Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-27
NJ. E. CONFERENCE
STANDS LOYALTY
BEHIND NATION
Resources Pledged That the
United States May Win
Righteous Cause


hand" the seditiouss meetings of
pacitists in order that the name of
free speech may not be used to poi-
son the wells of patriotic thinking
is one of the requests made by the
Central PENNSYLVANIA Conference of
the Methodist Episcopal Church
made public to-day. The document
is one of the most resolute, frank
declarations made by any great body |
of citizens since America entered |
the war. pledging that the members /
of this church will not forsake the
great cause until the liberty of man.
kind be secured. Following is the |
complete statement:
Sine the last session of the Gen.
tral Pennsylvania Conference the |
American nation has taken its place |
in the great world conflict. We
deem 1t appropriate therefore that
we should put into formal express !
sion profound sentiments, convic |
tions and motives that stir our souls
and guide our conduct, both as in
dividuals and as a great church.
''I-Our Attitude
I'VE are in this war not of our
own desire or for our own gain. We
could have grown richer and saved
our sons for time by keeping out
of 1t. We are in this war to make
safe the liberties of mankind. We
fully believe that eventually we our
selves would have been attacked on
our own shores and our liberties
assailed. But even If our liberties
were safe we could not enjoy them
in SNUG satisfaction while the lib
erty and democracy of the world
were being trampled down under
the iron heel of autocracy. Having
drawn the sword in q holy cause
we will not lay it down until the
liberty of the nation is secured, not
by scrap of paper but by the
overwhelming and final overthrow
of autocracy; until not only Britain
and France are safe, but Belgium,
Servia, Roumania, Poland, battered
and broken Russia, bleeding and
crushed Armenia and all other peo-
pies involved are established in their
liberties.
"1I-CO-operation of Government
I'VE record our deep sense of
appreciation of the many marks
We have received of the implicit
confidence the Government has in
the complete cooperation of the
churches. The Government shall
not be diappointed. And we pledge
ourselves and our people to the
heartiest response to every call made
upon us. We especially pledge our
serves (a) to secure the maximum
results in our schools, Dickinson
College and Williamsport Dickinson
Seminary, for the immediate service
of the country in the war and also
for the leadership necessary after
the war; (b) to secure the largest
possible response to the Govern
ments suggestions for the conserva-
tiOn nf fnnd and w
tors to keep our people informed on
what these suggestions are and to
impress upon them the fact that
wheat will win the war; (c) we
further pledge ourselves as pastors
to Cooperate in every possible way
with every movement in our sew
eral communities. We will gladly
take our places on the Liberty Loan,
Red Cross or other committees and
count 1t a joy to do our bit in every
possible way.
"III-Suggcstions to Government
I'VE would respectfully but ear
nestly make the following sugges-
tions to the government: (a) That
the authorities throughout the coun-
try put down with an iron hand the
sedltous meetings of the so-called
pacifsts, men and women who are
either in German pay or are against
everything we hold sacred. The
name of free speech must not be
used to poison the wells of patriotic
thinking. lin this connection we
record our deep satisfaction with the
prompt action of our church in
dealing with the pro-German utter
ances in a certain paper and school
(b) That the overwhelming and i'm
perative demands of the country for
Nxrnr 1,tI lN@ NJ
have gladly pledged ourselves and
people to conserve efood in every
possible way. but, we submit, 1t is
gigantic blunder to waste the
grain, coal and railway service for
booze, at the awful risk of losing
the war. The call must not be only
Save the wheat and win the war;
but Cut out the booze and win the
war;
'Tv.-War-Time Committee
We desire to express our great
satisfaction over the presence of
Bishop Theodore S. Henderson at
our conference session and our deep
interest in and sympathy with his
utterances. And we pledge to him
and to the Wartime Commission
of the church which he represents
our fullest and most hearty Coop
Grafton in the plans announced for
the May Drive For Patriotism. We
will carry out the program to the
letter, and we assure him that the
Central Pennsylvania Conference
will go "over the top"
"V-Our Roll of Honor
"We record the fact with pride,
and joy and tears that boys from
our parsonages have enetered the
Army and Navy, and that girls have
gone as nurses. that liberty might
not perish from the earth A great
army of our young men from all our
churches have responded to the
country's CALL We assure them all
of our love and constant prayers.
We earnestly recommend that, every
official board shall have a special
committee which shall keep in low
ing touch with all these boys and
girls and shall render every service
to their loved ones.
"VI-Our Faith in God
1--WE do not claim an exclusive
knowledge of the will and plan of
God, but we do believe God is on
the side of the down-trodden and
oppressed, and that the holiest prin-
ciples of our divine Christianity are
at stake. We will seek to know the
will of god, we will trust Him with
our all. and we pray for His guild
ance and blessing in this hour of
supreme crisis. We are fully per-
suaded that righteousness will be
victorious and god will more fully
reveal Himself to men.
ROBERT BAGNELL,
-. Il. SK1LLINGTON,
"A. S. FASICK.