Evening journal., 1907-09-14
BISHOP ANDREWS OF THE
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Has Words to Say That the Great Body
Of Members Should Study.

OF Members Should Study.
In speaking of amusements and at
tempts to enforce rules not imposed in
the New Testament. He says:
"The question IS often one OF degrees
of either total prohibition or mod
crate use one church, for instance,
forbids without limitation the wearing
of gold or costly apparel, the laying
up treasure on earth, the use of in
/ toXicating beverages, the dance. games
of chance attendance on the theatre
or the circus Are such prohibitions
within the rightful authority Of the
church? II is obvious that a body
of Christians in a divine fellowship for
the promotion Of righteousness may
and should consider the probable in
fuence of all questionable acts and
lcustoms on the spiritual life OF men.
land should unreservedly declare its
Judgment thereon. It Is also obvious
that the pastor should faithfully dis
cuss before his people not only the
New Testament principles which un-
derlie all right moral conclusions, but
also their just application to all inn
lportant individual and social questions.
He must speak without fear and with
tout favor But may the church go
beyond this. and prohibit under pen
lalty of expulsion from its bosom, all
the class of actions now under con-
: slderation? We doubt both the right
and the expediency Of such prohibit
tion.
1T Is an assumption by the church
of an authority over the individual
Judgment which the New Testament
{.
the invaluable liberty wherewitf
/ Christ hath made us free is that in
the vast domain of morals a mutitud,
Of questions are delivered to the de-
termination of individual Christians
Neither Christ nor his apostles deter.
mined them, nor did they convey e
any hierarchy or other sacred body th'
= right TO determine them At one time
{ for instance, Christians differed sharp
ly as to the use of meats, clean ol
unclean, or which had been offered t.
idols, and as to sacred days. Sain
4 Paul had knowledge on those questions
. land declared it, But he asserted nl
2 authority in the case. on the con
7 trary. he said, Let every man be FULL
. persuaded in his own mind. Ever!
= lone of us shall give account OF him
self 60 God. Let us not therefor
= Judge one another any more Thi
: freedom still abides 1t may b.
labused If it lapses into indifference
" or self-wil il will issue in ruin. Blu
: liz is the indispensable condition O
!, Christian manhood The church ma
luse freely, and even vehemently. argu
lment, warning. and appeali but it ma
not by authority invade the sacre
! region of personal conviction and self
: determination.
. III il attempts such invasion, 1t
!, likely to overpass reasonable bound
y to show itself provincial, and to pro
? woke reaction. Witness the Methods
" law of 1854, which. under the head &
= superfluity in dress. prescribed rufiie
y rings, and high bonnets, and unde
which, within the memory of men no.
= living, women who wore a bow of rib
!. bon or an artificial flower were exclud
ed from the lOve-feast. and many me
:, held it unchristian to wear buttons O
=" the back of the coat We are bravel
= past such pettiness-but what enol
. lmous claims does such legislation i'm
y lplyi II the church will regulate OF
= reading, why not at once establish a
{, index expregatorlus.' after the fashio
- Of Rome? II it will regulate our song
= why not justify the church which el
PEELED George Fl. Stuart, the mob
y, president Of the Christian commissio
Il during the civil war. because he san
= with fellow Christians the hymns
.e Wesley watts and Doddridge? II
denounces with penalties the dance
4 every kind and circumstances, why M
~ take legal cognizance Of all social er
~ tcrtainments, festivals and fairs2 Mar
!. believe that a high-license system
~ better than the unrestrained sale
liquor. But if the church here asser
its authority. may it not with ecu
y right control the vote of its membe
~ as to temperance legislation2 We mu
iconclude that the limitations Of churG
le authority pertain alike TO doctrine o
y. ganization and life. A few comprehel
"' sive facts, principles and laws are gi'
en- to us in the New Testament; bt
'n within these. freedom is the brit
J" right of each Christian. To recogni
GO this liberty is highly expedient-
-, vain, In the long run. will any chur'
III attempt 20 rule its members in ma
~ ters on which the New Testament
~ silent"