Evening journal., 1912-03-16

Practically the entire session of the
Wilmington Methodist Episcopal
Conference this morning was devoted
TO discussion Of a resolution attack
ing as heretcal some of the
articles in the . Sunday school
Journal. one of the official pub
lications of the church. of which
the Rev. DR.. j. f. Mcfarland is edi-
tor The resolutions were presented
by District superintendent e. l.. Hof-
fecker and were rather sweeping In
their language. DR. Mcfarland. speak
ing I'm his own behalf denied that
the articles complained of were heret-
ical and said he would rather lose
his right hand than retract his
views on those questions. He also
made il clear that he was not to be
deferred from his course by any
threats Of taking his editorial office
away from him.
Pleading for a certain stand by the
Methodist Church District Superin-
tendent Hoffecker declared he would
rather be a Roman Catholic straight
and know where he stood than be
Protestant and not know. The reso-
luton finally was referred to spe-
cial committee to be reframed and
reported back DR.. Hoffecker's reso-
luton as introduced was as follows:
Whereas, There has appeared IN
the Sunday School Journal from time
TO time during the last four years
teachings concerning certain books in
the Bible which tend to impair belief
in the crcdibility Of teh Scriptures and
to undermine their authority as the
only rule and sufficient rule of faith
and practice. and arc in direCt viola
tion of the Fifth Article Of religion or
our discipline which names the Cano-
nical books of the Old and New Tes-
taments Of whose authority there was
never any doubt, In the church, and
Whereas, Ii seems to be the pur-
pose of those i'm charge of our Sunday
school publications to commit the
church to certain doctrinal views con-
cerning the relation of children TO re-
demption in Christ, which are out of
harmony with the teaching of Meth
odism from the beginning. as to the
need of all men of the new birth I'm or
der TO be saved, and
Whereas. Such teaching is disturb
ing the faith of some Of our people
and is causing some Of our Sunday
school officers to supply their schools
with lesson papers not published by
the authority of the church. and
whereas, Those who have been
clothed with little brief authority by
reason Of election by tho General
Conference. have apparently made an
effort to commit the Methodist Epis-
copal Church to their moderuist view'
and have used the publications OF the
church FOR that purpose, therefore.
Resolved. That We memorable
the General Conference In the session
to be held i'm May, 1912. to consider
this matter which is of such vital i'm
portance. and 10 take such steps as
NAV be necessary 10 bring 10 an enc
such an intolerable condition ana l'
nrevcnt i'm the future the use of the
instrumentalities Of tho church tol
such propaganda. which is not in har
monv with the doctrinal standards o
Nethodism. or of Orthodox Christian
tv. Our delegates are hereby IN
etructed and directed to lay this mo
mortal before the General Conference
i'm May, 1912"
Dr. Hoffecker said he had been read
ing critically the Sunday Schoo
Journal for 'he last four years am
had kept marked copies of article
"not TO be harmonized with the stand
ards of Methodist doctrines
1T is high time halt had bee
brought in this matter and stop th
placing before immature minds sue
views as are to be found in the Jour
nall
DR.. J. F. Mcfarland. editor of tn
Sunday School Journal. was give
permission to address the Conferenc
70 explain the views set forth in tina
publication. He said he desired
avoid controversy This resolu
taon," he added charges the dis
seraination of heTetical doctrines an
doctrines out of harmony with tn
word Of God. am willing to su.
scribe to every doctrine of the Metl
dist Church.
"You are dealing with a man VIII