National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-07-19
THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.
Its object and Histsry-rhs Next Ressis
Couaress 10 he Held In thls CITY

Its object and Histsry-The Next Regular
Congress to be HeId In this City.
The sixth general conference Of the Evan
gelical Alliance will be held In this city some
time during the month Of October next. Ex-
tenslvo preparations are already being made
for the event. and ID promises TO be one Of
the greatest and most important ccclcsiasti-
cal assemblagcs Of modern time. Although
not invested with Legislative authority, 1t will
DO 10 effect sort Of ecumenical council, and
will fairly represent tho learning, ability and
picty Of the Protestant world. Three hun
drcd years ago the great religious revolution
divided the Christian world Into two hostile
sections. In the Church Of Rome there has
been little II any change since then, while In
the Protestant portion process Of subdivision
has been going on, essentially weakening
what would otherwise have been by far the
strongest party. Like the divided members
Of family, the differences between
these several branches have been difficult
10 heal. There has never been any partic-
quently no concert Of action. Tho feeling on
the part Of several Of the churches toward
these dissenting Protestant brethren has been
| as bitter rs that expressed by the same bodies
toward the Church Of Rome. This divided
condition has for years boon felt to be source
Of weakness by the great Protestant leaders,
and as long ago as 1870 one OF the most nbe-
raj and progressive among Protestant church
men, projected the idea Of an evangelical
alliance, for the purpose Of giving something
| like unity 10 the action OF the Protestant
world. Il was several years before the idea
took practical form. In 1874 preliminary
meetings were held 10 Edinburgh and Liver
pool and In August, 1861, the first general
conference was held In London. Some Of the
Il IN diafin0uishad nf hnth continents
took part In the proceedings, among them
DR.. Baird, Of this city; Baptist Noel, Of
London Guthrie, Of Edinburgh Monod,
Of Paris, and many prominent representa-
tivcs from the churches Of Germany, Swift
zerland and Holland. The published rec
ords Of that meeting show that some nifty
denominations. were represented, and that
Of the 921 delegates there was large pro-
portion from the United States and Canada,
proving that the desire for religious unanlm-
ity was as strong In the New as In the Old
World. II was declared by that assembly
that the formation Of the Alliance had for Its
object the promotion Of Christian feeling,
loving intercourse between tho various de-
nominations, and an effective corporation In
the efforts to repulsc what to them appears
| the common enemy. Six divisions were or
ganized US follows: l. That of Great Britain
and Ireland; y. The United Ststes; 8. France,
Belgium and Switzerland; 4. North Ger
| many anu pOTtlOn OF SWltzcrlhnui D. DIlt
ish North America; 0. The West indies. Tho
second meeting was held In Paris In 1s5'
during the French Exposition; the third o.
Berlin In 1857; the fourth at Geneva In 1860
the NTH In Amsterdam In 1857.
II was not until January In the year last
named that any attempt was made ut activ,
Organization In this country. Upon tho las
/ day Of that month q meeting was held In
| this city, which was quite largely attended
AT that meeting Mr.. W. L. Dodge was chosen
president, and has held that position until tn,
present time. IL was intended at the beginning
that the next general conference of the alliance
should be held here In the autumn Of 1871
but the sudden breaking ont Of the war be
tween France and Germany rendered q full
European representation impossible and {
postponemcnt sine die was announced. Las
summer, however, the American commits
sioners visited Europe, and renewed the invi
tations to come to this country, all of which
were cordially accepted. II Is now expectet
that tho opening exercises will take place oi
the Cd Of October, In this city. The confer
ence will extend over period Of at least tel
days, during which time those who arc abb
to attend will have the privilege of seeinI
and listening to some Of the most eminen
theological teachers and professors Of tn
world. 1t will be IN era In the religious his
; tory Of this country and Its results will prob
ably DO permanently and bcneacially felt Ii
the growth of Christian charity and sympa
thy, and the breaking down OF the barrier
Of prejudice which make some churches bar
rem Of good works.-N. r. Times.