Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-17
AN AGE OF PROGRESS
Dr.. HOYeTtOn Touches on The Advances
Of The Nineteenth Century.
THE cmrncn rs /coNsEnvAri'E'
mi. one Of the strongest Evidences
That prcsbyterinnism u n>''""-
.rh. tnion's Annual Meeting
rol,o,,cd by Reception

Tho animal meeting Of the Richmond
PRESBYTERIAN Union was held IN the
cr,co.s,rcc, church last evening ana
.so o,orc,ses were Of a most interest
ing character. n..s,,
The church was well nIlod' and highly
instructive address. 10 which strict az
,en,,on was paid. was delivered by he''
,r T. uowcr.on. Of the First church
Norfolk
Rev pr. Hoee presided over the meet
ine. and after the singing OF an anthem
bv the choir. offered a very de'ont
nrs,or The congregation sang. onward
,rristiai soldiers" and Rev. Charles X.
u,de. the uewly-chosen pastor OF the
Third church. Of this city. read from
the fourth chapter Of Ephesians.
OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR.
rhe election Of officers next took place.
with the result that Mr.. William c. Pres
fam WAS chosen president; Rev. DIR. r.
+. Kerr. first vice-president; Rev. }. cal
vim stewart. second vice-president; Mr..
James ID. Gordon. secretary. and MI
james w. Siuton treasurer.
The following gentlemen were elected
10 compose the Executive Committee
Rev. c.. NJ Chumbley. and Messrs. W. j.
Logan. Stewart Hume. Il. a. Lancaster
r. ID. TAYLOR. c. Lorraine. j. vs.. Sinloi
q. ID. Iarus, William IL. Dunn, ana -
G.. G00lsby
DR. HOWERTONs ADDRESS.
This bolra concluded. Dr. Hoee arose.
and. in "a few well-choscn words in'iV.
0uced DR. Howcrton. who expressed stea,
Measure az standing before lucn"lol"
congregation. While the speaker s'io'
Doe had no fixed text 90 announce, JIG
would base his address on POI lvh
of the chapter OF Lphcsians Ftan %! All
HYDE. THAT We hcnceiofih NC no "olv
children. tossed 10 and iro ana cairleu
about with every wind OF doctrine by the
sicight OF men. and cunning Graz li4css'
whereby they lie in wait To deceive;
"Rnt. speaking tho truth in love. may
grow INTO Him n an things which Is
tho head. even Christ
DR. UowcrtOn spoke or the progression
OF humanity. and asserted that The nine
'ocuth century seemed 70 have ben
chosen as the hlossOming time OF the
human race In picturesque language ne
referred 10 the progress or the age as
demonstrated by the many wonderful
inventions. and spoke. also Of the ma
terill progress that has been mace. Yet.
said be- during all these changes and
an this progress the Church has stood
ae q monument Of cOnvcrsatism. and the
Presbyterian Church more conversative
than any Of the others. Briefly touching
ON theological questions. he said Calvin
vas NOT the master of Presbyterianism,
but Paul was. with all the changes that
have taken place" he continued. "and
Notwithstanding the cries and clamOr
for new Gospel. the Gospel Of Christ
has remained unchanged and Is the same
today as II was more than $500 years
ago. There is mutiny I'm the Old ship
~ Zion. and there are those who would
have Us pull up our anchor and sail on.
on the sea of speculation. They forget,
apparently, or do not realize. that ship
wreck awaits us there and though we
tell them OF these dangers thcy insist
on our setting sail"
TRUE INDICATION or PROGRESS.
Rewriting to the conservatism Of the
PRESBYTERIAN Church, the speaker said
that IL was one OF the best and frucst
indications Of the progress the Church
Is making. lie then INDUCED in a pro-
foundly interesting dissertation on the
sciences. taking many Of them from
their crude infancy 20 the perfection
which has now been attained. After
dwelling Il considerable length on the
wonderful changes that had been wrought
in scientific matters. he ikcncd natural
r.ligion TO a science.
Dr. Howerton took The two questions.
20 a man die, shall he live again.
and How shall he be Just with God"
and. dissecting them. advanced argument
I'D prove that nature can never answer
either.
THE EVOLUTION THEORY.
pr Howerton took the theory Of the
evolution OF man fr !, the animal and
chaiacterizing 10 as b4basphomous theo-
ry, asserted that there was not one para
graph in the Bible from the fan of man
throughout the Biblical age but what dis
proved these theories. lie then smoke Of
The miracles of Christ and said that in
Tho redemption Of souls He was still per-
forming His miracles II was through
these miracles. through the supernatural.
the speaker continued. that The Church
received It's message on which was based
ifs progress, and the revelations Of Christ
were the fundamental principles OF the
church. The Church, he said, has as
much right to hold To these principles as
do the scientists TO theirs. and n Will re-
Inluish its dependence on the revelations
OF Christ no sooner than will the scien-
tst his dependence on grayltation
IN illustration Of the progress Of the
Church. DIR. Howerton called attention
% the many missionaries now scattered
ili over the world. and also TO her in
tolerance OF heresy in her pulpits. In
this progress. however he asserted the
church was as dependent on her people
9s on her ministers lie laid snecial
stress ON this statement. and concluded
bis address with an appeal TO his auditors
Co stand by the Church and its ministers.
ana 10 assist in scattering the old Gospel
broadcast
RECEPTION FOLLOWS.
pom the conclusion Of the address an
other anthem was sung by the choir. and
after prayer by Rev. Or. Kerr. How
Firm Foundation was sung by the
congregation, and as the last note died
away the ministers having previously
ieit The rostrum. the congregation re-
PAIRED 10 the large lecture-room, which
had been handsomely decorated for the
occasion. Here a reception was rendered
pr. and Mrs. Howerton ana Rev. and
Mrs. Hyde. Dr. Hoge and DR. Fair in
reduced the congregation TO the minis
crs and their wives. A delightful supper
was served by the ladies of Grace-Street
,hIrch.