Evening journal., 1911-03-18
BIG GUNS
BRING PEACE
Bishop NeeIy Says Country
Has Been Close to War
With Japan
GLAD REGULARS ARE
ON MEXICO'S BORDER

Bishop Thomas b. Neely who is
presiding over the Wilmington Con-
ference, declared. in the course of an
address in Asbury Church yesterday
afternoon on Church Polity," that
he had positive knowledge that this
country came within an inch OF go
ing to war with Japan three years
ago. He said he wished the Panama
Canal were completed. so that the
United States might better protect
its dependencies. and added:
81 am a man OF peace, but I be-
lieve i'm a big navy with the biggest
guns that can be made. They make
peace"
Bishop Neely commended Congress-
man Hobson, saying that the girls
did not kiss him as much as the pa
pers said they had. and that his warm
ing of war with Japan was to be
needed. The Bishop said that al
though President Taft had not con-
suited him. he was glad to have the
United States regulars go 10 the
Mexican border. as he thought there
was foundation for the rumor that
Japan was trying to get foothold in
Mexico. Continuing his talk on
Church Polity," the Bishop said
Like tree. ecclesiasticlsm grows
out Of its roots: sever the trunk and
the tree IS sure to die. The Meth
odistic organization began with the
headship of John Wesley, to which he
was chosen by preachers and people
Mr.. Wesley, I'm taking charge OF pas
toral assignments and other work
soon recognized the need Of subordi-
nate heads. called by him, at hrst
general assistants That polity has
come down to present times.
After the English colonies had be
come the UnSied States" said thl
Bishop. wesley decided upon a com
plete church organization Of Wesleyan
/ Societies in this country He 50
apart superintendents to do In Amer
lea the work done by himself In Ems
] land. to be bishops in America m
4 Bishop said that all did not think IN
General Conference bad done wisel
I'm changing the term "presidin
elder to district superintendent
the Bishop said district supcrintei
dent had nothing clerical about
II might as we'll be section boss. =
hoped the old term would be p'
back
The bishopric Of the Methodist Epii
copal Church. said the speaker, wa
Intended to be like the primitiy
church. He said that Wesley taugt
there was no higher order than elder
therefore Methodist bishops are M
ordained but cOnsecrated. TIL
| bishopric, he said, is not an order, Du
a higher Office. Bishop Neely sal
the Methodist Episcopal Church ha
government with bishops rather tina
j government by bishops.
/ Bishops of the church, he said. wer
executive. not legislative officers.
was thought by some that it would
good II the Methodist Episcopa
bishops were a court of final appea
but this church had not a House
Bishops and House OF Lay and Cler
cal Deputies like the Protestant Epi'
copal Church; the Methodist Bishop
presided over General Conference
but were not members Of them.
Authority In Assignments.
Bishop Neely spoke of the author
ity OF Methodist Episcopal bishops
! pastoral assignments. Like Wesle
! he said, a Methodist bishop was M
! allotted to a section. but was a bishC
p travelling all over the country. electe
by the whole church, and bishops
the whole church. Local work,
said, was I'm charge of the presidir
= elders, now called district superintei
e dents.
Restrictive rules prohibit the Gel
eral Conference from doing away wit
the episcopacy. or from making u
= episcOpacy otherwise than a body
itinerant general superintendent
said Bishop Neely. 'fhere are son
people who talk about prohibiting q
Bishop from making appointment
contrary TO majority decision OF q
district superintendents,' said Il
bishop, "or who wish to have laym,
= in the cabinet. forget Il can't be dol
= constitutionally"
Bishop Neely added emphaticall
"A bishop is there to make appoin
ments." Under the amended constit
tion, said the speaker, a missiona
bishop can be elected to a certain 70
, eign field.
He said that before 1868 missiona
bishops did not sit in general confe
ence. That this was unconstitutional
done in 1868 and ever since.
> The Bishop said that foreign churc
es ought to be made independent
soon as they are strong enough, bo
for administrative and race reasoi
For instance, in the event of war wi
Japan, Japanese Methodisls would
looked upon with suspicion by the
3 countrymen as allies of the Unit
o States.
e He emphasized the idea that the
was plenty of episcopal supervision
y the Methodist Episcopal Church. r
Bishop concluded by urging ministe
to keep up the class meeting, and
> manage their churches according
e the Discipline without asking the p'
mission OF their laymen TO do so.
Upon motion by the Rev. r. T. Cor
i sey. vote OF thanks was extended
the Bishop.
l. N0RTuI tNn CTElDC