The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-19
Absolutely Pure---Guaranteed.
again made publishing agents for term
OF four years.

That the action OF the 6S .''1'5>.' ~,
encc In adopting the resolution provao'. -
a.. tta nnnointment of n commission to
r,aet With similar commissions from other
branches OF the great Methodist churches
coused far graver concern to the ~
called conservatives than the case JUST
tilted il the conviction OF the proeres.
ave elen,ont, Tho grand old MethodiS't
ship Ia In no danger Of being driven upoh
Tho rocks. they nl,ltnin, and are Qu.te
confident. that when the clouds or smoke
Incident 10 the recent battle concerning
the question shall have cleared away ava !.
will be evident that the old bark "! H,'
has borne many thousands TO the o pll,
shore viii be found to be IN SAFE hands
in whose CONTROL she Will carry many man
thousands more over tho same course
IN that is desired Is to strengthen the
s,dea Of the craft and increase It's re-
Stating power so that no matter now
great the storms which may arise, IT WI!
be In position to ride the waves ana
steer straight for the haven, regardless
of the elements.
ed similarity In the positions OF the Two
factons-the conservatives ana the p'o-3
gressiye-and upon careful analysis It is
surprising that the two should have found
reconciliation quite imposs ible.
The Difference. 3.ls I.
In the first place neither side proposes
to retreat from any position that me
church has ever occupied with reference , !
to any OF the questions dealt with IN
the articles OF religion. The prosrcsslves
lust as strongly as the 5conserxatives m
sst that, they do,noti intend that ia sitsle
one Of the PARTICLES Eshall be dropped Or
abrogated Both sides are firm IN lthelr
convic ton that the present atement or
faith is sound In every particular me
conservatives even admit that the articles
do not include all that Methodism STANDS
for.
9 The difference is this. The progressiYes
feel that within the last hundred and
twenty years the church has advanced
in thought, and has conquered territory
from, the enemy, and should fortlty y, to
use the Language Of one of the q speak *
ers on that sIde o}t tliea desti9n; the
church, Il ia said, has i;woESel ,.ant dues
lions within that time and l3fshoildy de-
clare Itself forithe benefit Of the hundreds
Of thousands Of Methodists throughout
the world, and thai the world may Know
accurately and clearly what Met ho '11
stands for
The conservatives on the other hand be-
lieye thnt the time is not ripe for slch
n change, that the{ church can well fat-
ford To- walt until the times shall nave
become more settled !; that the present
statement has done good service JOE
nearly a zcenturysand4a .quarterrla.hd u tliaI
1T should obei retained In ORDER h'll ti'e
membership ofGthe church, may nave
freedom Eof thought.
Will Take Long Time.
The proposed action contemplates the
snnnointment Of commissions by tho Meth
odist Episcopal Church, the Canadian
,,ethodist Church, the Wesleyan Metho-
dist Church OF England and other sinal!er
branches. In the event that the poules
concur in the idea It will require at Elease
two years md possibly three years for all
the commissions to be appointed owing to
the time ut which the general conferences
of the various branches meet. SUI ~
the event, all the branches respond TO
the invitation the joint commission VII
have had full year TO discuss the mat
ter by the time the next general con-
ference OF the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, meets.
Dir. Dinsdnle r. Young, the fraternal
delegate from the British Wesleyan con-
ference, doubts whether under the poll
deed OF John Wesley, the Wesleyan
Church will be authorized to&mnkc any
restatement or revision Of Its articles or
faith without special act OF parliament.
This statement is nffording degree or
satisfaction to the conservatives who 90
not hesitate to assert that the revision
vii never be made, ms provided Tor by
the resolution Just adopted.