New-York tribune., 1908-04-07
VOTE FAV0RS DANCING
EFT METHODIST NOES
Ne-r York Conference Also Fauors
Return to Limited Pastorates.

,.-,., scarcely a half-dozen noes the New YORK
,,s.,oais, Conference passed yesterday resolution
80 the han OF the Church removed from
s,cinr and ether amusements- This action was
-, At the morning session, which was given
- for : time lively debate another reso-
-, advocating return 10 the 'itinerant pa>-
,erates~ Of former years. Chancellor Day. of
syracuse. and The Rev. DR.. Wallace MacMullen
y the Madison avenue church, were among those
rho strongly opposed this resolution. II was. how
sver finally adopted by close vote.
Another matter which aroused the enthusiasm OF
the conference resolution condemnfng the
New York Board Of Education for cutting all
mention Of Christ in the public schools. This was
Introduced by the Rev DR.. Thomas s. Bond, pas
tol of the 18Th street church, and brought forth
several heated denunciations of the city's le1u-
cators.
In the conference sermon in the afternoon the
Rev A f. Barnett. pastor of the fremont church.
q Washington avenue and 17Sth street. criticised
Sethodists who stand the defenders of CAPITA
Socialism, he declared, is an indictment OF Iie
Christian Church. II for minister CT
the Gospel VINO does not believe the advocates ol
rev social order are crazy fanatics or red-hsnded
anarchists said Mr.. Barnett. IF Christ had hefh
the great gathering of the unemployed lIl ny.
Park recently where would He have stood: ne
would not have stood apart, saying psalms
vrangling about whether the Church oehe'eu 'i
This or that doctrine in the Middle Ages. lie "o~
have been down amcng the people
The Church is supposed by some TO be me ue
interested in the punishment OF smai olie -,
t,,. when = rich man who has contributed 10 tiie
Church's philanthroptes and instltuiioiS - - a.,
.odv is brought before the altar ana sN -,
sings Now the laborer's work Is Done, 80?
- -. a; tr,,e to-day is that which denies
,he+ tbe Almighty is responsible for torN-Ihres
men in Cleveland owning more thah HI Ii tlie !. - -
-. oi-- ms, toperher There is general distrust
OF the Church among the laborlhs men anu N0
rssIisrn is their challenge to the Church
Nj Barnett pleaded for united ChfIsteHuoi,i
united by single purpose growing ouI oi q Sis
love Unity OF doctrine he called impossible But
,la spirt OF the coming generation. he SAID Is en-
Lss5s unon the agreements OF Christians rather
than their differences. He asserted that me great
est Indictment Of Professionalism Is It's weak INA
1,iI5-1- 10 keep together. The sight Of congrega-
lions Of Christians singing We are not DIVIDED
su one body We one in hope and doctrine one IN
charity" Mr. Barnett said, was enough TO make
the devil push his tongue in his cheek
The desire Of the conference to have dancing per
-77itred was expressed in memorial 10 the NIell
.rai Conference, which meets next month In Bal
timore 10 eliminate paragraph -iS the amusement
section from the Discipline Of the Church- Inc
resolution has force other than as pressuIe {
upon General Conference, the laNii0hiliS O'S
Of the Church
The memorial asking for the restoration OF the
time limit upon Methodist pastorates was proush'
I'D al the request OF the Troy Conference feI d
century the limited pastorate" was the policy OF
The Methodist Church At first each minister was
changed every three years Then the maximum
,,s-sod of : stay in one place heightened 20
i've years. with a possible second five years, II
the Bishop consented Eight years ago, however
1he time limit removed entirely
The Rev G. H Hite. Of White Plains said that
the constant and senseless changing OF pastors
ras been partly responsible for the famine Of min
zs-=rs~ The Rev Wallace H Finch, OF Ossining,
oprosed these statements The Rev Dr. wallace
MacNiullen. pastor of the Madison Avenue Churoh
one ~ the largest and wealthiest in the city con
s5ered the resolution distinctly retrograde move
r77ent The conference" he said. has shown al
most human intelligence in advocating continuity
Of Office by our bishops and fa- truer that our
rsstors should serve without change The restless
ness Of our people has been reduced by the removal
of the time limit
Dr MacNullen was interrupted by cries Of NO!
W, from all parts of the church There may be
g difference Of opinion that point he answered.
.rh1,t there are many who think with me-.
The Rev Frank Belcher superintendent Of the
Five Points Mission, said that a minister can no
longer DO anything in & year or Two put heeuS
co1finpous labor. Chancellor Day then Joined in
the debate ren1arking that II the old pohcy was
..,,-ed :, would simply mean that DR.. MacMulen
80 H. czoodeIl and DIR. Eckn1an ministers Of the
,s-res- churches in this city, would exchange
churches A vote on the memorial followed and IL
was passed by 1l6 10 s6
The COMMITTEES appointed Saturday 10 inVestl-
-z-A charges made against the Rev FRANK bedi'
- E,7lenviIle reported that it did consider the
evidence justified presenting the case TO the con-
ference.
A resolution Yves passed favoring the election ol
-s,,o r,isbors The Rev. DR.. A ] Palmer, pre-
s57g elder Of the Poughkeeps district, announced
that his doctor had ordered him TO give UP work on
cco,,n+ of his health The conference will hold Its
last session this morning
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