METHODIST ECUMENICAL CONFERENCE AT WASHINGTON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9300, 16 December 1891, Page 2

METHODIST ECUMENICAL CONFERENCE AT WASHINGTON.

(From Our Special Correspondent.)

Nintu Day—Friday, October 16 (Second Session). ;

" The Obligations of the Church in Regard to the Social Condition of the People," was the subject set down for the Rev. Peter Thomson at the opening of this session. Mr Thomson is well known as the leader of a noble mission among the poor in the East of London. He is a burly big hearted man who strikes you at once as full to overflowing of human sympathy. Drink was described as the cause of misery of the eastenders. One house in every 39 in this district was a drink shop, and 45 per cent, of the adult population died in the workhouse. The ohurch could not deal with this question as she ought, because so many of her members were in one way and another interested in the drink traffic. He recommended that every youth in the slums should be taught a trade; the poor should he decently housed; competition should bo corrected and sweating abolished ; habits of" thrift should be taught. Mr Thompson's evident earnestness touched the at its heart, The Rev. Thomas Allen gave an address upon " Christian Work Among the Rich." He insisted that the church should be broad enough to include every class in society. It must not narrow itself by sectarian spirit. The rich and ' the poor needed each other, and the church should be the meeting ground for both. He admitted that many on becoming rich left the Nonconformist churches in search of social or professional advantages; but the religion cf such was rarely, if ever, deep. The Rev. J. T. Hartzell urged the claims of the small towns and agricultural districts. One-third of the population of the United States were outside the cities. The Rev. E. J. Brailsford (Scotland) spoke of the villages as the seed basket from _ which the cities and colonies were supplied with people, hence the importance of - not neglecting them. The Rev. J. E. Clap- '" ham (London) said that he despaired of the church's being able to deal with the social needs of the time. The State must undertake this duty, prompted and encouraged by the church. The Rev. D. H. Tribon, chaplain of the United States Navy, described himself as "an c!d- ---! fashioned, red-hot, repent, or you'U-be-t damned Methodist. The disgrace of the church was, in his opinion, in parting 1 with church properties in poor districts, and i " mixing up town " after the respectable people, i A case of the kind had occurred in Boston in _ which, while the Methodists went out at the _ back door, the Roman Catholics came in at the front. j Tenth Day— Saturday, October 17. "AVar and Peace" headed the programme ', for this morning. Bishop Aaynian (negro) . asked leave to announce, before the formal J business began, that three of their coloured i Methodist bodies had decided upon organic . union, and would henceforth form but one j church. The first paper was read by T. Snape, Esq., of Liverpool, his subject beiug "International Arbitration." He referred to " the fact that a convention of the representc- ; fives of the American Republics was held last '_ year at A\ rashington. Eighteen governments , were represented, and a resolution was passed ' unanimously—'' That the Republics of America hereby accept arbitration as a principle of international law for tha settlement of disputes . that may arise between one or more of them." The essay first took the church severely to task for not being more outspoken upon the subject of the horrors of war. The conference this j morning was visited by several of the dignitaries of the United States Government, " including PRESIDENT HARBISON, who was greeted with round after round of _ applause; all present rising to their feet. The j President is a very telling speaker, and speaks without the slightest hesitation and without notes. He said that he had come to express _ his respect and esteem for the great body of " delegates from every part of the world. Every such conference was a distinct step towards the unification of the race. It was natural that subdivisions should be wiped out before the great divisions of tho church should be reunited. Many years ago when visiting AA'is- ! consin he visited a little Methodist church. The preachertindertook to overturn his Presbyterianism. An irreverent friend at his elbow nudged him every time the preacher made a point against Calvinism. He had often worshipped i in Methodist churches Jsince, but had never t had a similar experience. He was glad to find ' that the subject that morning was arbitration. , He believed that the principle could be applied ' in a dispute about a boundary line, but not in a 3 case of international feud. It was for Christian ; sentiment to remove such a spirit from the nation, and the rest would be easy of attain-, r ment. The President added: "For myself, temporarily in a place of influence in this country, and much more for the great body of . citizenship, I express the desire of America for 1 peace with the whole world. It is by this great i Christian sentiment, characterised not only by 1 a high sense of justice, hut by the spirit of lovo and forbearance, mustering the civil institutions ' and governments of the world that we shall ', approach universal peace, and adopt arbitration methods of settling disputes." The President cordially thanked the conference for its welcome and withdrew. The whole scene was characteristically American. AA'ithout any pomp or show, dressed like any other gentleman, the president walked in arm-in-arm with the pastor of the church. Few peoplp could have told, if they had not known, which of the 500 gentlemen present was president of the greatest republic in the world. Eleventh Day—Monday, October 19, As the conference nears the end the attends ance of delegates begins to fall off. Their places are filled up hy ladies and others, who are glad to get a good seat. The assembly thus presents an appearance similar to what future conferences promise to become in reality, if the present trend of thought on the " woman question" continue. Part of the preliminary business this morning was the reading of a " pastoral," which is addressed by this conference to the Methodist world. As it would fill a couple of columns, I will not attempt to afflict your readers with it. I may mention, as an illustration of the interest taken in this conference here, and of American newspaper enterprise, that this address was wired, as soon as it passed, by the Press Association to 800 newspapers. After the address was adopted the Statistical Committee presented its report. From this we gather that, as nearly as can be ascertained, the numerical strength of world-wide Methodism is as follows :— Jlinisters. Members. Adherents. Europe ... -1,481 915,284 " 4,209,(101 ■V.ia . .- 533 31,'XU 114,. lIS Africa ... 294 71,147 283,:}7_ Australia & Polynesia ... 7SS 9J5,140 4SS,IS3 America '... 3G,(X»I 5,J350,4!M 31,281,871. Totals ... 42,1195 6,494,399 25,J378,104 These figures show an increase of 30 per cent, iii the number of adherents since 1881. The ordinary business of the day was upon " The Church and Public Morality." The Hon. A\'. B. Hill read the first paper upon " The Church and Legal Restraints Upon the A'ices of Society." He contended that law should precede, not follow, public opinion. If God had waited for the public opinion of the Israelites they would never have received the ten commandments. Churches should lead and mould public opinion. The Rev. Joseph Posnett followed with a vigorous onslaught upon every form of gambling. He included among gamblers " the shouting, screaming, fanatical dervishes of finance in the New York and other American stock exchanges." Those who played for sixpenny points were equally guilty with the gamblers who striked thousands; the sin was not the amount staked, but in the thing itself. Judge Sibley read a paper on "Marriage and Divorce Law's."' He contended that desertion was a good ground for divorce as well as adultery, because^ it annulled the ends for which marriage exists. In the Afternoon Session Dr Steward read an essay upon " Sabbath Observance." The paper showed that American Christians feel the danger, so evident to visitors, of Sunday slipping away from their grasp. "The Attitude of the Church Towards Amusements " "was the subject next considered. Little, if anything, was said iv condemnation pf pleasiu'o" a,? siich, "Jlauj" a §ais. ivta

