The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-25
M'CABE IS HERE
TALKS ENTHUSIASTICALLY ABOUT
THE METHODIST CHURCH
He VIII Dedicate the Central-Ayenue
Church sunday-SchooI Room
This Afternoon.

Bishop McCabe, of Evanston. ILL.,, who
has been invited to dedicate the Sunday
school extension to the Central-avenue NJ.
K. Church to-day, arrived in the city last
night. During his stay he will be the guest
OF Mr.. and Mrs. William T. Brown at 1871
Park avenue. When seen by a reporter at
the residence OF Mr.. Brown last evening
the bishop expressed himself as being in
the best OF health, and said he was not in
the least fatigue from his journey. Said
he: 81 just feel in the humor for work,
and | guess 1 will find enough during my
short stay in your city to keep me busy.
In the morning 1 will preach a sermon on
Church Buildings in the afternoon we will
dedicate the Sunday-schooI room, and in
the evening l will preach again, but have
not yet decided upon my text"
When asked If it were true that the
Methodist Church was declining the bishop
replied: AZ am glad you asked that ques-
ton. 1t has been said that during the last
twenty-five years the Methodist Church
has been steadily declining. Nothing was
ever further from the ruth. You may say
for me that during that period of time the
church has gained more than a solid mil
lion Of members, and to-day her increase
in membership is greater than the total
membership of any denomination in the
country, with the exception Of three-the
Baptists, the Disciples and the Lutherans.
l have seen it stated that there has been
a decrease of 21.ooO in the membership of
the church, but the unthinking do not
know that this decrease is entirely con-
fined to the probationers, which means, in
other words, hat this loss 10 the whole
church is less than one member to the
church, for If every church would drop but
one OF it's .probationers it would mean a
decrease to the whole church of more than
q, 200 members.
Another indication of the great progress
being made by the Methodist Church is
evidenced I'm the great number of churches
that are being built. / alone. in the last
year, have received sixty invitations to
dedicate as many churches. / could accept
but ten OF them, for / did not have the
time. but it means something, doesn't it?
And 1t means a great deal more when you
think that L am only one of sixteen bishops
In the great Methodist Church. / know
that at least one of them has received for
ty-seven invitations to dedicate churches,
and / haven't heard from the others.
1.-THE Methodist church has it's era of
spiritual prosperity, and it's era of material
prosperity; or, in other words, its REVEALS
and its church building. This is one of the
greatest eras of material progress she has
ever known"
When asked about representation of the
laymen at the next conference in Chicago
the bishop replied without hesitation: 1.-THE
conference will unanimously vote for an
equal representation, and the Chicago con-
ference will be one of the greatest in the
history of the church. 1t Is right that the
laymen should have an equal representa-
ton, and while there are some who are
conscientiously opposed to the seating of
the lay delegates on the ground that u
a representation would be illegal, yet their
opposition will not be formidable AT the
conclusion of the short interview the bish-
op said that he regretted that he had not
more time, as nothing afforded him more
pleasure than to talk to the people through
the press.
The bishop was compelled to hurry to a
meeting of the official body Of the Central
avenue Church, where plans were discussed
for raising the $4,000 Indebtedness on the
new extension, which is to be dedicated at
2:30 o'clock this afternoon. 1t was thought
by the officers last night that no trouble
would be experienced in raising the money,
especially when they had the aid of Bishop
McCabe.