The Washington herald., 1907-03-24
SUNDAY MORNING CHAT
THE PASSING OF HARD AND FAST UNCONVENTIONAL
LINES-A BISHOPS BUT MANTLE MISSIONARY

Bishop Earl CranstOn, resident bishop
Of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in
this city is an Ohio man by birth, and
has the Ohio talent for making a good
after-dinneT speech. This story he told
on such an occasion not long ago. He
was the guest In a home where the three
year-old daughter had been on tiptoe Of
expectancy from the time she heard that
Bishop Cranston was 70 visit them
Early the morning after his arrival there
came a knock at his door. When he
opened it. there stood the tot Bishop
Cranston was finishing his toilet and
drew on his coat as she entered the room
She looked at him with eager eyes for a
moment and then ran In great excitement
to her mother, exelaiming:
'Oh, mamma, the bishop wears a coat;
he's only man"
Il Is hard to-day to realize how each
religious denomination focked with Itself
and how sharply sectarian lines were
drawn in our grandfathers' days We
give no thought nowadays to an inter
UNCONVENTIONAL meeting that embraces all
denominations. II does not even cause
a ripple on the surface of orthodoxy If
the Rev. DR.. Edward Everett Hale
breaches from a Methodist pulpit, as he
did here in Washington a winter or two
ago. On the contrary. every one is glad
to welcome him.
Here is a story related 70 me some
time since, which illustrates what a
change has come over the religious life
both as TO its theology and its amenities.
In an Ohio town in the good old days. the
! Presbyterians having no church build
| ing. held their service from Sunday to
Sunday I'm the homes OF tile members
The postor of the Methodist church sug-
gested to his congregation the propriety
/ Of Offering their house Of worship to the
Presbyterian brethren every Sunday af-
| ternoon, until such time as they should
/ be able TO build a church home for them
! selves. This gracious proposition, strange
/ as It seems to-day. met a perfect storm
1 of protest. Some of the Methodists
thought the liberal spirit Of their pastor
/ liable 30 bring about all kinds of dire dis
! aster TO the cause. 1t might prove the
/ beginning of a slipping away from the
/ old moorings into unknown seas The
Methodist ministry succeeded, however. in
| persUading his congregation that no evil
would follow this act of Christian cour-
/ tesy. and the Presbyterians were tender
/ ed the use OF the church. which was
gratefully accepted by them. The inno-
walton was so great that the first Sun
/ day afternoon services Of the Presbyter-
! ian flock In the Methodist fold caused
/ intense excitement in the little town.
! The Presbyterian clergyman was a de-
Won't and Jealous man Of pFonouncedly
/ Calvinistie views Perhaps on this mem
orable Sabbath afternoon the situation
/ had a warming effect. for as /
/ heard the story. his sermon lacked some
thing Of its usual calm. logical reasoning.
! and had in IL more of the fervor Of an
/ old Methodist eXhortatiOn. With a climax
/ that must have delighted the followers of
/ John Wesley among his congregation, and
an anti-elimaX that must have set at rest
the hearts Of his own people, who pinned
/ their faith TO John calvins theology, he
/ concluded thus:
"The church has claims upon you. The
! invitation Is universal. All are invited
/ Hear what the Scriptures say; The spirit
and the bride say, come. And let him
/ that heareth say, come. And let him that
1 IS athlrst, come And whOsoever will LET
/ him take the water of life freely Not
saying anything against our standard
writer's, however"
II was theme on which England s
great poet Tennyson. often dwelt, the
cultivation of mutual esteem between
the churches. His son records in his
Memoir Of his father the fact that:
/ f'Tennyson looked forward not unhope-
/ fully to the day when there would be one
/ Shepherd and one flock. He wished the
Church OF England wpuld embrace. as
&c fhat that Christ wohld have it do, all