St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-23
in THE PEOPLES CHURCH
And Discuss the Directions In
Which Christianity Is
: Progressing.
Mr.. NORTHROP'S WISE TALK
Disciples Of Christianity Wst
Learning What Christi
anity Is.

The Minnesota CONGREGATIONAL
club held it's April meeting last night
at the Peoples church and discussed
The Directions in Which Chris
tianity Is Making Progress The
club is composed of Congregational
lists from all parts of the State,-but
chiefly from the Twin Cities, and
considers at it's monthly meetings
all subjects of Importance, whether
religious or otherwise. A business
meeting last night was followed by
supper served by the ladies of the
Missionary society in the parlors of
the church.
When the discussion began about
one hundred members were present.
Rev. George H. Wells, of Plymouth
church, Minneapolis, president of the
club, occupied the chair. After a
well-rendered organ solo by Miss
Morrow. Mrs. C. B. Yale sang "The
Holy City, effectively.
President Cyrus Northrop, of the
state university, stated that one i'm
portant direction in which Chris
tianity was progressing was that dts
disciples were at last beginning to
learn what it really was. They now
realize that its essence is charity in
fact as well as in name. Bigotry,
selfishness and persecution are surely
passing away. Again, Christianity
is spreading into new fields, influence
ing new strata of humanity A no
table instance of this is the work-of
the Salvation Army. But in the di-
rection of foreign missions the church
was practically stationary. Less in
terest was now taken than formerly
in this work, while, as the missionary
effort drifted more and more into the
hands of the women, the men
SHIFTED THEIR RESPONSIBLE
- ~ 10 1Uv .iOi
and diminished their contributions.
Two dollars a year from every Com.
gregationalist in this country would,
accumulate over $1,000,000 for Ythee
much burdened American board of
foreign missions. This contribution.
would be but four cents a Sunday
yet the average throughout the counT
try was not more than two cents
each Sabbath, and in Minnesota
about one. cent. DR.. Northrop closed,
with warm appeal for more liberal
support of the missionaries. abroad, ~o,
DIR. S. G. Smith described. the latT,
ter half of the nineteenth century as
thel scientific age of; Christianity.
The fathers of the church got their
proofs in chunks of proof text
Wherewith they constructed rams
parts impregnable to doubt. In the
direction of testing all religious
questions by broad scientific meth
DDS, the church was manifestly ad-
vancing, yet this plan had not been
extended in many needed quarters.
For instance, in the city churches
Of the land there is a most painful
and unscientific absence of unity be-
tween the various pastors. In for
ish attempt being made to convert
East Indians, Chinese and Africans,
not into Christians merely, but into
the American or European Christ
ians. Finally, the need Of the church
was not better Congregationalist
type Of man, a better Baptist or
Methodist type, but better Christ
ian type, r. -.
Rev. George D. Black, pastor of
the Park Avenue church, Minnea-
apolis, described in picturesque Ian
guage the essential unity of science
and religion. He was of the opinion
that the struggle for individualism
had been followed by grand move
ment for the unity of humanity, and
in this latter direction Christianity
was now making its chief progress.
The April meeting of the club will
be at the Plymouth church, Mime
apolis, and will be addressed by
United States Senator Davis upon
"Our Foreign Relations" ~,