The Portland daily press., 1895-07-12
FATHER ENDEAVOR.
President Clark Talks to His ARMY
Of Young People.
Yesterdays DOINGS OF THE
GREAT CONVENTION.
Mammoth Meetings in Mechanics Hail
the Tents and the Churches-President
Clark's Address-Remarks by the Rev,
nwiphf NJ PRATT

the Tents and the Churches-President
CIark's Address-Remarks by the Rev.
Dwight Nj. Pratt.
Boston, July 1.-THE two leading
events of the day for the members of the
great Christian Endeavor Army were the
addresses by Gov. Greehalge and "Father
Endeavor Clarke, Gov. Greenbalee
spoke briefly to a great meeting this
forenoon, extending the greeting of the
state.
This afternoon the Christian Endeay-
orers met in denominatio nal rallies in
Mechanics Hall, the tents on the Com
mon, and the churches. Mechanics Hall
was filled with Presbyterians. Rev. Geo.
B. Stewart, D. D., of Harrisburg, Pa,
presided. Rev. James I. Black of East
Boston, gave welcome for the Boston
Presbyterian churches. Secretary John
W. Baker extended the welcome of the
United Society of Presbyterians as lead
ers in missionary contributions Rev. J.
Henry Barrows, d. D. of Chicago, trustee of
the United Society, responded. President
Ethelbert d. Wartield of Lafayette Col
lege, spoke briefly on the claims of the
higher education upon Christian youth
In every college, he said, life was purer
and nobler than ever, largely because
Christian Endeavor societies were sending
to the colleges young men full of love for
God 1.-The needs of the Presbyterian
Board OF Publication and Sabbath School
Work." were presented by j. Howard
Breed of Philadelphia. The Home Board
of Missions was represented by Miss
Elizabeth M. Wishard of New York,
Executive Committee, and Rev. Thorn
ton B. Penfield of New York, Secretary
of the Young Peoples Department Rob
ert E. Spear of New York, delivered an
eloquent address on foreign missions.
Rev. John p. Cambell of Baltimore,
spoke briefly of Presbyterian loyalty.
Rev. j. A. Rondthaler, d. D., of India
napolis, conducted an open parliament on
Presbyterian Christian Endeavor Reso-
lutions were adopted pledging loyalty to
the church and authorizing the chairman
to appoint committee to cooperate with
the committee appointed at the last gene
raj assembly upon the relation Of the
young peoples societies to the church.
Rev. John Pollock of Glasgow, Scotland,
presented the greetings of the Scottish
National Christian Endeayor Union.
The Congregational rally in Tent
Williston was very largely attended. All
the available space was filled with people.
W. III. Strong of Detroit, Michigan, pre-
sided. In calling the meeting to order, he
said it was probably the largest gathering
Of Congregationalists ever known in the
world. Hon. S. B. Capen, chairman of
the committee of thirteen, delivered a
short address OF welcome. William Shaw
of Boston, said that Congregationalism
needed fire ant. nd..enthusiasm. 1t did not
lack wisdom.
Hon. Elijah Morse of Canton, Mass.
spoke of Congregationalism in it's relation
to civil freedom and civil governments
Rev. j. W. A. Close of New South
Wales, spoke of the Christian Endeavor
and Congregational movements in Aus
tralia. Miss Charlotte T. Silbey of Bel
deavorer's Duty to the Home Church. "
REV. D. NJ. PRATT'S ADDRESS.
Among the speakers this afternoon was
the Rev. Dwight M. Pratt, pastor of the
Williston Church.. of Portland, His top
ic was "Congregationalism and Ecclesias-
tical Freedom. - He said:
Every drop of blood in Congregational
veins ought to thrill to- day with reverent
and grateful emotion. We meet in the
noblest city of the Pilgrims. On yonder
coast the Mayfower cast anchor. No no.
bier ever trod this planet than once
w alked this very soil All honor to our
Pilgrim ancestry.
Every great principle in history has
had to fight its way to recognition and
supremacy. The tumultuous currents OF
human progress have been stained with
the blood of martyrs; but, blessed be
God, truth once wrought into the life
of the world is never lost.
Congregationalism was free born 1t
stands historically for an authoritative
and open Bible: the Bible as the emanci-
head Of human liberty. Five hundred
years ago Wycliffe gave England the word
of God and for the next two hundred
years the noble men and women from
whom we trace descent were tortured, gull
lotined and burned at the stake for insist
ing on their right to their spiritual in
heritance. Out of the loins of such hero
ic martys came Pilgrim Congregations
ism.
Congregationalism stands for the dig
nifty and spiritual equality of man, and
the supremacy of conscience. Queen Eliz-
abeth might by an "Act of Supremacy
make the church of England independent
of Rome, but by no 'Act of Uniformity
could she bind the consciences of those
| over whom she herself would like to be
pope. We must not forget the price of
| our liberties
| Hundreds of England sRnoblest=-clergy
men were prosecuted and driven from their
homes in defence of their intellectual and
spiritual freedom. John Greenwood,
Henry Barrows and John Penry repre-
| sent heroic company of martyrs who
preferred death to the surrender of their
souls sovereignty.
Congregationalism stands for the king
ship and priesthood of believers. The
humblest peasant felt himself to be the
child of God. His consciousness of spir-
itual liberty in Christ Jesus compelled
the independence of the local church and
at the same time the unrestricted and I'M
selfish fellowship of all Christians. This
| Independence gave the death-blow to mar
rowness, intolerance and ecclesiasticism.
The voice which rang out recently from
| yonder Trinity Church is the voice with
which the Pilgrims challenged the pre-
| tentious tyrannies of self-constituted
hierarchies Scrooby, Amsterdam, Ley
den and Plymouth Rock are memorable
milestones along the highway of human
progress. In our Pilgrim Fathers re-
deemed manhood first came to self-con-
sc1ousness. The unfettered spirit of these
men made modern history,