The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-09-19
rRsiumore Americana

Presbyterian CDurch. Never before I'm the
history Of that Church In this country has
such q distinguished body been called to-
getber. and the results growing out OF its
deliberations will probably be OF a most
marked and beneficial character, productive
OF good throughout the entire Church.
IL Is the second meeting OF the Alliance,
the first having been held in Edinburgh,
Scotland, in 1871. The first idea Of
such council Is said TO have been
in an address by Rev. DIR. Musgrave, deliy-
cred IN the General Assembly Of 1870, with
whom also many Of the important move.
ments in the Presbyterian Church have
originated. The idea. once formed, 1t was
carefully considered by such men as DR..
McCosb, the venerable president OF Prince
| ton, and others, aud preliminary arrange
ments made 10 hold q meeting-which was
accordingly done in 1877. AT the same time
| IL was decided that The meetings OF the
Council should be triennal, and it is In ac-
cordance with this provision that the pres.
ent meeting is now held. AS the Council is
at present constituted. ii consists OF dele
gates, ministers and elders, appointed by the
church forming the AlIiance-tbe number
| from each church being regulated by the
| Council. The Council has the power 10
consider any topics brought before it by
any church or member Of the Council, hut
not the power to interfere with the existing
creed or constitution OF any church IN the
Alliance, or with its internal order or eX.
ternal relations; questions of general in
terest to the Presbyterian community; the
welfare OF churches, especially the weak (;
the gathering and disseminating OF know
| ledge OF Christ lbrou2 bout the world, and,
| in fact, the entertaining OF such subjects as
| in any way tend to the evangelizatiOn OF the
world at large. The cons,i utional methods
OF the Council in this work are 10 seek to
guide and stimulate public sentiment by VI.
rious means employed, such as addresses,
publishing papers, etc, etc.
| IL will thus be seen that the Council is
simply an advisory, and not an executive,
body; its real power being exceedingly
| limited. While this is so, however, in a
literal sense, the Conncil in fact wields an
influence felt throughout the Chui ch at
large, by its counsel only, and which, CON-
ing from such body OF representative men
within the Church, necessarily carries with
1t much weight. At the time oftbe adoption
OF the Constitution by a conference OF dele
gates, which met in London in 1875. the
American Church was represented by Rev.
S. j. Wilson, ID. D., of AlegUany; Rev. f..
~. 4.
McCosb, ID. D., OF Princeton; Reys. p.
Schaff, ID. d., w. w. Atterbury. g. ID. Ma
| thews, and W. Il. Dodge, JT., OF New York ;
Rev. Alexander Reed, ID. ID of Brooklyn ;
Rev. A. Il. Chester, ID. d., OF Buffalo; Rev.
! A. NJ. Reid, ID. D.. of S'eubenviiie; Rev.
! r. II. Robinson, ID. D, Of Harrisburg ;
Hon. Stanley Mathews, Of Cincinnati; and
Rev. II. NJ. Patterson aud John Wana-
/ u,atar ESn nf Dhiladclnb
PROGRAMME OF The BODY.
The sessions Of the present Council will
| be held partly in the Academy OF Music, at
| Philadelphia, and partly in horticultural
| Hall, it being impossible TO secure the
| Academy for all the meetings. 1t is en-
pected that some three hundred and fifty
or more delegates will be present, coming
from all branches OF the Church and from
all parts Of the world. There are, accord
| ing TO general statistics, some twenty-five
thousand parishes belonging to the various
branches of the Presbyterian Church; OF
these, about five thousand being on the con-
tinent, the same in Great Britain, and about
twelve thousand IN the United States. Can
ada, and British provinces, the United
States alone claiming ten thousand parishes.
1t is expected that all these will be fully
represented.
On Wednesday evening the 22d instant,
the evening preceding the opening Of the
Convention, reception will be held in the
Academy OF Fine Arts, when the members
OF the Council will be received socially by
| the Governor Of the State and Mayor OF the
city.
The first meeting Of the Council will be
| held at the Academy OF Music on Thursday
the 23d instant, the opening sermon being
| BY Rev. William VI. Paxton, ID. D.. Of New
! York CITY. The sermon will be delivered in
| the morning, and the first business session
will be held in the afternoon, when an adj
dress OF welcome will be made by Rev.
William p. Breed, ID. D., OF Philadelphia.
| Fridays proceedings will be conducted in
| horticultural Hall, and will be marked by
addresses from Professor E. ID. Humphrey,
| ID. D., LII D., OF Louisville. Ky. Professor
Robert Watts, of Belfast. Ireland; PROBES
sor Samuel j. Wilson, ID. D., LII. ID. OF AL
legheny City, Pa; Rev. John De Wit, OF
Philadelphia; Hon. $. NJ. Breckenridge, OF
St. Louis. Mo-; Rev. William Ormistou,
d. d., of New York city; Rev. William G:
Baikle, ID. D., LII. d., Of Edinburgh, and
Hon. Chief. Justice Drake, OF Washington. d.
G.. Rev. DR.. Blaike will speak upon "The
Application OF the Gospel to Employers
| ana EmplOyCQ,' WUlle CDlcl-J uStlce DIdhc
will deliver an address upon Christianity
as Friend to the Working Glasses" Satur-
days session will also be held in Horticul-
tural Hall. and some interesting topics will
be introduced. "Revealed Religion, in its
relation to Science and Philosophy"
"Folms OF Modern ID6delity," and the
" Relations OF Science and Theology" will
be discussed by Rev. Henry Calderwood,
ID. d., LII. D., OF Edinburgh; Rev. DR..
McCosh. Of Princeton, speaking upon
Chow to deal with young men trained in
Science"
Saturday evening will be devoted to re-
ception extended to the delegates by the
Board of Publication at their rooms on
Chestnut street.
The sessions Of the Council will extend
through the week following, each day being
devoted to special assignments OF business,
and embracing on the whole wide range
of thought. Thursday OF the second week
will be exclusively devoted TO the subject
OF missions and mission work, reports OF
committees, communications, and addresses
being in order. NJ. Murray Mitchell, LII.
D.. OF Edinburgh, and Rev. A. Mabile, OF
Liberia, are among those from fol elm parts
who will address the assembly on this occa-
sion.