Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-10-07
Beautiful Incident,

Epiphany Church, yesterday morning, and
were interested much beyond our expecta-
tons. Some time since, it appears, that
number of our prominent clergymen Of diff
ferent denominations, signed paper which
was published in all the religious and some
of the daily journals, the bearing of which
was that they We're deeply concerned at the
divisions anon. Christians. They proposed
that there should be concert of prayer the
first Monday i'll October.
The Rev. J. W. Cracraft offered the Epi-
phany Church, for a meeting of Minister'S
! When we arrived at the church, at perhaps
| twenty minutes after nine, we found it crowd
I ed in almost every part, with an audience OF
ladies and gentlemen. This, of itself, at so
early an hour, on a week day, was exciting.
! Looking around, we saw, everywhere, clergy
men OF all denominations. and we have been
| told that $50 were present. Mr.. Cracratt
! presided, ministers of the churches crowdlng
about him in and around the chancel. The
Rev DR.. Bpardman, of the Presbyterian
church, %. S. opened the meeting with
prayer; Mr.. Cracratt read from the Scriptur-
es. He then read letter from Bishop Nc
! Twain, of Ohio cordially approving the OBJ
| ject of the meeting. DR.. Mott, for half a CEN
tury President of Union College, Schenecta-
dy. n. Y, of the Presbyterian Church, TO-.
\ s., then rose. with some assistance from DR..
Jenkins and DR.. Dutiield, of Detroit an ex-
ceedingly venerable figure, with snow white
! hair-and leaning on his staff, for he feels
! the weight Of four score years, he addressed
/ to the asscmblage few words breathing the
| spirit Of Christian Union. The chairman
\ then called upon the venerable DR.. Hum
/ phrev, OF the Congregation Church, and late
| President Of Amherst College, Mass, who
responded in a similar strain, marked with
much mudestv as well rs Christian iervor.
The Rev. W. B. Stevens, d. d., of the
| Episcopal Church. who, rs we understood
from his remarks, drafted the original paper,
then addressed the meeting, stating that he
| had not imagined, when he wrote it in his
study, that such consequences were to grow
out Of so simple and unobtrusive move
ment lie was followed by the Rev. Albert
Barnes, one Of the sgners of the paper, who
carried forward the meeting in the same
spirit. Prayer and singing were intersper-
| sed ut intervals. DR.. Jenkins of the Calvary
Church. Presbyterian IN. 5. made "a very
earnest speech rs to the necessity of the man
Hesitation Of the Unity which really exists
among Christians, stating among other
things that there is cure for all existing
5. divisions.
The most interesting incident Of the meet
| ing, occurred at this point, an incident 50 tar
as we know unparalleled in the history of
Professionalism. DR.. Nevin of the Presbyte-
rian Church, 90. 81 rose and stated that the
| Apostles Greed was one Of the symbols OF
his branch Of the church, and it might be OF
all the churches represented, and proposed
that Mr.. Cracraft should repeat it Is the creed
of the meeting, all standing and joining in
it. Instantly every individual Of the vast
asscmblage Sprang TO his feet. The Chair
man began-"l believe in God, the Father
Almighty, maker OF Heaven and Earth. =
Every voice joined him. Nearly two thou
sand neutrality-suspicious., Presbyterans
| (Old and New School Seccders, Covenan-
tiers, Dutch Reformed, German Reformed,
Baptists, Mcthodists, Lutherans, Morayians,
Congregationalsts, Independents--all re-
peated, with the simplicity Of children, this
grand old formula which has come down to
US on the stream of ages-"I believe in God,
the Father Almighty" Even calm spec
tator. not easily excited, and standing aloof
from any enthusiasm Of the moment could
not but be moved. As the Apostles Creed,
80 called, is the only uninspired summary Of
Christian doctrine III which all these churches
believe, it seems like IN Act of Union of the
Church Universal. 1t brought startlingly,
and, Judging from the appearance OF the con-
grcgatun, aliectingly, to every individual, tho
idea so much lost sight of, that in all that Is
essential, these Christians, cut up into what
are called sects, are in fact one.
Addresses and prayers followed from Rev.
DR.. Newton, of the Episcopal Church, the
venerable Mr.. kennard, Of the Baptist
Church, Mr.. Alfred Goldman. of the Metho-
dist, and Mr. Taylor, Of the Reformed Dutch.
Mr.. Goodman made the excellent remark
that the points in which Churches agree are
facts while those on which they differ are,
for the most part theories: and the latter
made touching aiu,iuu to the funeral Of
the Rex. Dudley a. Tying, the former rector
of Epiphany Church. Tie last speaker was
Mr. Wilder, missionary from India, who
dwcIt upon the interest which would he taken
in this scene by the missionaries all over the
world The large assembly was then dis
missed with the bcnediction, pronounced by
the Rev Jnh n Chambers, the meeting. in
stead Of lasting an. hour, having been proong-
ed to nearly two hours and half.-fhaa.
Buiictm