The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-03
BISHOPS ADDRESS.
MethOdists Take Strong Ground
ON the Liquor Problem.

Chicago, May 3.-The interest of the
delegates to the Methodist conference
today was centered in the reading of
the bishops quadrennial address by
Bishop e. G. Andrews. The address,
which was prepared at a recent meeting
of the board of bishops in Indianapolis,
was called for by DR.. Frank M. Bris-
tol, of Washington. Bishop Andrews
was given close attention, and when
the spectators gathered from the re-
port that while the country had in
creased fourteen-fold during the past
hundred years the Methodist Episcopal
church had developed ninety-seven
fold, they applauded Enthusiastically.
The bishops address stated that the
church will not abandon its position on
h liquor question. On the contrary,
aroused and indignant at the agrees
sions of the liquor power, at the mex
cusable miscarriage of the
law,>and at the new perils in which the
nation is involving it's new possessions,
it will summon and pledge all ministers
and people to a more determined Strug-
gle against this enormous evil.
AS to marriage and divorce, Gin the
presence of this evil the church cannot
allow it's rules or the subject of divorce
and remarriage to bel in any case in
operative and void. Let, if need be, the
church law be amended to more per-
fectly express the New Testament rule
of marriage. But by the. voice of its
pUDllC dSSEIIlDll6S, Dy It's pu1D1lS, LII
by the judicious exercise of discipline,
the church should keep itself pure, and
aid the civil law and the practices of
society to become pure.
Closely associated with these evils
is the popular passion for unwholesome,
coarse and ~debauching a-musements-
Whoever watches the daily press cannot
miss the evidence of m degra-
dation in the theater. concert and dance
hall and on the race course. And the
tendency to great excess also in other
comparatively innocent forms of
amusement annot escape attention.
The seriousness of life seems largely
forgotten, it's opportunities of useful
ness u-noccupied, the vigilance necessary
for righteousness relaxed and the love
of the passing world gaining in master
fulness. 1t is not to De wondered at
that every earnest age has tended to
~reprobate all amuSementS as incom-
patible with Christian life. Experience
has shown that it is impossible to i'm
pose on youthful and immature Chris
tianS a law which many a sanity soul,
of thoughtful choice imposes on itself.
The attempt to enforce absolute alb
stention from recreative amusement re-
acts toward unrefrained indulgence. A
distinction betWeen the admissible and
the inadmiSsible is, therefore, imper-
alive.
S great is the danger to spiritual
life that we suggest that it would be
profitable to place among h special ad-
vices of the discipline a brief but cogept
statement of the perils which attach to
manya musementSo of the evils INSOFAR
able from others, and of the principles
by which the Christian should regulate
his choice among and his use of them"
The address recommends either the
abolition of the time limit on pastorates
or a return to the old three year limit
rule.
When the business session got under
way 20 a~lternates were seated in place
of absent delegates, Frank Kern being
given the seat made vacant by the
withdrawal of Mrs. M. Y. McMahan,
John H. Cissell, northwest Indiana con
ference, then made a motion modifying
a former action and directing that the
committee on boundaries be formed in
rules of the discipline. The discipline
provides that this committee shall be
composed of one minister from each
conference n presided over by a
bishop. DR.. J. M. Buckley protested
against the adoption of this motion and
substituted another giving the commit
tee an equal number of lay and official
delegates. DR.. Buckley's motion was
carried under suspension of the rules.
A committee was appoined to invest
igate the case of Caleb Butterworth, of
Camden, N. J.. as his right to a seat
Was questioned yesterday.
Then the conference came to the mat
ter of forming the standing committees.
The list of conferences was called and
each landed in its nomination. for the
IA committees. Secretary Monroe an
%nounced that it would take him several
hours to arrang the list of narCes in
roper order and accordingly it was
agreed that the committees should meet
later in the Gay for organization. This
having been accomplished, a ten minute
recess was taken.
--nW