The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-14
BISHOP CRANST0N GETS
APPLAUSE FOR DEFENSE
OF METHODIST CHURCH

Bishop CranSt0n. in his sermons AT the
. HamIine NJ f. Church. was frequently
applauded in his exposition Of the Meth
odist side Of the controversy. He said.
in part:
( 1T has been the rule OF my life to avoid
Idisputations. I would much rather walk
away from controversy than 70 run
Into one Interchurch auarrels. are most
UnsJvory o. all. But there Is a limit Co
I the indulgence Of ones love OF peace.
( There come times when the claims Of
truth are paramount Then manhood is
al stake. and to be silent is to cruelty
/ cons science and confess ones self a
coward
An American who served the country
as its Vice President. who since his re-
tirement from public duty has been shown
distinguished hOnors by emperors and
kings and men Of high dignity wo
continents. besides his own. arrives in
Rome. Wishing ont Of courtesy 10 his
Roman Catholic feliow-citizens TO pay d
call CT respect TO the venerable head Of
their church. he finds no barrier An
audience IS readily arranged.
But It seems there were others in
Rome anxious 10 do MIN honor. notably
the King and Queen of Italy, and certain
of the warm-hearted Italian people and
withal some Of his own countrymen. \
master OF courtlv courtesy he is at home
in any social environment. \ loyal Amer
lean, with American ideas and instincts.
he discerned no conflict between these
several attentions Having spoken 10
Christian associations, universities. and
missionaries Of all denominations, with
the broadest appreciation Of the work of
all the churches. the Roman included, he
perceives no improperly in addressing
even in Rome the little American body Of
believers called Methodisis.
Received by King.
our Ambassador did not warn him
that it would be a disreputsble company
for him to mingle with. The King re
ceived him on Saturday without suspect
ing himself 81 extraordinary Condescen-
sion. Possibly he told his distinguished
caller Of having decorated the Ameri-
can Methodist Bishop Burt in recognition
Of his services to Italy. But. be all this
as II may. certain II seems 10 be that be-
fore the fateful Sunday hour when Mr..
Fairbanks was TO appear among his own
co-reIgionists. he was plainly warned,
with much waste of polite phrase, of
course. that he must cancel his promise
TO speak to his Methodist brethren of his
own country. or the Pope must cancel
his engagement with Mr. Fairbanks. Be
ing his own master, as all true Ameri-
cans are. Mr. Fairbanks promptly chose
to suffer affection with his own people
rather than to enjoy the countenance of
the Vatican fer a little season. Thus he
won glory for his countrymen and es-
capped infamy for himself So much for
the admitted facts. Now. for the issue
presented.
1T is greater than Mr.. Fairbanks.
larger than the Methodist Church. The
Methodist Church can thrive on this kind
Of treatment, and Mr., Fairbanks has the
open or secret admiration Of his country
men in larger measure to-day than ever
before. BUt you must know that this
country is now under the patronage Of
the immaculate conception. whatever
that means
TT is any mans right. as we'll as priv
ilege. TO decline to receive an uGwelcome
stranger, but II is an act Of singular rude
ness TO close the door in a mans face after
having hidden him to come. To justify this
act, better reasons are required than 10
have refused audience at first because
it implies a reversal Of attitude that sue
ges,s newly discovered Unworthiness
lie stranger
Apol0GiSts' Task Difficult.
Z is this phase Of the matter
es the task Of the POpe's apolos
ilfficult and embarrassing.
afford to pay well for a satisf
It would nor do 10 say tn
ne becaUses Mr.. Fairbanks
t. He was that YESTERDAY
years past II would
him with having spok
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