New-York tribune., 1908-05-10
THE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

The auadrennial General Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church now i'll session at
Baltimore commentaries the one hundredth an
niyersary Of the organization or reorganization
Of that Church upon the basis of It's present
constitution, an achievement which also was
effected at Baltimore and which marked not
any radical transformation of the Church or de-
parture from the original Wesleyan principles, but
simply practical recognition of the needs Of an
establishment which was growing almost beyond
precedent and which felt the necessity Of adapt
ing its ways and means to its expanded status
The century since 1905 has been marked with con-
tinued growth at exceptional rate, until that
Church now considerably outnumbers any other
Protestant denomination in this country. No
church-save for the unfortunate division ne-
tween the North and South which, however, Is
technical rather than spiritual or dogmatlc-
is more truly national in scope or more evenly
distributed throughout all parts of the Republic,
in city and in country and among all sorts and
conditions Of men.
The century has also been marked with nu-
mcrous changes designed like that Of 1903 TO
adapt its organism to the changing needs of the
times In faith and doctrine the Methodist
Epscopal Church has remained singularly fixed
and infiexible but in practice it has undergone
material notifications. Time was. for example
when in dress and department Methodlsts were
no less severe than Quakers, and when the wearing
of a piece of jewelry, knot of ribbon or a clus-
fer of artificial flowers might call down upon q
member the wrathful discipline of the Church.
Rut that is long past, and now, with no relaxa-
tion of spirituality, MethodiSts have become III
such matters as common mortals. Again, once
a rigid rule Of one-year pastorates prevailed IN
the ministry, but the term was gradually ex-
tended to two, to three and to four year, until
now It is practically unlimited. 1t is not IN
likely that the present conference will erect
some further changes Of that kind.
The one question partaking of doctrlnai
character which calls for the attention OF the
conference is that relating to amuSements, anu
its doctrinal bearing is more apparent than real
the change proposed by the bishops being in
form rather than in substance. Down TO thirty
six wears ago the rule established by Wesley
prevailed, prescribing strict abstinence from all
amusements or other occupations which We're
inconsistent with detrimental TO a devout
Christian life. No particular amusements We're
snecifed. and much freedom Of judgment was
left to individuals and to individual churches.
In 1872 in circumstances which In the eyes of
many seriously impaired the authority OF the
act the General Conference Finterpolated or
added a specifc list of forbidden things. 1t is
potorious that this amended rule has from the
beginning been widely disobeyed by steadily i'll
creasinr numbers of otherwise perfectly loyal
and devout AIethodists The present PROPOSE
ti,n is TO rescind the amendment of 1872 and
restore te rule TO its old form, in the belief that
to do so would in TO wise lower the standard OF