The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-08

K w. 80
49, I.
JOSEPH HENRY DUFFs, ONE OF TIN
LEADERS OF TIE REFORMED CHURCH.
century An ecclesiastical organiza-
ton called the cntus was effected in
17i7, but the powers of this body were
purely advisory, and all its acts were
subject to revision by the authorities in
Europe. The advancement of the
church in America having rendered an
independent organization necessary,
the cntus resolved itself into a synod
at Philadelphia April -, 1893. The hum
drcdth anniversary of this occasion will
be observed throughout the land. AID
there will be a special celebration ut
the meeting of general synod ut Read
ing, Pa. in May. Among those who
will be present arc such distinguished
men rs Rev. DIR. james j. Good. Rev.
DR.. j. o. Miller, Rev. l.. X. Lcvan. Rev.
Ellis y. Krcmcr, Rev. j. II. Duffs and
Rev. George w. Willard, ID. D.. LII. d..
who writes the following sketch of the
church's work and prophecy of its flu
turc:
The Reformed church in the United
States, having reached the one hum
dredth year Of its Independent existence
in America. has taken measures to com
mcmorate the event by having special
services in all the congregations of
which 1T is composed, acknowledging
thereby the goodness of God vouchsafcd
to us rs Il church.
The first German ministers sent from
Europe to this country came under the
auspices of the Reformed Dutch church
of North America, the two churches
working together until 1893, when the
German branch assumed an independent
existence by the side of it's sister with
whom we are all now trying to form :.
federal union, hoping thereby to adj
vance the cause of Christ more cffcctu-
ally Our growth during these hundred
years has been such as to occasion graft
tudc. We have now Il membership of
about 225, 600. found largely in Pcnnsvl-
vania, Maryland and Ohio, and in lesser
proportion in Virginia. North Carolina,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin,.
Minnesota, Iowa and Kansas There
were in 1890, according to the statistics
of the general synod, $50 ministers. s
synods, 90 classes, l,j34 congregations,
zoo, 40S communicate members, 1.5l3
Sunday schools, l3S,6l6 Sunday school
scholars 2S5 students for the ministry
and over 100000 raised for benevolent
purposes.
The transition from the German to
the English language has been very
rapid within the last quarter of the
century. so that there are now only q
foyy fluci,-nl1,
outside of the cities, making us sub
stantially an English-spcaliing church.
The main literary and theological in
situations are Franklin and Marshal
college mt Lancaster, Pa, heidelberg
university at Titiin, O., Ursinus college
at Collegeville, Pa. and the Mission
house at Franklin, Wis. with n num-
bcr of literary institutions such as
Catawoa college, Newton, n. c.; Wichi-
tn university, Wichita, Kan, and CAL
vim college, Cleveland, o.
The Reformed church is Presbyterian
in it's form of government, holding rs it
does, to the parity of its ministers with
the following judicatorics: the consis-
tory, the Chassis, the district synods and
general synod. 1t gives prominence to
the practice of catechization, by which
it hopes to instruct and prepare its bap-
tized members for admission to all the
privileges of the church at an carly
period in life.
The Heidelberg catechism. prepared
by Zacharias Ursinus and Casper
Oleviamus in 1563-thc confessional
standard of the church-is highly cs-
tccmcd and priced by the Reformed
church for it's concise and clear state
ment of the fundamental doctrines of
Christianity and for its simplicity. deep
toned picty, irenical and catholic
spirit. While some other churches
have felt the necessity Of rejecting
their confessional standards in view of
the advanced position which Christiani-
tE occupies, there is with us such gen
| cral satisfaction with the teaching of
the Heidelberg catcchism that nothing
is heard of desire for Il revision.
The heated and animated discussion
that prevailed among us for n period Of
some twenty years, from about 1850
to 1870, over what was called ''the
Liturgical question" which SO dis
turbcd the peace and quiet of the
church as to awaken fears in the minds
of some that it might result in such
alienation and party feeling as would
lead to q disintegration, happily passed
| hv and In, the y,royiIapoa Nf al L..