he was asked
about the alleged charges against him he
replied, Il have nothing to say
DENOUNCES METHODIST OBSERVER
Bishop McCabe was interested in denounc-
Ing as false implications in a lengthy state
ment printed in an afternoon paper yes
terday and signed Methodist Observer"
Particularly, the bishop wished to clay a
little truth against the falsehood'' OF the
charge that the Methodist Book Concern
was not solid.
The Book Concern has gone through one
hundred panics unscathed," he said 1T has
been managed by preachers all the time,
with the exception OF j. w. Phillips, lay
man. 1t was begun on $500 borrowed capt.
tai; its assets are now s., 800, 600. 1t pays
an annuity to wornout preachers every year
or about $4,000. 1t has kept this up for
years. Its standing is A No. 1 in all cities,
East and West. In order TO furnish relig-
ious literature 20 the South and far West
it pays $4,000 annually for the support of
weak papers. Besides doing all this, it has
constantly added to its capital until 1t has
reached the vast amount named. 1t is the
pride Of the Methodist Church.
I'm the last four years it has sold s., 900, 900
worth of books and periodicals. No man can
get elected to the office of book agent in
any church until he proves himself to be
a good business man, and our credit to-day
is good as any business house in the
country and that fact is sufficient evidence
that the criticism of Methodist Observer is
unjust, unfair and absurd.
1T will be quite/an item Of news to Dr.
Buckley to know that he has received SIS, COO
royalties from Harpers on his History Of
Methodism,' and i am sure he would be very
much obliged to Methodist Observer if he
would tell him where the money is. Meth
odist Observer is pretty severe on bishops
who lecture once in awhile and get paid for
IT. Not long since Bishop Newman gave
$1,000 to an object, every dollar of which he
had made by lectures. He also left an en-
dowment, the interest OF which is to pay
the tuition of thirty students in perpetuity
He never kept cent Of the money he earned
by lectures One Of our bishops gave 5000
to found an orphanage in China from money
he earned lecturing. This year he is sup
porting missionaries, which will require
more than 5000 and which money he is
earning in lectures. One of our bishops has
made $4,000 by lecturing and he has paid
it all over to the church. The charge that
bishops enrich themselves in this way is abb
surd and false. Most OF our bishops are
carrying debts to-day in advance because
they have given money to help feeble
churches and our missionaries on the from
tiers"
REPORTS FROM THE LEAGUE.
Reports from the league were approved by
the board yesterday. Mr.. Schell's report was
as follows:
Many of the great expectations enter
tanned at the meeting of the board of con-
troll two years ago have beeen fully real
lied. We have steadily grown until to-day
we number rs. 450 chapters. with a member
snip or more than l.7500O0 in our own Meth
odist Church alone. New chapters have
been established in Liberia, Hawaii, Alas
ka, Russia, and Bishop McCabe is eagerly
Mia. Our japanese and Chinese chapters
have rapidly increased in numbers. A Ger
man chapter in Zurich, Switzerland, num-
bers 300 members. The banner colored chap
ter Is at Charleston, s. G.
"There has been, moreover, observable a
deepening Of the spiritual life of our mem
bers. New attention has been shown to Sc
curing the membership of the boys and
girls in the church; the diffusion OF our So
cial spirit has disposed hundreds of thou
sands to a friendly attitude toward the
church and secured to literal thousands an
actual grating into the great vine. That
the spirit or Methodism is more generally
appreciated; that our Sunday congregations
are better attended; that missionary facts
| are more widely disseminated; that an hon
| est attempt has been made to answer the
| question OF the presiding elder, Have the
rules for the instruction of children beer
| observed?; that Methodism is more firmly
set for the absolute prohibition of the
| for the study of Gods word. for maintain.
| ing the essentials OF the class meeting anC
Tor giving the peculiar Wesleyan a fuller
exemphhcation in daily life L am ready tC
| stoutly affirm.
| 1T would not be strange il the edge Of
/ interest in the Epworth League had slight
| ~ dulled in the last two years. We ante
| GATE the Methodist Insurance Society anC
| the brotherhood movement both of which
/ divide TO the attention of the church
| while a great war, with its bursts OF pa
| triouc feeling, has naturally diverted som,
| or the energy and enthusiasm which for
| merry flowed through Epworth Leagu,
| CHANNELS. The circulation of the Epwortl
league Reading Course has not increased
| beyond the number OF volumes reporte,
two years ago, and the Epworth Englisl
| Bible Course has languished because IN,
| second volume has not been forthcoming
| Beyond these two items everything n
| the way OF our literature has been prosner
nj huNrs 10 ll--l