The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-11-01
CONVENTION ADOPTS
POLICY OF LAyMEN
Methodist Men to Work For
Ten Per Cent Member
ship Increase.
SMITH GIVES TALK
Y. NJ. G.. A. Official Says
Church Is Facing a Crisis
At Present. =

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 1.-The ma
tional convention of Methodist men
today adopted the policy of the lay
men toward the church. The report
was read by Bishop Mcdowell of Chi
cago and was unanimously adopted
with an amendment pledging the lay
men to aid in a maximum church men,
bership gain ten per cent per year
The report on the policy pledges the
laymen to a program Of personal evan
gelism; the annual gain in member
ship above mentioned; to the princi-
pie of social redemption in all lands.
to special efforts in bringing children
Into the church and TO educate them
in the church; to practice the princi-
pies of stewardship, recognizing that
man is only custodian of the world s
wealth; to the universal Introduction
of the every member canvass, and the
weekly offering by every man, woman
and child in the church; to the full
and hearty support to all the boards
of the church; to the loyal support Of
all forms of Christian activity as ex-
pressed in educational, philanthropic
and evangelist institutions to an edu-
Cational campaign for social service;
to an emphatic Endorsement Of the &C
ton of the last general conference of
the church; to the utmost cooperation
with all other churches and to the
support and regulation of Christian
literature wherever possible.
Trend Toward Church.
Rev. David G. Downey, book editor
for the Sunday school board of the
church, in speaking today said that
the trend of all essayists and editor
ial writer's today is toward Christian
ity despite the fact that much of the
literature of the day is immoral, i'm
moral and bizarre. The best sellers"
he said are those dealing with relig-
ious themes.
81 am not sure that Methodism and
Presbyterianism and Congregational
ism or any other denomination is go
ing to live forever, but am sure that
the church of the living Christ is go
ing to live forever, and if any of you
Methodists expect to live fifty years
more you had better get so in love
with Methodism that you will still
stay in love with it under some other
name, the general name that is to be
assumed by the church." said Fred B.
ment in America, in addressing the
convention last night. Smiths ad-
dress proved to be the sensation of
the convention.
In Stirring Speech.
"There is crisis in the religious
world today There is a crisis in the
industrial world. | attended a meeting
the other day where the plumbers
were discussing strike. One man
arose and denounced the church and
said that organized labor must crush
it to win. Is that not crisis to face,
and this man was cheered tumultously,
too There is a crisis in a financial
world A prominent church man organ
lied an $4,000, 900 corporation in forty
minutes in New York city the other
day and then turning to the men
around the luncheon table asked them
as to their religious inclinations. Him
self and two others were actively en-
gagged in church work. Thirteen others
had been at one time but said that
they had cut it out as there was moth
ing to it for the financier. Is that not
a crisis for the church. There is a
crisis in the educational world. A
prominent university president said
the other day to a speaker who had
addressed 1000 university men They
lost interest when you mentioned the
church Is that not a crisis for the
church"