Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-07
District Methodist Ministers
Ind0rse Action at Rome.
BARRED FROM THE VATICAN
Chose to Address Protestants Rather
Than Visit Pope.
RESOLUTIONS ARE ADOPTED
Bishop Cranston on Committee
Drafting Congratulations on
the Position Taken.

Former Vice President Charles Warren
Fairbanks was lauded by the Methodist
Episcopal ministers ef the city today on
account of his action in refusing to give
up an engagement to make an address in
the American Methodist Church in Rome
yesterday when notified by the Vatican
officials that if he kept the date the pope
would not receive him. In resolutions
passed at their monthly meeting. held
at the V M. c. A. at 10 o'clock, the
ministers congratulated his testimony to
the value of the Christian religion" called
attention to the real spirit of the Roman
hierarchy" and called upon their "fel-
low w-citizens of whatever faith to protest
against ANY formal recognition of the
papal hierarchy by our government.
The hope was also expressed that the
day will never come when ecclesiastical
contentious will destroy our public schools
or intimidate our courts or Presidents.
The dispatches in the morning papers
of the program of the former Vice Presi-
dent in Rome and the refusal of the
Vatican to give him an audience was
fresh in the minds of the ministers when
they assembled, and shortly after the
meeting opened the matter was brought
up.
There were several spirited expressions
and then Bishop Cranston, Rev. DR.. John
w. r. Sumwalt, district superintendent
of the Washington Methodist Episcopal
churches, and Rev. Dr. Pate, pastor OF
the Dumbarton Avenue Methodist Epis-
isterial association, were chosen as mem
bers of a committee to draft the resolu-
tions which were later passed.
Text of Resolutions.
The resolutions recited:
LAS it is reported by the press dis
patches that former Vice President Fair
banks, after having received distinguish
ed honors in all other parts of the world
visited by him. and after a definite ar.
rangement made in Rome by which, hav'
ing been already received by the king. he
was to have shown his regard for his
American feIlow-citizens of the Roman
Catholic faith by this day paying his re-
SpectS to the pope was subsequently noti
fed that he could not be granted audi
ence at the Vatican unless he would can
eel an engagement to address his fellow
Americans at the Methodist Church ir
Rome yesterday, and whereas with prop
er American spirit Mr.. Fairbanks de-
clined to cancel said engagement and die
address the Americans assembled to heal
him In words that were catholic in tn,
true sense. bearing testimony to the gooO
work being done throughout the world
by Christians of every name and com
mending religious magnanimity and tol
Grafton, therefore we resolve
First. That we congratulate our for
mer Vice President on his unequivocaI
testimony to the value of the Christian
religion as given in China, Japan, Korea
and elsewhere, and upon his manly vim
dication Of the American spirit cf tolera.
ton and his exhibition of the dignity OF
free American manhood in this most sig
niflcant test in Rome.
Second That this characteristic ex
preston of the real spirit Of the Roman
hierarchy should be carefully obserbed b,
the American people, both Protestant ant
Roman Catholic.
Menace to Religious Liberty"
Third That we call on all our fellow
citizens of whatever faith to join us ir
protesting persistently against every form
or even semblance of formal recognitl or
of the papal hierarchy by our govern
ment as being inconsistent with our ma
tional traditions. a sanction Of ecclesi
aStical assumptions Outgrown by tht
world and distinct menace to religion:
liberty as shown by the conditions thai
prevail wherever the papal power j:
dominant.
May the day nevt, come when &c
cleSaStical contentious shall destroy oul
public schools or ecclesiastical demands
shape legislation or intimidate courts anl
Presidents.
Fourth Accepting this implied trlbut<
of the Vatican to the influence of oul
work for new Italy with religious free
dom as its watchword and inspfration.'
By tactful arrangement Mr.. Fair
banks audience with King Victor En-
manuel was fixed for Saturday and that
with the pope for Monday. and when
everything seemed satisfactorily planned
the Vatican suddenly announced that il
would be impossible for his Holiness to
receive Mr.. Fairbanks if he carried out
his announced intention to speak in the
American Methodist Church here, because
the Methodists had been active in prose
lytizing among the Catholics.
Vatican Officials Active.
Negotiations were Immediately begun
with view to avoiding any unpleasant
ness and a situation which might give
rise to misconceptions and in these ne.
gotiations prominent Vatican officials
exerted every influence to remove. this
difficulties which had SO unexpectedly
presented themselves to Mr. Fairbanks
audience with the pope.
But Mr. Fairbanks finally declared that
although he was animated by a strong de-
sire to pay his respects to the head of the
Catholic Church, whose followers hao
played such an important part as gooC
American citizens, he could not Withdraw n
from his promise to deliver an address be-
fore the American Methodist Church.
Mgr. Kennedy. rector of the American
College, gave dinner yesterday in honor
of Mr.. Fairbanks. The hall was decorated
with American flags. Among those pres.
ent were one hundred and forty-fouI
American students the largest body OF
Americans that has attended the institu.
tion.
Not Among Strangers.
Mgr. Kennedy gave a toast to the
American Vice President under the Roose-
Welt administration, expressing high ap-
probation of the honor conferred upon the
college, and said that Mr.. Fairbanks was
not among strangers. but still in an
American house among men proud to be
Americans and anxious to return home
to labor for the good of their fellows
countrynsen.
Mr. Fairbanks gave a toast to the
Christian Church, making no distinction
of denominations. He declared that the
Catholic Church had accomplished great
things for God and humanity. while past
prejudices against the Catholics had en-
tirely disappeared. for they were ever at
the' front when the integrity of the coun-
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