The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-05-11

brethren. With me it is a desire born
of this kindly mission. but is one l
have long cherished; one which time
has but strengthened and which your
hearty welcome has but quickened.
The trend of events seems to me to
lead to ultimate union. The progress
may be SLOW but l believe it to be
certain. The memorable logic of mu-
tual interests must lead us to a COM
mon conclusion. Union will come
through the subtle yet powerful in
fluence OF the law of gravitation, the
gravitation of mutual respect. of COM
mon faith. We have the same &C.
clesiastical policy and sing the praises
of the Master from common hymn
book. Lines of Latitude do not afford
an insuperable obstacle to ultimate
and permanent union. Ancient diff
ferences do not constitute an insur-
mountable objection. The church in
spires a feeling of brotherly love. 1t
teaches forgiveness, and if either
church has erred in the past, it has
long since been forgiven in the su-
preme chancellory where those who
misjudge for want of light are for
given. Nlethodism is too broad to be
bounded by sectional lines. 1t is too
SutiioiiS III ITO SAtltCu lful pOoc " Ut
restricted by limits less ample than
those of the republic.
| do not know how long the follow
ers of John Wesley will dwell apart
in the United States. l have faith to
believe that the barriers which still
divide us are growing less formidable
with the lapse of time, and that they
will ultimately yield and a union
will be established between the Metho-
odist Episcopal church and the Meth
Odist Episcopal church south, thereby
creating one of the greatest instru-
ments for good in the entire Christian
world.
We each and all desire to see the
symmetrical development of our COM
mon country. We wish to see an in
tellectual, industrial, patriotic and re-
ligious people, firmly welded together.
We desire particularly to see the lines
of divisions between sections COM
pletely obliterated and forgotten. l
trust that Methodism may not long
be divided upon lines of former poll
teal Observation-Disclosures which,
thank God, are past and gone forever
and forever. May we not hope to see
the great bishops whom you honor
and whom we honor in the north,
presiding over conferences in every
portion of the republic May we not
hope to see, an united church, freely
transferring its ministers between the
north and the south, as we'll as be-
tween the west and the east. Such
interchange between the various por-
tions of our country will serve might
lily to advance a wholesome national
purpose. We all earnestly hope to
see the myriad influences making for
good among us, threading it from
north to south and from east to west,
weaving the people of all sections into
an homogeneous whole. Consolidated
Methodism would tend in a consider
able degree to promote the intellec-
tual and moral interests of the entire
country. National solidarity will be
advanced in some measure, in fact.
as we'll as in name, when Methodism
comes into complete organic fellow
ship.
While with US the church and state
are separate and should so continue,
the Christian church is nevertheless
a powerful agency in the support of a
free state. 1t presided at the birth
of the republic and has been its faith
full guardian angel from that hour
until now. 1t inculcates among the
great body of the people that whole
some respect for the rights of men
that have regard for law and order,
without which the state cannot long
survive. The United States,' said
DeTocqueville, must be religious to
be free Furthermore, said he, "Des-
potism may govern without religious
faith, but liberty cannot"
The socialistic tendency in certain
quarters has not escaped the atten-
ton of the most casual observer of
current events. Its growth cannot be
viewed except with concern, for it
bodies no good to our country. The
church may we'll concern itself with
all those things which affect the tenn
poral welfare of this great people. 1t
may we'll concern itself with those
things which menace the state, which
tend to jeopardize the institutions
which came to US from the hands OF
our fathers. The movement is yet in
it's incipient stages and it is we'll that
its pernicious influence should be un-
derStood.
Socialism is at war with our most
cherished traditions. 1t is hostile to
the enlightened principles of our
growth as a great people. 1t is a
peril to our social and industrial de-
velopment. 1t would paralyze in
dividual initiative which has been the
most potent factor in our upbuilding.
Here amidst unsurpassed advantages
which a kind Providence has placed
at our hands, the individual counts
for more than anywhere else beneath
the sun. Here, no matter how humble
CT ho &c oI1 70 hit
genius for accomplishing things, for
subduing the wilderness, for building
great cities, for spanning the con-
tinent with the evidence of his power,
for improving his environment and
making better the home and stronger
the state. But this were endowment
enough. 1t has been the tombstone
of our national development. 1t has
given us countless communities, hap
| py, self-reliant, prosperous, brave and
I patriotic. Socialism seeks to level
down and not level up. 1t is alike at
war with the best interests of both
capital and labor. 1t seeks to restrict
F! each in the exercise of its natural
| functions. It puts limitations upon
each which are contrary to American
genius and spirit. In the United States
the laborer of today becomes the cap
italits of tomorrow. Such has been
our experience from the beginning un-
til now. and it will be history of to-
morrow.
Neither constitutions nor statutes,
though they were framed by men with
the wisdom of Solomon. can establish
and maintain equality and absolute
justice among men. We must look
to the persuasive power and influence
of the Christian church to bring them
to complete realization of their true