The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-04-07
DR.. CLAYTON SCORES
The DEAD" CHURCHES
HypocritcS Seek To Hide Their Real
Identity Behind The Cloak or
Church Responsibility. Churches
Controlled BY Such Are Embalm-
ed But Are kept Above Ground.


Newark. \. j.. April 6.-Follow-
ing the formal opening of the Mary
land Annual Conference of the Meth
odist Protestant Church in the First
Methodist Protestant Church. OF
Newark. the president. the Rev. Dr..
James II. Straughn in his annual
report, proposed survey OF all
churches in the district with a view
toward the regrOupin@ OF country
churches. This board OF survey
would have advisory relations WltE
all future building enterprises OF the
conference and would be prepared
10 Indicate in the future where Dulld-
ings may be needed.
This, with the proposal OF an evan
gelizati0n program for the confer
pucc and the reelection OF confer
ence officers, marked the business
session of the conference. IN the
morning after the devotional eXer-
cises and communion, the confer
encp sermon was preached by the
Rev. DR.. Gcorge NJ Clayton. OF W IL
ton Heights Church. Baltimore.
Memorial services for the ministers
who died during the year were held.
Report Referred To Committee
The presidents report was refefr-
ed to a committee and Will be
brought up for discussion Friday.
The presidents proposal tends 10
wider supervision of the conference
in the matter of sites, building ana
remodeling of the churches. l ne
Methodist Protestant Church IN the
past has left such local matters en-
1irplv to each church. Undef the
new plan, CONGREGATIONS contemplate
ing new churches will be able TO re-
ceive financial support from the con-
ference only by having their plans
approved by the board OF survey.
This will apply not only to the build
ing of new churches, but likewise 10
the remodeling and extensive I'M
provements in local churches ana
even to the building of parsonages.
a change in the conference manual
being suggested whereby each pastor
will be required to make a report
TO the board of survey before CON
senting to the plans of the local
church. Many look upon the plan as
the only feasible measure TO couh-
tprac1 a duplication Of the present
duties Of The church extension so
ciety and the church extension com
mittec BY the resrouplng plan dN
also proposed by the president every
country church will have preach-
ing service at least once on SUNDAY.
Opposes Certain Advertising
In his report the president scored
the advertisements appearing IN sun
day school literature, offering "free
watches. guns. diamonds ana
emusic made easy etc, and sald:
Il wish very much this conference
would especially declare itself IN the
matter of the advertisements. II
we have advertisements let them De
of another sort or let us have non"
at all"
He referred to the summer con
ference and young peoples INSTITUTES
at College Hill and said he would
be clad if conference could IN some
way say to the preacher what the
State saws to the teachers: GU
must 90 to school for little Whlle
each year.
Il have gone into some parson-
ages and been dismayed, he sald.
lat the absence of signs of study
and research. The demand of the
laity is for men that can preach ana
the mos Widespread criticism OF
preachers today is that they cannot
preach. Such an observation shoulu
challenge the pulpit and the pest
that is in us"
In his report he also voiced pro.
test against commercializatlon OF
Sunday. ----------------.
DR.. Clayton Scores Deal Churches
Dead churches were adversely
criticized by the Rev. DR.. D. u. M.
CLAYTON who said: 'Moderns nave
discovered a process OF embalmlhg
dead churches by which they may be
kept above ground. Such churcnes'
however. are corpses still. and are
too common to be curiosities.
DR.. Clayton protested against
those who speak of the universal
church with an effectation OF rellS-
ious liberty, yet who never take
part in making some particular
church richer agency for effecuns
the universal church. All the boast
ID liberality. he said may be onl!
a net name for laziness and general
debility.
Officers reelected were: President
the Rev. DR.. James II. Straughn,
Baltimore; Secretary, the Rev. &. l.
Humphreys. Washington. assistant
secretarys, the Revs. R L. Shlpley'
X. X. Haddaway. Z. L. Ballard; con
ference steward. the Rev. J. a. Dud-
lev, Denton. Nd; assistant steward
the Rev. J. n. Link; conference
treasurer, the Rev. c. p. Nowiin
Belair Md.