The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-08-14
CONTROVERSY
IS STIRRED UP
BY TEACHINGS
Differences in Opinion Be-
tween Quakers Referred to
Committee - Books Are
Questioned.
ORTHODOXY IS ROOT?

controversy between two wings of
indiana yearly meetIus ieIatlvv
tain doctrinal teachings in Earlham
college, and which also are reflected
by the American Friend. the official
organ of the society, was disposed of
temporarily late Friday afternoon a.
Indiana yearly meeting. The recon-
mendation of the permanent board re-
ferring the matter to the nominating
committee, was approved by the
session.
Nicholson, chairman. W. J. Sayres,
| Ida T. Parker. Ira c. Johnson, and S.
Delbert Wood was named In the
| morning session Saturday, as a COM
| mittee appointed by the nominating
committee in response to the request
| OF Portland quarterly meeting. to in
vestigate certain committees, boards
and institutions" in connection with
Indiana yearly meeting.
| S. E. Nicholson, clerk of the meeting,
would not make a statement Satur-
day in view of the fact that he had
been named chairman of the invesu-
eating committee, and that a report
from the meeting on ministry and
| oversight would be made late Satur-
day afternoon by him.
|
Earlham, said Saturday, the matter
simply was an honest difference of
| opinion among the members.
Question a Textbook.
For an hour Friday afternoon the
session went over the matter and thor
oughly analyzed it. Albert Fursten-
| burger, a member of Portland quar-
| terly meeting, said that a text book
! nv w
some members. Furstenbe rger was a
student at Earlham two years ago.
The whole matter, it is believed"
said a prominent Friend, Saturday,
comes from the fact that there are
many Quakers of the orthodox belief,
| and they do not harmonic with some
of the teachings put in modern form.
In this way they are in discord with
some of the contributed articles that
have appeared in the American Friend.
LAS the matter is not considered a
grave one, and only one which often
comes to the meetings in annual ses-
sion, quick disposal of it is expected"
The controversy had its inception in
the request of Portland quarterly
meeting for the appointment of a spe-
cial committee from the Yearly Meet
ing to investigate certain teachings
and methods among u.s." At the open
ing session Of the Yearly Meeting last
Tuesday, a communication from Port
| land meeting was received, which in
part was as follows:
Deep Concern Is Expressed
Sixty members from the eight meet
ings in Portland quarterly meeing
were in session recently with deep
concern about conditions in our church
Portland quarterly meeting prizes its
connection with the yearly meeting
| and means to be loyal to it,
I'VE note with deep concern the un-
/ rest among our mem bers. caused by
conflicting reports current in our
| midst about certain teachings and
methods among us.
I'VE therefore request that the year
ly meeting appoint a committee that
shall give full and sympathetic ex-
animation of the policy and plans of
the various boards and committees of
the yearly meeting together with our
connection with the Five Years Meet
ings and the forward movement, also
Of such questions as may arise about
the teachings, policy, etc, of Earlham
college and the American Friend"
I'VE make this urgent request be-
cause we believe. this unrest to be so
pronounced and general, not only in
Portland quarterly meeting, but thru
out the yearly meeting. that unless
this is speedily done there is danger
of disintegration of some of the mon
thly and quarterly meetings"
! The permanent board to which the
communication was referred, took up
the question, had a hearing on the
questions involved, and recommended
} with a similar committee from the
Western Yearly Meeting, which has
equal Jurisdiction with Indiana year
ly meeting over the affairs of Earlham
college.
Think Doctrines are Unsound
According to Friends who are in
sympathy with the stand of Portland
quarterly meeting, the deep concern"
indicated in the communication, has
to do with what they believe is the
unsoundness of the doctrinal teach
ings in Eanham college.
These Friends say that the teach
ings and methods objected to are those
which are alleged as not in strict
accord with the fundamental declara.
tion of faith as adopted by the Friends
many years ago.
I'VE are asking that these matters
D be subject to investigation" said one
e of the Friends today, mot because we
ucoIIe W SllI up u IOlItloNcISy, DUl
> because we believe that it is for the
e god of the church. that il such charges
n are not true, it may be known and il
:. they are true that they may be correct
4 ed
n A communication from Dublin, Ire
l. land. Yearly Meeting and one from
the London Yearly Meeting were read
y Seeds of War Still Alive
n "In these troublous times in oul
S country" read the Dublin epistle, eve
e feel the need more than ever Of YOU
|: sympathy and prayers. that our faitf
not fail and that we be not over
l. come of evil but overcome evil with
3 good
r. within the last year the war CLOUD
has lifted in part, but as we look owe
desolated world we realize that tn,
seeds of war are still in the hearts
= of men and women, and that by tn,
n saving power of our Lord Jesu
e Christ alone can they be prevente,
y from springing up and bearing thei