The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-19

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ministers of the gospel were not appre-
cated by the world at their true worth.
What a mighty army! Devoted sincerely
to the welfare Of humanity. Men who
preach the divine command. Love thy
neighbor as myself men who seek to
promote sobriety. to dethrone vice and
enthrone virtue in the heart of humanity
If there are those who more than others
are entitled to the joys of immortality
they are the ministers who turn aside
from the allurements of wealth and
earthly power, for the advancement of
the Kingdom of Christ. Men whose sole
endeavor is to elevate the condition of
their fellow men are entitled to sit among
the benefaetors of. the world.
Rejoice in Growth.
I'VE rejoice in the growth of the
Methodist Episcopal church, south; in it's
expansion in numbers, in power, and in
wholesome influence. 1t was never
stronger than today and never viewed
the future with more confident hope
You look back upon an honorable past
filled with innumerable trophies of SER
vice to God and to humanity, and what
can be said of your church may be said
with equal truth of the church in whose
name we have come today. We all APP
preciate that We are one in purpose. We
have "a common cause and are brought
into close contact and sympathy with
each other. We are bound together by
many ties of interest and affection. The
lines of delimtation between us are rap
idly fading away, and | trust that the
time is not remote when they will disap-
pear altogether and there shall become
in fact one church of Methodism, with
American and foreign missions as her
field, in which millions shall labor for the
regeneration of mankind. There is a
strength in numbers, there is an impulse
s1~INn 1iY7aff -11T
in multiplied millions working for the same
holy purpose. Methodlsm.- unified in
America. is the promise and fulfllment
of greater and better things for our coun-
try and our civilization.
Hope for Consolidation.
81 cannot refrain from expressing and
emphasizing the hope which those who
have preceded me In this brotherly mis-
sion have ventured to express, that the
two great branches of Methodism In
America may be consolidated into one
mighty church, not in sentiment and in
purpose alone, but in organization as
we'll. / give utterance to this wish upon
my own responsibility, though it is shared
by many of my brethren. With me 1t is
not 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
me to lead to ultimate union. The prog
ress may be slow, but | believe it to be
certain. The memorable logic of mutual
interests must lead us to a common con-
clusion. Union will come through the
subtle yet powerful influence of the law
of gravitation, the gravitation of mutual
respect, of common faith. We have es-
sentally the same ecclesiast teal polity
and sing the praises of the Master from
a common hymn book. Lines of latitude
do not afford an insuperable obstacle to
ultimate and permanent union. Ancient
differences do not constitute an insur-
mountable objection. The church inspires
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 supreme chancery.
where those who misjudge for want of
light are forgiven. Methodism is too
broad to be bounded by sectional lines.
1t is too catholic in its exalted purpose
to be restricted by limits less ample than
those of the republic.
Barriers Less Form cable.
.'I do not know how long the followers
of John Wesley will dwell apart in the
United States | have faith to believe
that the barriers which still divide us
are growing less formidable with the
lapse of time, and that they will ulti
mately yield and union will be estab-
lshed between the. Methodist Episcopal
church and the Methodist Episcopal
church, SOUTH thereby creating one of the
greatest instruments for good in the en-
tire Christian world.
1--WE each and all desire to sse the SYM
metrica1 development of our common
country We wish to see an Intellectual,
Industrious, patriotic and religious peo-
pie. firmly welded. together. We desire
particularly to see the lines of divisions
lNatxry fn1c fol- faA1 tod
and forgotten. l trust that Methodism
may not long be divided upon lines of
former sectional 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. presid
ing over conferences in every portion of
the republic. May we not hope to see an
united church, freely transferring its min
listers between the north and the south,
as we'll as between the west and the east.
Such interchange between the various
portions of our country will serve nightly
to advance a wholesome national purpose.
We all earnestly hope to see the myriad
influences making for good among us.
Threading from the north to south and
from east to west, weaving the people of
all sections into homogeneous whole. Con-
solidated Methodism would tend in a con-
siderable degree to promote the intellec-
tual and moral interests of the entire
country. National solidarity will be ad-
vanced in some measure, IN fact, as well
as in name, when Methodsm comes into
complete organic fellowship.
Is Powerful Influence.
"While with us the church and state
are separate and should so continue. the
Christian church is nevertheless a power
full agency in the support of a free state.
1t presided at the birth of the republic
from that hour until now. 1t inculcates
among the great body of the people that
wholesome respect for the rights of men
that 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, 'Despotlsm may govern without
religious faith, but liberty cannot
1.-The sociallstic tendency in certain
quarters has not escaped the attention
of the most casual observer of current
events Its growth cannot be viewed ex-
cept with concern for it BODIES no good
to our country. The church may we'll
concern itself with all those things which
affect the temporal welfare of this great
people. 1t may well 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 its Incl
pient stages and 1t is well that it's pernici-
Gus influence should be understood.
Socialism Is Hostile.
SOCIALISM is at war with our most
cherished traditions 1t is hostile to the