scourged his flesh to drive out the demon of lust, drove in the demon of persecution to keep the other company," said one. The line was drawn at the theatre and the mixed dance. One layman representing the Methodist Free Church in England put in a plea for the theatre. He said that on going to the Lyceum he saw so many ministers there that he might have mistaken it for a conference, and expressed the belief that in this way the theat.e was purged of objectionable elements. It was evident by expressions of disapproval that his view found but little sympathy. Last Day.—Tuesday, October 20. Before the order of the day began, it_ was agreed that the next conference meet in 1901, and that there be a committee of 80 members, in which every known body of Methodists should have at least one representative to make preliminary arrangements. The Rev. J. G. Simon read the first paper upou ''The Christian Resources of the Old AVorld." He spoke of the rapid diminution of the evangelical party in the Church of Eugland as an ominous sign. It was true that many ritualists earnestly preached a Living Christ, yet ritualism as a system did not make "for righteousness. The "down grade" type of minister was not common in Nonconformist churches. He had a word of warm sympathy with the Salvation Army as representing the last great outburst of evangelical fervour in England. Another speaker stated that onefourth of the population of America were church communicants, the exact figures beingProtestants, 14,327,000; Catholics, 2,110,000. Last Session. Dr Buckley read an essay upon " The Church of the Future." Ho described pessimists and optimists as people who looked through opposite ends of a telescope. There were grave aspects of modern religious life. Even common honesty was too rare among religiousprofessors. Self-denial was not common. Sabbath-keep-ing was going down. Preachers seemed to have less power in dealing with conscience. Much .revivalism was superficial. Family prayer was going out of fashion. Religion was less simple than aforetime. But this was only one side. There was much to encourage. In vital doctrine all evangelical churches were sound and were united. _ Temperance, philanthropy, education, and raissionary zeal were largely on the increase. Civilised nations were turning towards arbitration instead of war. The church rested mainly not on State endowment but on the support of the people, and enjoyed the confidence of the people. The outlook on the whole was hopeful. The Rev. AA'. J. Dawson followed on the same subject. These were, he said, our notes which would characterise the church in time to come, viz., simplicity, democracy, socialism, comprehension. He proceeded to speak in generous terms of the Church of Rome, and expressed the hope that reunion with her might come to pass. This view, however, met with but little favour. This conference has two strong antipathies—drink and Roman Catholicism. Bishop Hendrix pleaded that the church must not only care for the poor, but for the rich and cultured. There were uo hearts to-day that ached as did the hearts of rich men. An address from the Rev. F. AY. Bourne brought the programme to a close. The Rev. Dr Stephenson moved a comprehensive vote of thanks to officials, hosts, and the press of America, and especially of AA-ashington. He testified of the pleasure and profit ; the conference had yielded, and believed • it would bear good and lasting fruit. There were few dry eyes in the crowded church ' as he spoke of the next conference ten years hence, and asked who would be there ? This motion was seconded by the Rev. AY. Carmen, of Canada, and supported in a felicitous speech by Chief Justice AVay, of South Australia. The last half hour was spent in devotional exercises, led hy the Rev. AY. Arthur and others, and ; Bishop Newman pronounced the benediction, i As the delegates left, the wife of Bishop New- j man presented each with a sprig of ivy from the i walls of the church in which they had met. I This ivy was from a sprig brought originally ' from the church at AVorms, so famous in eon- i nection with Luther and the Reformation. I