Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (April 28, 1912)
The Omaha Sunday Bee mi two EDITORIAL PAGES OKE TO TEH fABT TWO SOCIETY A PAGES OKE TO Tiff VOL. XLI NO. 43 OMAHA, SUNDAY MOEM v;. pK11j LN mi Methodist Episcopal Church and Its Work in Nebraska r-- X 1 1 1 F ,3i IfU II l 1 I '4. V t"i;ssa I - . I ZayJ)t2eSa fa General Con create Iron Omah. Jlfcin. By REV. EDWARD HISIXIP, DMriot Superintendent Omaha District Methodist Episcopal Church. , THE first day of May there opens In Minneapolis, Minn., to continue dur ing the entire month, the quadrennial meeting of the Methodist Episcopal church. The meeting, known as the general conference, is the law-making ) body for a denomination numbering , approximately 4,000,000 members and adherents. It la riAlaMUd hnrfB nnmnnmaA f nn .null n,imhp f ministers and laymen, about 800 in all. This is fc large company for deliberative purposes and ef forts will be made after this year to change the h cnnfarpnfA In about AAA It will Im rAralliuf hv m n t i jimi inm fiiii Rr.ni . mm in umini in mar Every part of the church will be represented both at home and abroad. Brown men from India, Malaysia and the Philippines will sit with black men from Africa, yellow men from China and the fair skinned Caucasian of Europe and the United Btates. Every profession and walk In life will be represented. Editors, farmers, merchants, lawyers, teachers, doctors, college . presidents, philanthro pists, rich and poor, learned and unlearned, wise and foolish all will be gathered at this meeting. The conservative and radical will probably sit side by side. There will be elect women In the gather ing, for since the quadrennial meeting of 1900 women have been allowed a seat in the' conference 'If elected delegates and the word "layman" In the JJethodlst church Is interpreted to mean either man tr woman. Nebraska's Delegation The state of Nebraska will be represented by twenty delegates, ten of them ministers and ten laymen. The ministers are: Rev. James R. Gettys, David City; Rev. N. A. Martin, University Place; Eev. R. N. Orrill, Fairbury; Rev. C. M. Shepard, Lincoln; Rev. C. X. Dawson, Omaha; Rev. William Esplin, Arlington; Rev. E. T. George, N'eligh; Rev. Allen Chamberlain, North Platte; Rer. J. W. Mor ris, Holdrege, and Rev. A. R. Julian, Gordon. The laymen are: C. A. Fulmer, chancellor Nebraska Wesleyan university, University Place;, G. M. Spur lock, attorney, York; G. E. Tobey, publisher, Lin cola; R. B. Windham, attorney, Plattsmoutb; John Dale, general agent Aetna Insurance company, Omaha; G. H. Gray, banker, Central City; O. O. Enyder, merchant, O'Neill; W. R. Akers, farmer, Ecotts Bluff; E. A. Cook, attorney, Lexington, and E. K. Warrick, banker. Alliance. Father In the Church As will be seen two of the delegates, a minister nd a layman, are from Omaha. John Dale Is one of our well known citizens. Though put 80 years Of age, he has the springy step and the buoyant air of a man of thirty. For years be has been Identi fied with the insurance business in Omaha, coming here some thirty years ago from Kankakee, III. A native of England, Mr. Dale Is a thoroughly re constructed American citizen. His life Is as the chapters of an open book before his fellows. A stanch Methodist from early childhood, an ordained deacon and local preacher, Mr. Dale has probably preached as many sermons as the average minister and has assisted in so many church building enter prises that he has earned the title "father of churches." Hanscom Park church, one of the larg est and most prosperous Methodist churches In Omaha, was organized twenty-five years ago in the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Dale. Persistently through the years Mr. Dale has guided the destinies of this body and with no little gratification hag seen It come to its present size and Importance. Alert and well Informed on all questions pertaining to the local and general church, Mr. Dale will be a Valuable representative In the general conference. Really an Omaha, Man ' Rev. Charles N. Dawson, D. D., has been so long Identified with the Methodism of Omaha that be Is looked poa as an Omaha man. Having been pastor t gM Tenth Street, now Diets Memorial, years ago; "The Auli6o2izLin" S;r the General Conference Sessions vviUJJicJd, later Walnut Hill, then First church, South Omaha, and at Seward Street in the days when It was one of the strong and Influential churches of the city. In addition to these churches in the city, Dr, Daw son has held a number of Important pastorates out In the state. For several years prior to last' Sep tember Dr. Dawson was the traveling field agent for the Nebraska Methodist hospital. During that time he visited every part of the state and raised a fund of over (25,000 to enlarge the hospital building. At the opening of tbe Nebraska Wes leyan endowment campaign Dr. Dawson was se cured by Mr. Strader, manager o fthe campaign, as an assistant in that work. He Is serving the church in that capacity at tbe present time. By his genial manner and various activities through the state Dr. Dawson has made host of friends who congratu late him on being chosen to represent tbe church in the important gathering at Minneapolis. Omaha's Bishop Bishop John L. Nuelsen, LL. D., resident bishop of the Methodist church In Omaha, though not a delegate for the reason that bishops are not al lowed to be delegates will In a sense represent Omaha In tbe conference. During part of the ses sion BlBhop Nuelsen will preside over the deliber ations of the body, for the bishops act In turn as presidents of tbe conference. It Is safe to say that by none will the gavel be wielded with finer dignity t-r with a better understanding of the nice points of parliamentary procedure than by Bishop Nuelsen. Rev. John L. Nuelsen, LL. D., was elected to the episcopacy at the general conference In Baltimore