The morning times., 1896-05-03

The opening session of the seventy sixth
annual meeung or the general convention
OF The New Jerusalem in the United States
began yesterday afternoon at oclock
Ill the National New Church, Sixteenth
ana Corcoran streets, the Rev. John
Worcester, OF Newtonville, Mass, presid-
ing. burlng the. afternoon the several re-
ports were presented and matters pertain
mig 10 the erection of the new church Were
referred and discussed
PREVIOUS TO the assembling OF the CON
yention the officers OF the new church oung
people societies were elected as follows:
MIR. Ezra III. Alden, of Philadelphia, presi-
dent; j. Ii. Clifford Thompson, OF Boston,
vice president; Miss Lucy Is Siike, OF Chi
cago, secretary-treasurer.
a report was read by Miss Ida Hunt, OF
TINS city, on Isolated Receivers and the
discussion that followed the reading of the
report was participated In by Revs. Gladish,
Doe Alden, Wright, Landenberger Mrs.
Aver and Messrs Thaxton and Brickman
Rev w. l.. Gladish expressed the need
OF pastor to the isolated. Rev. g. H.
Dole Offered resolution TO the effect
tEat bureau OF correspondence be or
ganized to communicate with the isolated
receivers. Rev. William l.. W0rceS ter
spoke in favor OF tie resolution, after
which it was adopted.
Rev. l.. q. Landenbergcr suggested a
might do. He said there were tracts lying
on shelves that ought to be circulated.
lie referred to the work done by the society
in Peoria, Ill, in distributing lew church
literature through the mails. IS friends
often ask: What does the new church
teacb?'' it should be one of the uses per-
formed by the leagues To get the names OF
their friends and any who raise this ques-
ton and by making use of one-Cent wrappers
I,C hn liSan i1n tod
without much expense. Each league ought
to be a center OF distribution and keep u
record Of the subjects OF the tracts sent in
order To know what to send later.
Mr.. Brickman gave an illustration OF
what can be done, by citing an earnest
worker. who made it a point TO send
| literature TO any of his friends that were
at all interested in the new teachings, and
was successful in bringing nearly dozen
into the new church. The meeting then
! adjourned.
At the meeting Of the American New
Church Evidence Society Mr.. Sewall re-
ported having examined the Rev. Arthur
Chambers book 8 Our Life After Death;
or Teaching OF TIE Bible Concerning The
Unseen World This book receives flat
tering comments from the religious and
secular press in England. 1t takes up the
position that after death man still lives
as conscious personality.
Existence, however = is not continued in
either heaven or hell, but in an intermediate
or hades life. From this position he draws
conclusion that there rs continuity to our
life; that we recognize those whom We
nave known in this world; that there are
different spheres of existence, and that
development will go on. He further CON
clules that the gospel OF Christ is preached
there.
The business OF the convention included
the appointment of the several committees,
the presentation Gf1reports which Included
every branch of church work which came
under the jurisdiction tof the convention.
The attendance, of the meeting during the
afternoon was rather sma II, 4 maJOrity of
the ladies' attending the reception at the
Normandie, tendered.by Mrs. Knapp.
THE FUNCTIONS OF THE CHURCH.
The service last evening was one of con-
s,dera bic interest TO the New Church people.
The singing was feature of tile evening,
although the extemporaneous addresses
were exceptionally Instructive. The an
nual address by the president of the con-
vention, the Rev. John Worcester of New
tonville, Mass, was then delivered.
The preside in opening, referred briefly
to the work Of the several boards OF the
convention, especially TO the progress OF
the mission work; to the ne W life manifest
in the New Church Messenger. the organ
of the convention, and to the training of
ministers in the the illogical school. He
then took up the special subject Of his ad-
| dress and spoke on THE function of the
| Church In the world" He said:
'In regard to the function of the Church,
| we are taught that IT is provided by the
| Lord that there is always a church on
| earth since by me aus Of the Church there
| is conjunc cton of the Lord with the human
race and of heaven with the world: for
| there the Lord is known, and there are the
divine truths by means OF which man is
| conjoued with the Lord The truth of the
| Divine Word alone leads to a life OF gen.
| uine harity, in which conjunction with the
! Lord is found"