The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-20
ATTACK CATHOLICISM.
Methodist Bishops Make Fierce On
slaught on Church of Rome

slaught on Church of Rome
New York, Nov. 20.-Two fierce on
slaughts on the church Of Rome enilV-
ened the proceedings Of the general mis-
sionary committee. On each occasion an
audience which filled every part OF the
large auditorium in St Pauls NJ h.
church where the committee IS meetlns,
broke into applause and no effort was
made by the chair to check these DEM
constructions of approval
The general committee which is COM
posed of all the bishops and leading d.
vines in the Methodist church of Amer
lea has been in session daily since We'd
nesday last Upon several occasions
during former sessions when reference
has been made to anything pertaining
to the Roman Catholic church the same
spirit of defiance has been apparent
Upon no former occasions however, has
that church been denounced in terms so
unqualified nor has the approval Of the
audience been given vent in so vigorous
applause.
The first person to advance to the at
tack was Bishop Goodsell, of Tennessee
In the course of an address on the work
of the Methodist Episcopal church in
various parts OF Europe he had occasion
to speak of the work done in Italy and
conditions obtaining there. 1t was IN
the recital of the latter that the bishop
used such strong language against the
church of Rome.
In Northern Europe, for instance, In
Germany and the Scandinavian coun-
tries" the bishop said, I'VE have made
satisfactory progress, though we nave
had great deal of indifference and even
opposition to contend with. Statistics
show that we have made as much head
way during the first 50 years in Europe
as we have in the same period in this
country, which offers a more congenia1
soil for our creed
IN southern Europe the conditions
are somewhat different There the Strug-
gle has been harder. There are many
who doubt whether we have any work
al t,1xx 11-, o. inn.
and priestcraft. Whether we could ever
hope to accomplish anything there in
the face of the tremendous press Of ad-
verse thought with which we are con-
fronted, the fact is that we sent one Of
our workers into Italy. He soon made
up his mind that in Rome we had to do
do the Romans He began by train
ing the young, by taking them into our
schools and Sen1inaries.
The work is slow, but its value has
been recently testified to by the pontiff
himself, who has hOnOred US by excom-
munIcaCnS everyone, teachers and pu-
pills alike, connected with our inStitu-
tionS of learning. In the effort TO pre-
serve for himself the triple crown of
papacy he has issued a sweeping inter
dict against the schools and every one
passing through their gates. This, how
ever, has only made US more determined
to wipe out a system which has created
cut of the former man of empire 4
cringing beggar with monkey and a
grindorgan-"
The applause which greeted this sally
was deafening.
The next speaker threw the gauntlet
to the church Of Rome in terms as direct
and condemnatory as did Bishop Good
sell. This was Rev. DR.. c. W. DreeS,
who for q number of years has been
identified with the work Of the NJ. Z.
church in South America and was ap-
pointed by the committee to take over
the supervision of the work among the
Spanish speaking nations on this CONT
sell he, s-
only member of the committee, who in
the course of his labor has come in di-
rect contact with the work of the Ro-
man Catholic church
In beginning his address DR.. Drees
made reference to the end of Spanish
rule in this hemisphere, and was round
" applauded. He said:
1t was wise Of the chairman to call
the subject on which I am to speak, the
work among the Spanish-speaking in
habitantS of America. Happily there is
no longer a Spanish-America. The last
vestige of Spanish domination in this
hemisphere disappeared when the old
Spanish battleship Maria Teresa in be-
ing lowed to this country after having
been wrecked by our guns, laid her
bones to rest on the sands of the island,
which was the first territory discovered.
"a former speaker has said that a
condition where half of the world is
pagan and the other half Christian can
not long endure. The same can be said
with much truth of a state of affairs
where ChristendOm is divided into two
great camps, with professionalism on one
side and Greek and Roman Catholicism
on the other. The time is upon US when
a new the questions which appeared in
the Protestant reformation Will begin
to agitate the world and demand to be
pushed to their final issue. After SUM-
bering for four centuries these Self-same
questions were awakened through the
last act of infamy of the pOntiff in de-
claring himself infallible. Within "a
hours after that blasphemous declara-
ton had been written on the triple
crown Of Rome, the Prussian armies in
vaded Catholic France. F'orty-five DAYS
later the battle of Sedan was fought
with Protestant Prussia the victor, and
20 days only elapsed when the united ar
mics entered the Holy City where the
pope held sway, bringing with them car
loads of Bibles. The pope lost his tenn
peral power and since that day the creed
has been weakening.
The Roman church at one time held
sway everywhere, but now both that
church and Spanish domination have
fallen off their high pedestals. When
Spain is arraigned the Catholic church
should be arraigned with the emperor as
correspondent Every since Isabelle
signed away the liberty of Spain to the
pope there has been an illegitimate al
lance between statecraft and priest
craft against human liberty and human
progress"
The applause which followed this sal
" was a tremendous as it was spon-