The morning call., 1893-10-04
CHURCH COUNCIL.
Annual Meeting of the
Congregationalists.
CHRISTIANITY AND WEALTH.
The Necessity of Bridging Over the
Yawning Chasm Between Rich
and Poor Insisted Upon.

General Association Of Congregational
Churches of California opened in the
First Congregational Church OF this city
yesterday at 10 A. N. with large attend
ance.
The first half hour was given up to or
ganizatioD, and Rev. II. II. Wikoff was
elected moderator; Rev. j. II. Goodell of
Oakland, assistant moderator; Rev. Wal
ter W. Madge of Petaluma. scribe. and
Rev. E. w. StoddaId. assistant scribe.
At 10:30 O'Clock a devotional meeting
took place under the direction of Rev. E.
S. Williams of Pacific Grove, who took for
his text Corinthians xii 81, "Covet earn
estly the best gifts"
Mr.. Williams made his remarks brief,
but interesting, and at their close called
for short season of PRAYER, which vas
led by Rev. c. o. Brown. Rev. II. H. Cole
of Olivet Church and others.
Recltations of Scripture verses by nearly
every one present then followed. and after
the singing of several inspiring hymns.
Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper was called or to ask
in prayer for special baptism of blessing
on this meeting. At the conclusion OF her
prayer Mrs. Cooper spoke with much feel
ing Of the sudden death by accident o Mrs.
a. y. McGrew a Mayfield aud prayers were
asked for her family and for that of Mr..
Thornton OF the American Missionary As
sociatiOu, who was stationed at Cape
Prince of Wales, and was expected to at
tend This meeting. The fact Of Mr.. Thorn
toms murder by some drunken Indians
was briefly stated, and much sympathy
was expressed for his family and many
friends. The devotional exercises con-
Guided with the singing of the Doxology.
and the moderator tool. the chair.
Z. ). Williams was appointed usher. and
hn frat ff
'Christianity, the Religion OF Reform"
by Rev. j. Ii. Collins of Fresno-was
called for. Greatly TO the disappoin o tment
of many, Rev. G. o. Brown stated that a
telegram had just heeu received by him
announcing that Mr.. Collins was unable 10
be present and that his paper had lot been
forwarded. So great was the interest felt
in the subject. however. that Mrs. Coooer
was asked to open an informal dlScussi ion
upon il, and complied.
Mrs. Cooper stated that she believed in
practical Christianity. "a Christianity that
takes hold of the needs Of this age and this
community; a Christianity which does
sonnet ing to uplift this world and helps it
along in the lines of reform. After we
have belief" she said, 1--WE must see what
it can effect; we must make our religion
practical or 1t becomes religion OF words
only" In this connection Mrs. Cooper
spoke of her Bible class and kindergarten,
and told of the practical good which comes
from Christian work among the young
children of a community. iDstancing the
noticeable decrease OF crime in districts
formerly noted therefor since the esta h.
lisbment of free kindergartens therein.
There has been in these place, she said,
"a moral uplifting of which we have as
yet seen only the beginning.
Rev c. D. Brown following and heartily
concurred with Mrs. Cooper. practical
Christianity" he said. was "the key to this
whole meeting" and he was glad 20 feel
that those present realized it fully. In his
remarks Mr.. Brown went back to the days
of the Roman empire, and, after touching
upon the great evils then existing, said
that Christ never assaied those evils
directly, but taught precepts that little by
little wrought reforms, and finally over
threw the whole pernicious system.
Several other of the clergymen joined in
the discussion, all agreeing that Christian
ity is. indeed, the religion of reforms.
since through its practical workings only
can great reforms be carried out.
The hour for business having arrived.
the following committees were appointed :
On busipess-Rev. w. L. Jones, Rev. A.
Drabms, Rev. J. w. Hill; on nominations
Rev. w. ID. Williams, Rev. E. Hoskins,
Deacon j. j. Vasconcellos; on roll-Rev.
l.. ID. Rathbone, Rev. j. Il. Warren, Rev.
f. T. Densmore. Rev. +. B. Pullan was
appointed preacher for the next meeting
of the association, with Rev. b. K. Sargent
of Santa Rosa as alternate.
Nine. Marechal of the Reformed Church
Of France was invited TO sit as cores pond-
ing member OF the association, as were
DR.. j. Thompson of the American Bible
Society, Rev. A. W. Culver of Paris, Tex,
Rev. B. e. Meaker of Ouachita and sew
eral other visiting clergymen. A resolu-
ton of regret for the absence of Rev. Mr..
Collins was presented by DR.. Mclean,
accompanied by few earnest words. and
was unanimously adopted and. after sing
ing the hymn There Shall Be Showers of
Blessing" recess WAS taken until P. NJ.
When the congregation gathered for the
afternoon session the beautiful floral dec
orations Of the pulpit attracted general at
tention and admiration, both because of
their profusi0n and the artistic skill dis
played in their arrangement.
The paper for the afternoon was "Chris-
tianity and Wealth. by Rev. j. A. Cruzan
of Santa Cruz. Greatly to the dsappoint-
ment of many Mr. Cruzan himself was
unable to be present lie had, however,
sent as his deputy Mrs. Cruzan, who read
his paper in style that called forth much
merited applause. Mrs. CruZan has fine
presence. clear, well-modulated voice and
the rare gift OF distinct and unaffected
enuDciation, and she was listened to from
beginning 10 end with genuine pleasure
Mr.. CruZan took up the parable Of Laz-
arus and Dives, and said that The gulf
which existed between them when Lazarus
rested on the bosom IF Abraham was no
greater than that which had existed be-
tween them when Lazarus lay at the rich
mans door on earth. This gulf between
the rich and poor, he said. always existed,
and seems wider now, perhaps, than ever
before. Reviewing tue present situation
in America, Mr.. CruZan said that there
are growing to be two great classes-the
very rich and the very poor-and that this
inequality OF conditions is an especial
anomaly in country the very corner
stone of which is IAN men are created
free and equal"
Christianity says two things 10 regard to
wealth. First-The power to make money
is a talent-God given. Second-The pos
session OF money is stewardship alone !;
it is given to be used for the good OF many.
not for the selfish enjoyment of few.
The claim of society upon the estates of
rich men Mr.. Cruzan declared to be just
one, since society has given to the rich
man all he has. The past industries. the
past achievements and past struggles of
mankind give their results TO the rich man
of to-day, and it is only right that he
should give something back TO his fellow
men in return. He should try to bridge
the gulf between Lazarus and Dives, and
that could not be done by throwing
- Al r