The St. Louis Republic., 1900-05-04
Quadrennial Episcopal Letter Read
10 the Methodist Dele
gates.
DEALS WITH TEMPTATIONS.
Condemns "the Popular Passion
for Cnwholesome. Coarse and
Debauching Amuse-
meutS.

| Chicago. May 3.-Th- interest Of the dele
gates 10 the Methodist Conference to-day
was ceItered In the reading OF the Bishops
I quadrenniat address by Bishop f. e. An
drevs The address. which was prepared ~
recent meeting of the Board OF Bishops
IN Indianapolis was called for by Doctor
F! Frank NJ. Bristol of Washin gtun
Bishop Andrews was given close atten-
tion, and when ;he spectators gathered
! from the report that while the country
had increased fourteen-fold during the past
hundred years, the Methodist Episcopal
Church had developed ninety
they applauIcd enthusiastically.
The Bishops address stated that the
church Will not abandon lis position on the
liquor question. TN the contrary. aroused
and indignant at the aggression OF the
liquor power and the incxrusaile rnis-ar-
rage OF the anti-cantecn law and at the
new pcrils IN which the nation is inv0lv-
Ing It's new possessions. n Will summon and
pledge the ministers and people 10 more
cctermire! struggle against this enormous
evil.
Marriage and Divorce.
As to marriage and divorce, "In the pres
ence Of this evil the church cannot allow its
rules on the subject of divorce and re-
marriage to be In any case imperative and
vcid. Let, IL need he, the church ,aw he
amended to more perfectly express the
New Testament rule Of marriage. But By
the voice Of its public assemblies BY its
prlrltS. ana by the judicious exercise Of
pure. and aid the civil law and the practices
or society to become pure.
UnwhOlesOme musementS.
"Clesely associated with these evils is the
and debauching amuseInents. Whoever
Watches the daily pres cannot mss the
evidence of shameful degradation in the
theater. concert and dance hail. and on
the race course. And the tendency to great
excess. also. in other comparatively inno-
cent forms Of amusement cannot escape at
tentlCn.
- he seriousness of life seems largely cor.
gotten. its opportunities Of usefulness un-
occupied. the vigilance necessary for right
eousness relaxed and the love of the Passing
world gaining in mastcrfulness IL IS not
To be wondered that every age has tended
70 rsprobate all amusenents as incompat- =
IDLE with Christian Nfe.
Experience has shown that il is lr1possi-
BILE TO impose on youthful and imma ture
christians law which many sanity
soul. OF thoughtful choice. imposes on it,
self. The attemp: to enforce absolute alb
stension from recrea:iye amuseraents re-
acts toward unrefrained Indulgence.
A discrimination between the admissible
and the inadnissible Is. therefore. inIpera-
tive. So great Is the danger to spiritual:
HE that We suggest that IL would be prof
liable 10 place among the special a6vlCes
or the Discipline a brief bat cogent state
nls nj Of the psrils which attach TO many
amrsements. of the evils inseparaDle from
offers, and of the principles by which the
Christian should regulate his choice among
aud his use Of them,
The address recommends either the aholi-
non or the time limit On pastorates or a
return To the old three-year lini; rule.
Business Session.
When the business session got under way
twenty aitsrnates were seated in place OF
absent delegates. Frank Kern being given
the seat made vacant by the withdrawal of
Mrs, NJ. \. NcMahan. John III. CisSell.
Northwest Indiana Conference, then made
motion modifying n former action and di
recting that the Committee on Boundaries
he formed In accordance with the proyi-
sions OF the rules OF the Discipline.
The Discipline provides that this commit
each conference and presided over by a
Bishop. Doctor J. NJ. Buckley protested
against the adoption Of this motion, ami
substituted another. giving the committee
an equal number Of lay and OF clerical dele
gates. Doctor Buckleys motion was car
ried under suspension of the rules.
committee WAS appointed TO investigate
the case of Caleb Butterwcrth of Camden.
y. J.. as his right TO a seat was ques-
TONED yesterday.
Then the conference came to the matter
of forming the standing committees. The
handed In its nominations for the four
teen committees. Secretary Monroe an
nourced that IL would take him several
hours to arrange the list OF names in prop
er order, and. accordingly. 1t WAS agreed
that the committees should meet later for
organization. This having been accom-
pEs he'd, q recess was taken. Following the
recess the quadrennial address of the
Bishops was read hy BiShor Andrews
The session then adjourned.