four years ago, from a chair In a theological sem inary In Berea, O. He was appointed to Omaha, where he has wrought faithfully and well. It was feared! by some that being a college and theological schoc: professor, Dr. Nuelsen would bring too much of the academic and too little of the practical Into the administrative office. Such fears soon proved groundless. He has shown a masterly grasp of af fairs and as an administrator has in four years made a reputation second to none on the entire board of bishops. Coupled with this his scholarxhip for Bibhop Nuelsen is a scholar in two languages, Eng lish and German has brought to the Episcopal office a weight of authority and a dignity most be fitting to the -position. While the episcopacy of the Methodist church Is peculiar, being general and not diocesan, requiring the bishops to travel widely through the connection and administer affairs In various parts of the country. Bishop Nuelsen has touched Omaha and Nebraska church life with an influential hand. It is safe to say that no resident Methodist leader has ever made himself more strongly felt In Nebraska. Whether or not Bishop Nuelsen will be returned to Omaha Is uncertain Certainly his many friends in Omaha and Nebraska desire him to return. Organization of Conference The real work of general conferem e, as in most deliberative bodies, is done In committees. There are seventeen standing committees, though for prac tical working purposes some of these are consoli dated. The most important of these is the com mktee on episcopacy. It is not In literal fact llie most important, but being in the public eye be cause of certain work it has to do, has come to be looked upon as most important. This committee receives and discusses complaints or criticisms of the bishops or their work, reviews and passes upon the character of each one. It is the duty of this committee to decide who of the bishops because of infirmities of age and other reasons are no longer able to be retained in the effective relation. If some are found of this claes they are recommended to the general conference for superannuation or retire ment. If retired they then no longer travel through the church, do not have, nor can they express, episcopal authority. They receive half pay for tbe remainder of their lives and retain the title of bishop. Sometimes because of ae a bishop asks the general conference to retire or superannuate him. It is always a trying situation if the super annuating time has arrived and the man himself has not discovered it. It is rumored that several bishops will be superannuated at Minneapolis. It Is also the duty, of the episcopal committee to ax- mm W'Wi W . e..-'- v r .. -. I III sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss , t:A (((ii (atowSb i Vs; f tzy JSjicopii dutch, J , I. JiEV; CJf.DAWSOIf.X.T. 2Uju soii7 Delegate A General Con Aren.ce A-tm Oxnnha ,2fer. ri.ve at some conclusions as to how many new bishops the general conference will need to elect. At present there are fourteen active bUhops In tbe borne field and nine in the foreign. It Is argued that at least twenty are needed In the bome field and not less than eleven in the foreign. This would mean the election of eiftht new bishops provided none were retired. If three are retired, as rumored. It would mean the election of eleven all told. Mentioned fur Promotion Some of the prominent church leaders being mentioned for the episcopacy are: Dr. Homer C. Stuntz, assistant secretary of the board of foreign missions. New York City; Dr. Henry C. Jennings of the Western Methodist Hook Concern, Cincinnati, O.; Dr. David G. Downer, secretary of the board of Sunday schools, Ohicaco. 111.; President W. II. Crawford, Allegheny colli ge, Meadville, Pa., who Is a brother of Dr. E. H Oawford, pastor of Hans com I "ark church, this :'y; President F. J. McCon nell of De Pauw unlv rnty, Greencastle, Ind.; Dr. Matthew S. Hughes, l'a.idena, Cal.; Dr. F. D. Bo vard, editor California Christian Advocate, San Francisco, Cal.; Dr. ( iiidlus B. -Spencer, editor Central Christian Advn.a'e, Kansas City, Mo.; Dr. R. J. Cooke, book edi1"- New York City; Dr Frank Mason North, V York City; Dr. W. O. Shepard, district superintendent, Chicago, III.; Dr. Charles Bayard Mitchell, Chicago, 111., and Dr. Andrew Gillies, Minnra;ilis, Minn. Change; in IHaripline One of the questions that will te up at the general conference i? it.- plan of episcopal surer vision. At tbe present lime no bishop of tbe Metho dist church is restri tn! t any given territory, ex cept the bishops aii"iited to foreign fields. A bishop's residence may ! in Nebraska and he may be assigned to overe certain work In New York Etate. His home may i in Chicago and mu'h of his work scattered a Inm: the Pacific coast. This is in line with the e.-i-lv traditions of Methodism which established a ruio that ''the bishops are to travel st large through the connection." The fathers decided that on no account should Metbo-' dism have anything approaching diocese-or dio cesan episcopacy. The arguments used chiefly In support of the tradition of tbe fathers, which is now a part of tbs constitution of the church, is that the bishops should be men of nation and world-wide range of vision. They must not be provincial or Insular, ' To avoid such they must be bishops of all the church and not part of It. , Opposed to this, however, there has grown up sn Idea that for a term of years at least each bishop should be stationed and find his work In con- - tlguous and restricted territory. This plan Is known as "districting the bishops." Its advocates aver that It breaks no item of the church constitu tion and flu In vastly better with the work needed ' to be done by a bishop at this time. The question will undoubtedly be a "live wire" at the general conference and will need to be handled with no little cars