The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-27
CONGREGATIONAL Ministers.

There are two elements represented at
every ecclesiastical gathering, one which is
ready to cry 'Heresy" at every innovation,
and another which inclines to believe that
all that is new is in the line of progress.
These two elements made themselves heard
and felt in the discussion of Professor
Lloyds paper read before the Congrega-
tional Monday Club.
The professor, who is a philologist as
well as biblical scholar of no mean attain
ments, talked about 1.-The Figurative Mean
ing of the Word Born as Contained in the
New Testament" Referring to the new
Professor Lloyd said it might be construed
to mean development or growth in the line
of moral instruction.
Many took exception to this view, being of
the opinion that conversion was an instan-
taneous process, brought about by the
quickening power of the Holy Ghost. This
class was disposed to cry thereto" and it
was even intimated that the professor had
come from the wrong seminary. He should
have hailed from Andover. Rev. Joseph
Rowell thought these remarks would be ap-
propTiate from Unitarian or Universal
ist, but not from Congregationalist Rev.
w. H. Tubb said if those views were true he
was a natural fool, and rather than preach
them would leave the ministry. DIR. W. D.
lessor had had sufficient time to elaborate
his views it would be found he was far
from heterodox. Professor Lloyd said in
summing up the discussion that he had
merely quoted the scriptures which were
higher than creed.
Rev. V. Boyer, recently from the island
of Hawaii. was introduced, but declined to
address the club. He is graduate OF
Oberlin and spent the past year in Homo
lulu in mission work among the Europeans.
He expects to take charge in California.
The club adjourned for two weeks, as
many of the members will attend the Bay
conference to be held at Haywards next
Monday.
The next speaker will be Rev. F. A.
Armstrong and his subject Eternal Pun
ishment."
Rev. F. V. Jones of Kansas was a visitor
at the club. He has accepted call to the
San Mateo Congregational Church.
Presbyterian Union.
The Presbyterian Ministerial Union
listened to paper on "The Great Need of
the Hour" by DR.. I. M. Condit.
DIR. Condit said: ''When we think of the
corruption that exists in the body polite
of our land we must realize that political
reform is certainly a crying need of the
hour. This corruption has become so
fearful as to give force to the arguments
than nothing but the leaven of woman's
suffrage can save our country from the
sad end which has been from this cause
the fate of all republics in the past history
of the world.
another great need OF the hour is the re-
adjustment of our social relations. The
object of government, of society, of the
church, should be the welfare of the many,
not of the few. Yet in the last half CEN
fury tremendous forces have been at work
in exactly the opposite direction. Fearful
inequalities are depressing mankind. In
our land are 100000 families. OF these
only one-fourth OF million possess an av-
erage of $500, 900, while 100000 families
possess an average of less than $1,000. OF
this number how many own $500 or only
500! Only God knows how many of these
have nothing beyond their daily bread,
and we dare not inquire how many there
are who have not even that. A few control
one.half the values of the country. Fewer
still control the opportunities for labor and
the avenues of profit.
monopoly organization is rapidly de-
stroving the individual, so that the indie
pendent manufacturer, merchant, dealer
and workman are rapidly disappearing.
The controllers of opportunities are becom-
ing every day fewer and mightier. The
strong are more and more taking advan-
tage of the weak. The masses OF the peo-J