At Springfield

At Springfield/-

The Methodist Quadrennial Conference (TIME, May 19) continued.

Divorce. Federal Judge Henry Wade Rogers brought to the Methodists a report sustaining the strictest interpretation of Methodist divorce laws. His report was adopted.

No Methodist, either minister or layman, may marry a divorce or divorcee, except: 1) When the divorced person was the injured party in case of adultery; 2) When the divorced person's first mate is dead.

It is further affirmed that the grounds of divorce shall be considered only as those given in the civil suit. Thus, a Methodist cannot marry a person who obtained divorce on the grounds of desertion and who subsequently alleges that he (she) could have obtained the divorce on the ground of adultery.

War. The Committee on the State of the Church, voting 76-37, presented a report declaring all war to be wrong. An attempt to justify wars in defense of country or of humanity failed by vote of 41-59. "We", concluded the resolution, "as an organization, separate ourselves from war and take no part in its promotion." The central argument was that the end does not justify the means, that war is a means to an end: that war is sinful and is no less sinful because it may be a means to a righteous end.

Governor "Al" Smith, (N. Y.) was implicitly denounced by Bishop James Cannon, Jr., of Washington, who came with a message from the Methodist Church South. The Solid South would vote dry Republican, said he, rather than moist Democrat.

Suicide. Chinese Roger Rahn, delegate from West China, killed himself with cyanide of potassium at his hotel.

His American comrade, Missionary Peat, spoke as follows to 3,000 Methodists, who stood with bowed heads:

"Mr. Rahn had not had a well day since leaving China. The trip across the Pacific was a nightmare of seasickness. Once in America, the Chinese longing for home and loved ones gripped his heart. He spoke oftentimes of the surging conditions in his own province and of his desire to return and give his life for his country.

"He looked frantically each day for home letters that did not come. His father heart yearned for news of his two lovely children and of his wife, a beautiful woman of our Christian schools. He would call for mail and on being told there was not any he would earnestly inquire when the next delivery might be expected, not able to realize the time required and the delays in postal service incident to his great distance from home."

Amusements, such as dancing, theatres, cinema, games of chance, horse-racing, hitherto verboten in correct Methodist circles, are henceforth to be tolerated, on one condition--that they be "such diversions as can be used in the name of the Lord Jesus." This change in the laws of the Church was approved.

A Phrase. A proposal to cross out of the Apostles' Creed the phrase "I believe in the Holy Catholic Church" and to insert "I believe in Christ's Church" was favorably presented to the conference.

/- Springfield, Mass.