to avoid a "shock." Negroes in the Church Tns question of tbe negro in the church will be op and there are more than 100,000 of them mem bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. For years tbe colored people have clamored for one of their own number to be elected bishop. This has been refused except to elect a negro to go ss a mission ary bishop to Africa. A portion of the 'colored membership feel so deeply on -the question that they have proposed to their brethren the plan of withdrawing and forming a separate church. In connection with flint plan.lt has been suggested that all colored Methodists for there are several ' branches of the colored ' Methodist family shall be gathered Into one great colored Methodist church, with their own bishops and leaders. The colored people are by no means agreed upon this plan. Others think that at this conference the colored rnemliers will be granted the boon of hav ing one of tin Ir own color elected a bishop over them Such men as President R. S. Lovlnggood of Samuel Huston lollege, Austin, Tex., a recog nized colored l-ader, 1 urging this. However, tnern is not niiifh sentiment for the election of a colored bishop wi'h full episcopal authority, so that he might presidn over white conferences. Much lively 'liH'islon will ensue and possibly some very radical changes may be made, for the negro problem in the church, as In the nation. Is live one. stands ths church occupies a hypocritical tjosltlor Thousands of members are breaking ths rule re virtual law-breakers, though never brought w" trial or punishment. To enforce ths rule la aa ' Impossibility at the present stags of church and ' i secular life. They claim the emphasis In church , life. has entirely shifted In the last quarter century away from negations and prohibitions to positive duties and service. Believing that no mors wrong will be Indulged In without a rule specifying ths forbidden amusements, they urge Its repeal Basis of Opposition On the other hand, those who contend for ths rule do so largely upon the baala that to revoke It would he a step backward. They say it would seem to be throwing down ths bars to every sort of amusement and would be a positive temptation to tbe younger members to cast aside all restraint - Tbey admit frankly that they fear ths newspaper notoriety the revoking of the law would give ths church. Having been known as a church standing , against so-called "worldly amusements" for so ' many years, the strict disciplinarians feel that to' revoke such an outstanding law of the church: would make the denomination "a hissing and a by word" among the sister churches. There are, however, among tbe sober-minded rank and file of the membership a not Inconsld-, erable number that regret exceedingly the promi nence given to the whole amusement matter. They feel that by so frequently bringing this question before tbe church It Is given a prominence out of all proportion to Its real importance. By, being so. frequently and so loudly discussed It has come to be looked upon ss one of the salient features of Methodist doctrine. Many who know nothing else about the Methodist church know about the amuse ment rule. Because of the . exploitation of this really minor matter the great truths of faith and doctrine that brought Methodism Into being under the Wesleys are entirely lost sight of. To John Wesley, who was engaged In the work of building a spiritual empire. It would seem like senseless quibbling to be forever arguing whether a Meth odlst should or should not attend a circus. Amusement yiiewCJtiB A question that causes a stir in the church every four years because It is brought up at each conference is the so-called "amusement question. ' In the general conference of 1872 a drastic rule for church membership was passed, forbidding, among other things, a member "dancing, playing at games of f ham e, attending theaters, horse ra.-es, circuses, dam ing parties or patronizing dan' inn schools, etc." Tver since the rule was added to the Methodist discipline there have been people in the church opposed to it. In recent years there has been a growing tendency, to the dismay of the strict disciplinarian, to disregard the rule in whole or In some particular?. So strong has grown the party that desires to see the rule re moved that on every hand in the church may be heard prophecies that at the coming general con ference it will go. Thoee who strongly advise Its maintenance are prepared to make a bitter fight for tie rule as it now stands. Those who want the rule abrogated urge tbat as the matter now Other Questions Arise r There sre a number of other questions to corns before tbe general conference in May, some of which may affect the church very much. A move ment Is on foot to give the laity a larger place in local and conference affairs, even perhaps' a seat in annual conference, now composed entirely of ministers. A supreme court Is advocated for the church, to pass upon matters as a final court of appeaia above the general conference. Enlarging of conference boundaries and district superin tendents' districts Is sure to be discussed. In ad dition to this, before it adjourns the general con-i ference must elect editors for some seven or eight official church papers and the Sunday school lit erature of tbe church. It must elect the heads of tbe various national boards snch as ths Board of Foreign Missions snd the Board of Homo Mis sions, Sunday schools, Freedmens' Aid Conference Claimants, Education, etc. Various committees will be to select and ths scope of their work out lined for the next four years. Thus It will be sees that the 800 or more Methodist ministers and lay men that meet in Minneapolis In May- have some thing to engage their waking hours, while a great cLunh awaits the results of ths meeting with hopeful anticipations and some little anxiety, - 1