The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-05-10

Bishop Andrews Address on the Va
riOUs Evils that Confront the
(hristinn

Chicago, May 3.-The feature to-day
at the Methodist General Conference
was the reading of the Bishops quad
rennial address by Bishop Andrews.
The address was prepared at a recent
meeting of the Board of Bishops in In
dianarOlis. 1t showed that during the
past hundred years the Methodist Epis-
copal Church had developed ninety
seven fold.
The Bishops address stated that the
church will not abandon it's proposition
on the liquor question. On the con-
trary aroused and indignant at the
aggressions of the liquor power, at the
lnexcusable miscarriage of the anti
canteeE law, and at the new perils in
which the nation is involving it's new
possessions, it will summon and pledge
all our ministers and people to a more
determined struggle against this enor-
nous evil
AS to marriage and divorce, the ad-
dress contiEGed: In the presence Of
this evil the church cannot allow its
rules on the subject of divorce and re-
marriage to be in any case imperative
and void. Let. if need be, the church
law be amended to more perfectly ex-
press the new testament rule Of mar
riage- But By the voice of it's public as
sembles, by its pulpits and by the
judicious exercise of discipline, the
churches 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 unwhole-
some, coarse and debauching amuse-
ments. Whoever watches the daily
press cannot miss the evidence Of the
shameful degradation in the theatre,
concert and dance hall. and on the race
course. And the tendency to
paratively innocent forms of amuse-
ment cannot escape attention.
The serious loss of life seems to be for
gotten, its opportunities of usefulness
unoccuped. the vigilance necessary for
Righteousness relaxed, and the love Of
the passing world gaining in master
fulness. 1t is not to be wondered at that
every earnest age has tended to re-
probate all amusements as incompati-
BILE with the Christian life. Experience
has shown that 1t is impossible to i'm
pose on youthful and immature Chris
tianS law which many a sanity SOUL
Of thoughtful choice. imposes on itself.
The attempt to enforce absolute alb
stenation of recreative amusements re-
acts toward unrefralned indulgence. A
discrimination between the admissible
end the inadmissible is, therefore, i'm
perative. So great is the danger to
spiritual life that We suggest that 1t
would be profitable to place among the
special advices of the discipline a brief
but cogent statement of the perils
which attach to n@ny amuSementS, OF
the evils il separabie from others and
Of the principles hy which the Christian
should regulate his choice among and
his use Cf then"
Thu address recommends either the
abolition OF the time limit on pastor
ates, or a return to the Ole three year
limit rule.
Bishop J. . Hartsell pleaded the
cause OF the Br!tJn in the Transvaal
tonight before IT audience that al
most filed The az ,.!toriurl. He spoke
frurt il. IF sSi@I.ss 1.ined by personal
l-S-I'r-ati, Il - -TditionS in South
III: =. Il, IN I-rsunal acquaintance
III. .'Ie q. a. i\rug.- and his advisors
- :.s..-- Csc stpGy Of law and The
,.-..ir = - - rf iaMs by the Govern
:,'--'.5 - -: -re was markedly pro-
=: 49, !.s IS $. this.