The San Francisco call., 1896-07-28
Mr.. Strauss Speaks on Christ
the Inspiration of Modern
Art"
DIR. C. C. HERR1oTT's NEW PLAN
Professor Josiah Keep Highly Appre.
ciates David for Penning
Psalm CIV.

Yesterday was ministers day. The
various local ministerial organizations
met IN regular conclaye and discussed
many questions of interest in The fold of
the Good Shepherd. All these sessions
were marked with an activity out of the
ordinary.
at the Congregational Monday Club.
which met in the parlors of the Grand
Hotel, the principal item was the reading
OF paper by Meyer Strauss, entitled
Christ the Inspiration of Modern Art"
Inspiration he held to be something higher
than mere impulse. He treated it as an
impulse of peculiar kind, one in which
the action OF the brain is guided by an
extraneous force, by the power of the
Divine will.
Some men," he said, ''are so practical
and so thoroughly imbued with business
principles that the sight of a beautiful
forest with 1t patriarchaI. moss-bearded
sentlnels, its wealth of green foliage sway
ing TO and fro In the breeze, and its ever
changing hnts as the sunlight is reflected
from the shining leaves, awakens in them
no thought but the value of the tim Der
contained therein. Such men see only the
gold IN the majestic mountain peaks and
the money value of the flocks and herds
grazing In the green pastures"
Truth he thought beautiful in contrast
with falsehood, and believed the nearer
one comes to truth in such degree one ap-
.proaches the beautiful, and that the man
with the love of God in his heart is never
blind to the glories of nature.
free discussion followed the reading
of the paper. By many it was heartily
commended, and criticized by a few.
Rev. John Currie then dwelt at some
length on his work as an evangelist Visi-
tors at this meeting were the Rev Mr..
Taylor of Santa Cruz, the Rev. Mr. Cross
of Saratoga and the Rev. Mr.. Goodsell of
Lodi.
The Presbyterian Ministerial Union of
this City was entertained at the Board of
. Foreign Missions on Sacramento street by
Professor Josiah Keep of Mills Seminary
who read paper entitled THE Natural
lists Psalm" The paper had reference to
Psalm CIV, and was listened to intently
by all present.
The essayists spoke of the poetic fervor
and love OF nature with which David was
imbued, the geological manifestations, up-
heayals and great changes made in the
preparation of the earth for its inhabi-
tants, and ended his dissertation as fol-
lows:
I'm the sunshine, in the mountain, in
the grove, in the sea-in all of these let us
recognize frequently the workings of Je-
hovab. Let nature be studied with de-
vout and joyful spirit. Let these thoughts
lead US TO be glad and sing praise while we
have any being, and may our meditations
be sweet both to ourselves and to him.
whose we are and whom we serve.'
DR.. G. G. Herriott of Minneapolis fol-
lowed with a discussion of the Bible and
biblical institutions. He said he desired
to found here an institution similar to the
Chicago biblical institution.
The idea was very fayorably commented
upon, and week from Monday was named
as the day on which the union would be
pleased TO have bim elucidate his views on
the subject and to consider his PROPOSE
tion.
Rev. DR.. Farrand of the Howard Presby-
terian Church stated that next Monday
would be "quizz' day, and the meeting
would be under the direction OF Rev. Mr.,
jerks, associate pastor of the First Presby-
terian Church.
The Methodist preachers meeting in the
German lecture hall of the 7. NJ. G. A
building was enlivened with an address by
Major Blackhurst, who spoke on the new
Volunteer movement In the Salvation
Army.
He said the intention is TO reach the
masses outside the pale of Christian infiu-
ence, and in this they expect to be as ag-
grsssive as in the old movement.
Then ne explained the cause of the Sc
eesslon ard efnphatically stated that the
Volunteers are not antagonistic TO the
Salvation Army proper. and that there is
no unfriendly spirit existing between the
two.
THE property of the Volunteers. he
continued, sis not to be centralized in one
man, but will be incorporated and become
distinctly an American institution"
An appeal by letter from Mr. Nardi, one
Of the Italian missionaries in this CITY.
was read. asking for assistance in his Ia
bors. The following resolution was offered
by Rev. DR.. J. D. Hammond and was
unanimously adopted:
ResoIued. That the president be requested to
write Bishop Newman setting forth the neces-
sity:of the italian work in California and urr-
ing an appropriation by the missionary board
for the work.
Reports we're made concerning the COL
lections made to pay up the debts of the
home and foreign missionary societies.
The collections aggregated a considerable
sum.
Then followed general discussion of
church topics in which most of the pastors
of the bav district particiDafed