The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-10-10
THE LATE ASSEMBLY.
The Pan Presbyterian Meeting at
Toronto Described
.INREY. DR.. CUNNNGHANS SERMON
At the First Presbyterian Church
Yesterday Forcnoon--rhe signin-
cance ofthe Meeting aud the His
tory of This aud Former Gatherings
ofthc Same Character.

tcrday morning Rev. Or. u. a. Cunning
ham preached an interesting discourse
on the recent Fan Presbyterian Assem-
bly, at Toronto, Can, to which he was
delegate. He gave an account Of the
history Of the movement, which led up
to this meeting and OF the former SINH
lar gatherings.
He took his text from Acts 10: 9, "And
the apostles and elders camo together
ior to consider OF tins matter"
We have the account here, said the
Doctor, OF an important council which
met in tho city Of Jerusalem for the
consideration OF questions which were
OF great Importance TO tho church and
besides, it was a Presbyterian council,
Tor we are told that tito apostles and
elders, came together, for
TO consider oil this matter" Other
councils have been held atdiaerent pc
RODS OF the church's' history; but the
last which has assembled, aud in which
we are specially interested, is common
Nv known us the Pan-Presbyterian
Council, which met in the city OF To-
ronto, Canada, on the 2lst oil Septem-
her, and continued in session eleven
DAYS. II was council in which all the
various branches OF the Presbyterian
churches in the world we're represent
ed; hence the word pan, which is u
creek word and means all or tho Whole,
aud thus we have the name
Observation-Disclosures COUNCIL.
The Reformed church OF the Six
teenth century exists to-day in two
great sections, known generally as the
Reformed and the Presbyterian
churches. Though thus divided, this
church is still one, the sections being
substantially agreed as TO doctrine,
government, and worship. A COM
kept these sections in close
fellowship with one another during the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,
SO that, in l6lS, both assisted in the
prepAration at tho Council Of bort OF
its famous Canons. Subsequently, and
owing largely to political events in diff
ierent countries, they drifted apart,
and the Christian fellowship OF earlier
DAYS came to be less fully maintained.
The Reformed church cannot, however
be permanently sundered, and hence a
revival during the present century OF
the old interest, led to proposal for
the renewal, in some form, of the in
teICourse that once existed.
Accordingly, in 1873, ut o special con-
ference held in London, large number
Of ministers and elders appointed by
the several Reformed and Presbyterian
churches, came together to consider
how they might all cooperate under
some suitable organization in promot-
ing their distinctive work rs branch
Of the church of Christ AS the result,
it was agreed to form an alliance,
through which these churches would
come into communication with one an
other, while yet retaining their indie
pendent existence.
1t was believed that through such an
alliance the different churches would
acquire better knowledge OF each
other than had before been possible;
that this substantial unity would be
shown to the world, being more fully
realized and practically acknowledged
by themselves; that the strength and
influence OF the whole might be brought
10 bear on the settlement OF many prac-
teal questions OF national, social, and
individual life, while on the Foreign
Mission field they would then present a
united front, and thus move onward as
one body to the conquest Of the world
for Christ. Under these impulses there
was formed the Alliance OF the Re-
formed Churches holding tine Presby-
terrain system" Since that period, in
accordance with the agreement then
reached, there have been held
FIVE GENERAL COUNCILS.
At Edinburgh in 1877, at Philadel-
phia IN 1880, at Belfast in 1884, at Lon
don in 1885, and ut Toronto in 1892,
while the next council is appointed to
be held at Glasgow in 1896. AT these
meetings Of council, leading ministers
and elders have taken part, and the
aims contemplated in the formation Of
the Alliance have, to great extent,
been realized The oneness OF the
churches has been rendered visible;
their numerical strength, their educa-
tional. missionary and benevolent nc
tlvity have been ascertained. and larger
conceptions OF the work OF the church
have been formed. The Alliance is
prohibited from interfering with "the
creed or constitution" or with "the in
tornEl order or external relations"
OF any OF the associated churches.
Possessing no legislative au-
thority, it seeks only to strengthen
the church by fostering Christian fell
lowBhip and cooperation between its
different branches, and by providing for
IN interchange OF views between its
members, bringing together the eNpe-
pcrionce OF each Tor the benefit OF all
As representing twenty millions Of souls.
forming, perhaps, the largest Protest
ant community in the world, having its
churches and missions IN almost every
land, the proceedings OF the Alliance are
sure to interest the churches represent
cd, and indeed, the whole Protestant
world.
The fifth general council of the ALI
ance OF Reformed Churches holding the
Presbyterian system began its sessions
in st. James Square church, Toronto, on
Wednesday, the 2lst OF September. AT
ii o'clock, the hour appointed for the
opening oil tho council, tho church was
completely filed with the delegates and
an audience composed OF many minis
tors from all parts OF the country, to-
ge;her with representatives from all tho
evangelical denominations in the city
and surrounding towns. No such
REMARKABLE ECCLESIASTICAL GATHERING
was ever held before in Canada, and the
interest manifest was in every respect
worthy OF the importance OF the occa-
sion Prominent among the distin-
guished persons present were the
President Of the Alliance, Prot.