The Irish standard., 1912-05-11
Resents Criticism of Marriage
Laws of Catholic Church by
Methodist Conference.
Says Aim of Conference in Attack
ing President Taft Was to
Gain Notoriety.
Let Methodists Make Charges Pro-
vided There is in Them a Scin-
tilla of Truth.

Methodisn. if one is to Judge its
meaning by the work of the confer
cnce now in session in this city. u
indeed a comprehensive doctrine. for
not only are the delegates discussing
questions of discipline for their own
members but they arc going out of
the way to discuss questions of dis
cipline for the Catholic Church and
to prescribe code OF ethics for the
President of the United States and
his cabinet for their guidance in state
matters. Archbishop Ireland has is
sued Il reply to the criticisms made
by the Methodist conference OF, the
marriage laws of the Catholic Church
which follows:
ut is the life blood of Methodlsm
to fight 1t is not itsclr--so 1t be.
lievcs and So it wishes the world to
helieve-unlcss. spurs on heel. and
scimitar on hand, It rides fast and
furious towards willing or unwilling
foeman. And SO, scarcely were the
delegates to the general conference.
now convening in Minneapolis, gath
cred together, when the shout of war
went out from the ranks. No chnl-
lenge was sent to the conference from
far. or nesr.4 This, was ,unfort p,lela..
for then Methodisni should have beer
on the defensive. and popular syn
pathy should have journcyed quick
and warm in the wake Of it's hearty
charge. A foenan, however, there
must be, else 1t were the silence of
insufferablc peace-and lashed into
men there must be, who otherwise
were quite disposed to bid Mcthodism
while in Minneapolis be in quietude
under the sole condition that 1t mind
It's own business ard leave others tne
task of minding theirs.
Good Advertising.
"Thc President of the United States
and members of his cabinet. it was
thought. would well serve the pur-
pose of making known to the whole
country If not ID the world, that
Methodism has TO: the time being its
headquarters in Minneapolis;
scythian shaft was at once winged
| towards Washington. Those in au-
| thority have forfeited all claims on
the future franchise Of the Christian
and sober manhood of the nation. be-
cause, forsooth, they have disregard
eel the expressed wish and prayer Of
the Christian manhood and woman
hood of the nation in allowing the
Secretary of Agriculture to make an
address before the international con-
gress of hop growers and brewers
The protesting Christian manhood
and womanhood Of the nation were
the Methodists. Other citizens Of the
United States. far more numerous II
counted. desired the presence of Mr..
Wilson at the congress. But what
have others to say however numer-
GUS they be, when Methodists de-
claim? The President and the men,
bers of his cabinet represent the
whole; divided the people are in oc-
cupation, in material interests, in
politics. in religion. The duty of the
authorities 1t should seem, is to rec
cgnize equally all classes and divi-
sions of the people, so long as Moth
ing is done or called for that is in
compatible with the Constitution and
the laws of the land. But. not the
Methodists alone must rule and be
recognized "A pity it is that the con-
ference while eliminating Mr.. Taft
did not give the name of the presi-
dental possibility, willing to prom
Use that member of his cabinet
should never make an address before
an international congress of hop
growers and brewers. A candidate
with any chance of. being elected to
suit the Christian manhood and wo-
manhood of the nation as defined by
Methodism, is rare bird: while the
hunt is for him the presidential chair
might have to be left vacant good
long while. Even Mr.. Fairbanks Of
Indiana otherwise a devout Metho-
dist. would be out of the race. Did
not Mr.. Fairbanks once put the vine