The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-09-18
Question of Birthright Men,
bership Subject of Heat
ed Discussion.
LEFT TO 5 YEARS BODY.
MUCH BUSINESS WAS TRANSACT
ED AT THE WESTERN YEARLY's
SESSION ON TUESDAY AFTER
NOON.

Plainfield. Ind, Sept. 1S.-A diver
sion from the routine business of the
Western Yearly Meeting of Friends
arose Tuesday afternoon when the
permanent board of control refused TO
indorse a petition presented 1t by this
yearly meeting, asking for the aboll-
ton of the doctrine of associated
membership and the restoration of the
old-time birthright membership. A
heated discussion followed.
According to the birthright system
all children of members of the Friends
church in good standing from the time
of their birth are members OF the
church. This time-nonored doctrine
was abolished at the Five-Year Meet
ing at Richmond in 1902 in favor OF
associated membership. Since this
change was made it has been a sub
iect of considerable difference OF OPP
inion. After both sides had presented
their argument the assembly took
vote and the permanent board was
overruIed. The clerk of the board
was ordered to forward the petition
TO the Five-Year Meeting, which con-
yenes at Richmond next month.
Vacancies on the permanent board
were filled by the appointment or
George G.. Griffith, r. w. Furnas and
Remington Newsome An appeal for
a more dignified style of preaching
was embodied in the report OF the
ministry and oversight committee.
The report urged ministers to guard
against all intense expression of emo
ton in their preaching and urged
them to preach convincing sermons
rather than the dreamy sort, some
times handed out to the congregation.
Christian culture and scholarship
were the requirements the committee
set for prospective ministers. 1t was
stated that too many people attend
church for entertainment and not for
instruction.
Transacts Business.
Tuesday the Western Yearly Meet
ing of Friends transacted more busl-
ness than on any other day since II
has been in session.
The report of the delegates to the
Anti-Saloon League convention ana 10
the state w. C. T. U. convention, said
the anti-saIoon movement is daily as
suming larger proportions and gain
ing fresh victories. Seven hundred
and thirty-one of the 1,016 townships
in Indiana are now dry, and the pro-
motors of the movement hope that
Indiana will soon be wholly without
saloons. Solomon B. Woodland or
Rockville has been appointed superln-
tendent of the committee on the sup
preston of the liquor traffic.
What promises to be one of the
main features of these meetings next
year and a big drawing card is the
fiftieth anniversary celebration,
which was decided upon Tuesday al
ternoon. The meeting next year VIII
be cut short one day and Wednesday,
usually the closing day of the assem-
bly,. will be devoted to the celebra-
ton. Charles and Ella Louder OF
New Providence, Ia, will be invited
guests of the yearly meeting of 1908
and two of the chief participants in
the anniversary program. Mrs. Loud
er is the only surviving member of the
building committee Of the Five-4ear
Meeting which recommended the err
ection of the convention church of this
yearly meeting. 1t is planned to have
varied and interesting program and
anniversary day "reminiscences will be
related.
| A movement was set on foot to
unite the board of foreign missions of
this yearly meeting with the Ameri-
can Friends Board OF Foreign Mis-
sions. Solicitors for funds to support
the Friends school in Cuba were ap-
pointed.