Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-18
CITIES PROBLEM FOR CHURCH
Proper Government with Foreign Influx or
Overthrow 10 Imminent
IMMIGRANT MUST Be TAKEN FOR CHRIST
such Are Statements of DIR. T. c. IliH
Of Methodist Board Of Home
Missions and Extern
siona.

Prominent churchmen attending the hrst
convention Of the Board OF Home Missions
and Church Extension Of the Methodist
Episcopal church, which will be held to-
day and tomorrow at the First church,
occupied the pulpits Of many OF the houses
Of worship yesterday and we're universally
welcomed by large audiences.
The convention is the first 20 be held in
thla part Of the country under the new
consolidation plan of the general church
government and several eminent church
officials from the east are here to par
ticpate.
The northwestern division Of the home
missions and church extension work has
been located in Omaha, with DR., 7. G.
uif a pioneer missionary Of the western
country, as secretary.
DIT. uln spent many years since the close
Of the civil war in missionary work In the
northwest and gave many interesting per-
sonal accounts Of his experiences In the
work at the Hanscom Park church. where
he delivered an impassioned address Sun
day morning He explained IN general
manner the objects Of the board OF which ne
IL the assistant corresponding secretary
and Of which he is a potent factor
"Bv order Of the general conference held
IN Los AuBeltht a CDAtlAAAbhAJh "tA9 ehfhN'iiN~N
to readjust and consolidate our benev-
oences." said DR.. lin. by vote It was
ordered to divide the board of foreign mis-
sions from the board Of home missions,
but the latter was then consolidated with
the work Of church extension on repeated
requests for several years for the division
Of missionary work.
ooThe purpose Of the Board Of Home Mis-
sions and Church Extension is to extend
Christianity. It's motto u.s. America for
Christ and its symbols, the CROSS and the
flag.
Problems of the Cities.
'aThis country has never been in as peril
GUS a condition as at present First, we
must save the hordes Of foreign people
that are pouring upon us in hundreds OF
thousands and we are having most I'M
desirable class coming TO us in part; and
II saved, in tho sense Of being brought
into Americanism and Christianism the
American Methodist Episcopal chuch has
a work that is greater than that which con-
fronts us in countries beyond the seas.
THE great problem confronting the ma
tional and state governments now Is, How
are we to govern the cities?' These for
eigners must either capture the cities on
tho churches must capture the foreigners
for Jesus Christ. For unless we can gather
them in to Christ, we are threatened, al.
most, with an overthrow of the cities.
Another problem to solve has beer
caused by breaking the shackles Of 100000
slaves in the grave Of secession, as this
question has certainly not been solved. The
tendencies Of political bodies are to hedge
and backstep, but It is the duty OF the
church to stand for the white man, thu
black man, the yellow man or any mar
of any color. The Methodist Episcopa
church has done great work in this re
spect, but the work has only begun. Tina
is a mighty problem that confronts us II
the pormanency of the nation"