Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-02
Church GAIN SLIGHT
Methodist Growth in Year
Less Than Two Per Cent.
CAUSES ARE DISCUSSED
Episcopal Address" Is Read by
Bishop Earl Cranston.
WESLEYAN DOCTRINES UPHELD
Commission Ordered Appointed to
Investigate Supervision of
325, 900 Negro Members.

MINNEAPOLIS. Minn., May 2-Criti-
c.sm OF the condition which enabled the
church to gain less than per cent Of
It's membership in the last year. and
charges that the church press was being
USED as a free forum by the promoters
OF olSaHection' were made in the bishops
report to the quadrennial general con-
Terence of the Methodist Episcopal
Church today
The report, known as the episcopal
address,, was signed by eighteen bishops
| IN this and six bishops in foreign coun-
tries, and Is regarded as the most i'm
portant document to come before the
conference, as 1t contains the bishops
recommendations for the future policy
| Of the church.
The report was read by Bishop Earl
Cranston Of Washington. b. c. Another
sectlon upon which the bishops have
been at work since the general confer
ence at Baltimore will be delivered to-
morrow.
Gain of Only $4,000.
In the last year." said the report,
the church has made a net gain of but
5000. which is less than per cent, as
the outcome of the years activities, and
| the outlay of many millions of dollars.
The statistical paradox glares us out of
countenance 1t shames and humiliates
us. What are hOnOrS of offices worth
| in any army that does not win battfesY
NO marvel that some are proposing 10
reduce the major generals to post duty"
This was a reference to a proposed
| limiting of the activities to a local dis
| trict of the bishops, whose Jurisdiction
now is universal.
Among the reasons for the meager
| growth. as set forth, were too strict
\ application of the law of the church
| demanding that all members who remove
| from given community without their
| church letters be dropped from member
ship after one year.
"A fair calculation" the report said,
reveals the astounding fact that prob
ably not less than 10000 members dis
| appeared from our rolls by reckless use
Of the dropping process.
Doctrines Not Emphasized.
Nevertheless. we still face the patent
fact that our distinctive doctrines are not
( being emphasized as they once were, or
| where preached. are discredited for the
time by gainsaying world, drunk with
vain sphilosophies and stated with glut-
| tonous indulgences.
Pleading for an emphasis on the dis
tinctfve Wesleyan doctrines. the report
| said that they were the only power to
| save the nation against vice.
Our second lapse is that our system
1 is not being worked as it formerly was
| Certain distinctive parts have been
| abandoned, others modified. Innovations,
noxious to our pastoral as well as to our
supervisional methods. have intervened to
/ the hurt of both"
| The report condemned the so-called
| congregational system of calling pastors
/ for local churches, which was said to
| have become general in Methodism.
| Referring to discussions in the church
| publications. the report said:
| I'VE understand the church maintains a
1 press for the advocacy of her doctrines
and the defense of her policy when as
sailed, not as free forum for the
\ problems by their own dooryards, or to
| officially sanction the promoters of dis
| affection. While we would not restrain
| dignified and legitimate discussion of
fprop osed amend dments or reforms. we
deprecate the admission of ill-considered
and Incorporate criticisms of our policy
1 or church agencies.
Territory of Bishops.
One of the proposals before this con-
ference is that the bishops be placed
| In definite charge of the work in the
| territory adjacent to their episcopal resi-
| dences.
The conference ordered a commission
| appointed to investigate the episcopal
supervision of the 325, 600 negro members
| in southern states. William w. Lucas
of Meridian. Miss. charged that. although
Bishop Thomas B. Neely's residence was
fixed as New Orleans, the bishop had
| resided there not more than thirty days
in the last four years. Mr.. Lucas and all
southern delegates declared that unless
the negro members secured the leadership
they sought they threatened to separate.