The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-14
Ajacchus' Advice.
The MefhodiSfs
in Washington
Special Correspondence OF The Tribune.

Special Correspondence OF The Tribune.
Washington, April IS.
THE AVERAGE Methodist preacher is not
only godly man, useful citizen, dolni-
u mating evangel in Christian and communal
civilization, and being practical, sensible,
unselfsh man, and an acute observer of current
happenings, he is, unwittingly, perhaps, good
politician. Every consideration, as rule, in
his estimation, is subordnated to God and
country.
lie always spells country with big C. His
life is spent among the plain people and he
absorbs all that is good and exemplary and
patriotic in such association. He is not a
politician in the common and disreputable &C.
ccptation He is discerning reader, close
observer Of secular affairs, and what he
says in that direction, however indirectly it
may be said, is sometimes worth more TO the
cause Of decent politics than volumes OF The
Congressional Record or than tons OF campaign
literature, or than a brigade Of spell-binders
Nobody more than the average politician knows
this.
The general conferences Of the Northern and
Southern Methodist church met in Washington
last week The meeting Of the two conferences
within a stones throw OF each other was an
impressive event in the wonderful history OF
this great ecclesiastical body.
TO the stranger who dropped in at the Metro.
politan church, where Grant worshipped and
where President Mckinley is now a Jealous
member, and who later looked in on the South.
ern conference at the modest Mount Vernon
Square church. there was no difference. The
personnel of the two bodies hardly attracted al
tention. Even that distinctive Southern accent
was missing in the Southern conference with
notable exceptions. The division of the church
on sectional lines seems TO be irevocably in
the dead past, and is maintained mainly because
its numerical growth demands separate organi.
cations.
The meeting Of the two conferences in this
presidential election year in Washington may
not have been foreordaned, but it was a very
timely event. Members Of congress had an ex.
ceptional opportunity to hear directly from the
moral public sentiment of the country. It goes
without the saying they took every advantage,
early and late, OF il to mingle with "the
brethren" II was impossible TO keep a quorum
of the house at the capitol and in the absence OF
the fiery SoutheTner (who was meeting regularly
and conspcuously with the ''circuit rider from
his congressional district who demands a quo.
rum all occasions by way OF emphasizing the
old Calhound screed that "the constitution .ol
lows the flag" no member had the temerity 10
suggest it. The absent member was either at
the Southern or Northern conference, and from
all that can be learned and from what has
leaked out in unexpected places, he got some
information that he was not looking for. One
incident illustrates il. "After talking seriously
with several well known preachers from my
state" remarked Western member ~ have
concluded that the Methodist church is think.
ing more about the free souls that will follow
American civilization in Puerto Rico and the
Philippines than free trade, and l am beginning
to think, after all, we Democrats have made =
nice mess Of the whole thing"
MAY BE THE END OF DEWEY.
An incident in Thursdays Northern conference
illustrates the readiness and perception OF the
average conference member and shows the drift
Of things from the campaign standpoint.
Rev. Charles Jones, while attempting to in