The Irish standard., 1915-01-09
DO PROTESTANT CHURCHES md 1HE MENACE
A Matter of Record. Federal Council of Protes-
tant Churches Passes Resolution Regarding
Menace. W. J. Bryan, Secy. of State
Attends Convention of Churches
As Delegate.

In late years the Protestant denom-
nations with a few exceptions have
formed a church federation, compris-
ing now 90 denominations and called
the Federal Council of the Churches
Of Christ.
Yearly conventions are held at which
the delegates from the various.
churches attempt to harmonic as well
as might be the work of the churches.
This years convention was held at
Richmond, Virginia, beginning Dec. 8.
It is a curious coincidence that this
the Feast of the Immaculate Concep-
tion-should have been selected by
the Central Verein for the transmits
sion of letters to representatives in
congress protesting the circulation in
the mails of the Menace"
It happened that the secretary of
the Social Service Commission of the
American Federation of Catholic So
cieties was at this time attending the
convention of the American Associa-
ton for Industrial Education in the
same city.
In the course of conversation with
Mr.. Blake, Grand knight of McGill
Council, K. of c., and Mr.. Nokely,
Past Grand knight, it was suggested
to ask the Federal Council of the
Churches of Christ to assist in the
campaign against the Menace"
The following resolution was drawn
up and presented to the Rev. Charles
s. MacFarland, secretary of the Fed
eral Council:
Whereas, it is understood to be
one OF the principal purposes of the
Federal Council of the Churches Of
Christ in America to promote concord
and good will amongst the various
denominations of Christians, and,
Whereas, this meeting Of the Coun-
Gil desires to again affirm its position
in this regard, it is hereby
Resolved, that the Federal Council
Of the Churches of Christ in America
in meeting assembled does not sym
pathize with the methods employed
by a. certain publication known as
The Menace and like publications
in. slandering and abusing one of the
most prominent Christian churches in
America"
In discussing the resolution, Rev.
MacFarland stated that in his opinion
every delegate present at the meet
ing was certainly out of sympathy
with the Menace" but he did not
know If it would be regarded wise
thing to take official action. How
ever, he did know that they were not
in favor of excluding the. Menace"
from the mails. Since the resolution
did not call for such action, he con-
tinued, he would present it and inform
us later of any action.
On December 14th the following let
ter was received:
December IA, 1914.
Secretary of the Social Service Com
mission,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Ny dear Father Dietz: Our execu-
tive committee was obliged to adjourn
on Friday noon, with between fifteen
and twenty miscellaneous propositions
undisposed of. These were all re-
ferred, with power, to the administra-
tive committee.
shall take pleasure in bringing the
matter to the attention of the admin
istrative committee, although, as in
timated to you, such action as sug-
gested would only be likely to fire up
certain antagonists and make the SIT
uation worse rather than better. l
will, however, gladly confer on the
. matter with the administrative COM
mittee.
Sincerely yours,
CHARLES s. MCFARLAND,
Secretary.
It was noticed that the Hon. VIM.
Jennings Bryan, secretary of state,
was present at the convention as an
official delegate Of the Presbyterian
church and It is to be hoped that
through his influence and that of other
I equally influential men it may not be
long before the allegation that Protest
\ anism stands behind the Menace" and
similar publications will be officially
4 denied.
- -
WHERE COOPERATION WAS POS
alRLE WITH THE PROTESTANT
CHURCH FEpERATioN-IN.