The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-06
METHODTFS ANSWER BIG SIX
PRINTERS STRIKE UP BEFORE
BROOKLYN CONFERENCE.

A young man stood against a lamppost
near the New York Avenue METHODIST
Church in Brooklyn yesterday morning
and handed out circulars to the members
Of the New Yor' East Conference as they
entered the church. The circulars were
addressed ITO the clergy and members
Of the Methodist Church Thsy repre-
sented the attack that is being made on the
Methodist Book Concern by Typographical
Union No. 0 In regard to the printers
strike. The distribution Of these circulars
brought the strike unexpectedly before the
conference, but no action was taken in the
matter.
The routine Of the morning session had
proceeded to that point where Bishop Nc
Cabe felt IL was time to introduce what are
known as official visitors to the conference.
One of these was the Rev. DR.. Homer Eaton
Of Eaton & Mains, agents Of the book con-
Germ. DR.. Eaton began by telling OF the
work. of the publishing house and declared
that 1t was sending out a higher grade OF
literature than ever before, He said the
profits last year were $l68 900, and that the
surplus was now between 100000 and
$500, 900. whereas a few years ago the concern
seemed almost hopelessly swamped in debt.
Then he paused and said
AS | came in here | saw a man standing
by a lamppost just across the way sober
/ believe. who was giving out printed mat
ter charging us with sending out all sorts
Of abominable literature. Shall | tell you
about it,"
"Yes, yes went up the shouts from all
over the church.
We'll, / want to say that there has not
gone out a single thing which has not been
pure and wholesome and good. We have
been as loyal as any men on the planet.
! A few little things have crept into the COM
posing room against our knowledge
Several members inquired what grounds
there we're for the charges Of Big Six that
whiskey dvertisements had been set up
by the Book Concern and that Bernard
Shaw's book. Mrs. Warren's Profession
and other Objectionable matter had been
set up by the Book Concern. DR.. Eaton
said:
we had no knowledge OF the matter.
| We had given the order to our superin-
tendents against such matter, and usually
when we nave discovered that it a not
been obeyed we have discharged the en-
ployee who committed the fault and have
thrown out the stuff. In this case they
| did not report the matter and now they are
using it to try to damn us. II some one
I should send to your nursery literature too
vile for your children to see you would
throw 1t out and the nurse, too, If necessary.
That is what we have done, and now they are
| bringing these charges anonymously, for
the sake OF helping their cause, through
I what is called the defence committee OF
the union
A minister arose and pumped this uues-
ton at DR.. Eaton:
"Dr. Eaton, did those advertisements
creep in without our knowledge"
Yes" was the answer, without our
knowledge and contrary to our wishes;
You, who now DIR. Mains. know he would
not wink at such practices
That ended the incident inside the con-
ference. The circulars distributed had
these Scriptural texts printed on the out
side.
No servant can serve two masters: for
either he will hate the one and loye the other
or else he will hold 70 the one and despise
the other. Ye cannot serve God and mann
mon.
He that walketh uprightly walketh surely.
but he that perverteth his ways shall be
known.
Thou shalt not Cypress an hired servant
that il poor and needy, whether he be Of thy
brethren or of thy strangers that are in thy
land within thy gates,
IL is also asserted that. Messrs. Eaton and
Mains were trying "to destroy the homes
and happiness of members Of our union
and that they would continue TO expose
their conduct, relentlessly and persistently.
These reverend gentlemen, in circulars and
letters, have resorted to misrepresentation,
evasion and personal abuse:
The conference took a fling at higher
oritioiCp, One of the visitors was the Rev.
8. L. Beiler, a professor of Boston Uni
versity. He presented the needs Of that
institution and called attention to the fact
that the university had lost the services Of
Now it happens that in a book Prof Mitchell
has referred to Abraham as a myth. Bishop
McCabe did not like that part Of the pro
feesor's work, He read from the Bible
hams name used The Myth. He said he
hoped no member Of the conference enter
tanned such ideas. for he added, Il ex-
pect to meet Abraham in Glory
The Rev. DR.. D.. G. Downey thought that
Prof. Beiler should have another chance
university now was teaching that Abraham
was a myth.
A third feature of the morning came
up when the matter of continuing the super
animated preachers on the roll was reached.
Out Of ffty-seven on the list nine had died
during the year. Bishop McCabe said
last Year two men in Chicago had COM
mitted suicide because they were over
the age OF Oslerization. Now, my friends,
these deaths would not have occurred
if these men had been Methodist ministers.
They would have had their eyes so fixed
on the eternal fields Of spring beyond death
that they would have neither fastened nor
retarded death, but would have gone with
a quiet step on their lonely and aged paths
He then led the singing Of a hymn beginning
seven down to old age
Reports we're made by the presiding
elders OF the New York and New Haven
districts. and Bishop McCabe told of the
work Of Father Lambert, a Catholic con-
vert to the Methodist Church, who is doing
good work for the denominat ton in Porto
Rico. 1t was decided to print the min
~isterial records Of the preachers on the
minutes, and then the Rev. H. E.. Byrnes
reported tina there we're more than sixty
mems clubs in the conference. The Rev.
F. w. Hannah was chosen to take the place
OF President Raymond on the Hill investi-
eating committee.
The afternoon session was given up to
the Women's Foreign Missionary Society
The secretary, Mrs. Dennler, told of the
work, and Miss Laura NJ. White, a returned
missionary from China, told Of the awaken-