The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-02-11
Bishop CranStOn Challenges
Archbishop For Proof.
DEFENDS ROMAN METHODISTS
Says It Is Hard Task to Justify
Pope's Action In Refusing to
Receive Former Vice Presi-
dent Fairbanks.

Washington, Feb. 10.-ln n vigorous
interview here the Right Rev. Earl
Cranston, bishop of the Methodist
Episcopal church, takes issue with
statements made by Archbishop Ire
land growing out of the refusal of the
pope to grant an audience to former
Vice President Charles w. Fairbanks.
He denies emphatically some of the
archbishop's statements with refer
ence to the work Of the Methodist
Episcopal church in Rome.
II have read what Archbishop Ire
land had to say of the Fairbanks incl
dent" said Bishop CranstOn, "and he
is doubtless the best man who could
have been put forward to save the
popes face in this country. If he had
been pope at Rome he would probably
have managed better than the present
incumbent.
I'm his attempt to square the beha-
vior Of the pontiff with American
ideas of religious tolerance the arch
bishop has a hard task, but he ought
to know that to say You're another
and to start east with doubled fists is
not the dignified way to go about it.
1t will not satisfy fair minded Ameri-
cans to say that Mr.. Fairbanks was to
address company OF pernicious here
ties on Sunday and therefore could
not be received by the pope on Mon
day, for, the archbishop'S word to the
contrary Notwithstanding, we have an
American congregation as well as an
To-, In, Fgg,. ,lrs,
was to address "a company of Amei-
car la their own pace Uf orSG.p,
both parties having standing which
the pope did not give and cannot take
away Even had they been disrepu-
table lot to whom Mr.. Fairbanks
spoke, the precedents of the Vatican
do not indicate that high moral tests
are invariably applied to persons who
are granted audience at the Vatican.
Mr.. Fairbanks both taught and exem-
plified true CathOlicity.
"Nor will it do to say that for the
pOntiff to have received the distin-
guiShed American under the circum-
stances even as they are narrated by
the archbishop would have meant an
Endorsement Of the 'pernicious' propa-
ganda of that Methodist association
Millions of Americans firmly be-
lieve that the Roman hierarchy has
used not merely 'pernicious,' but cruel
and pitiless, ways OF making and hold
ing proselytes, but what American
ever dreamed that when "A president
of the republic received an archbishop,
cardinal or even Il papal legate in
audience that he was thereby sane
tioning the teaching or preaching or
methods of the papal proganda or
giving countenance, say, to the claims
of the papacy, which conflict with the
kingdom Of Italy, or to the pope's con
tention with France?
IF the archbishop'S reasoning is
valid. diplomacy must at once ex-
clude many people who have been fire.
quent callers at the White House lest
offense be given TO friendly nations.
But the Vatican sends out new
explanation. The pope cannot receive
any one. however distinguished, who
does not while in Rome behave as a
Catholic, That is consistent, in words
at least, as Rome understands them.
And the pontiff is said TO regret Seth
Lows too early backsliding in speak
ing TO a Protestant assembly after be-
ing received. Could he have been
properly advised?"
Discussing Archbishop Ireland's
charge that the methods OF the Meth
odists in carrying on the work in
Rome are "dishonorable," Bishop
Cranston said:
81 challenge him to give specific
data. We will agree to match every
specification with counter evidence to
show that Rome does not know the
meaning of the word the archbishop
has so glibly used when proselyting
methods are fairly compared. The
short of it all is that the Methodist
Episcopal church has dared invade
papal countries with Protestant ideas"
With reference to the allegation that
Methodist Italian literature is full OF
Misrepresentation, Bishop Cranston
said that the Methodist board of for
eign missions would not put out a
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