Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-20

sonal influence In substituting arbitration
FOR an appeal TO force IN settling disputes
among nations I'VE also agreed" said
Or. Hoge. that the most proper way
TO iuaugurate such a movement would be
TO begin with our own Che Presbyterian
Church, and that If our Mineral As
semby, representing all the synods and
presbyteries in our connection, would
approve II and officially commend II 20
other denominations. the consensus OF
the whole might be thus secured and the
moral influence of all the branches OF the
Church be brought to bear upon the gov
ernments so addressed.
ADOPTED BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
acting upon this plan. we sent our
overture TO our General Assembly. when
was favorably received by that body, ana
the assembly I'm turn prepared an address
10 be sent TO all the ecclesiastical organi-
cations In the United States, TO many IN
Great Britain and Ireland. and 10 Few
on the Continent OF Europe. urging them
to unite with us In petition 10 be ad-
dressed TO the heads of all the govern
ments I'm the Christian world. Nearly all
of the church judicatories whose co-opera-
ton was thus invoked heartily agreed 10
the proposition. The petition was pre-
pared. and. as II was intended for many
others than English speaking people, IL
was translated into German. French,
Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, modern
Greek, and other languages. Some OF
these TRANSACTIONS were made by Rev.
Paul L. Mcneil, ID. d., OF this city, and
others by clerk In one of the govern
ment departments in Washington city.
CAS- a further means of giving these
plans a practical direction. the different
religious bodies agreeing TO such co-opera-
ton were requested 10 appoint delegates
TO a conference TO be held at such time
and place as might afterwards be desig-
mated. The city of New York was finally
selected, and the convention was held in
December II. 1891, in the great hall Of the
Cooper Institute, and addresses We're
made by Rev. DR.. Josiah Strong,
Or. John Hall, and myself At
the convention an executive COM
mittee was appointed to be resident in
Richmond, and the original members rep
resented Methodists, Baptists. Episco-
palianss GermanLutherans, Friends. Ca
tholics. and Presbyterian. While Bishop
Randolph was a resident OF Richmond
he was one of the most efficient members
Of our committee.
REV. DR.. Darby, corresponding secre-
tary Of the London Peace Society,"" Dr.
Hoge went on TO say, has been very
helpful in carrying on onr work, in ad
dition to that of the organization of
which he - an officer. in his repeated
visits to the Continent Of Europe. Seve-
raj Of DR.. Darbys interesting letters TO
our Richmond committee have been pub
lished in our city papers"
LETTERS FROM MIR. BAYARD.
Dr. Hoge said that on Monday OF this
week he received an interesting letter
from Hon. Thomas f. Bayard. together
with a copy of Mr.. Bayard's address to
the Chamber of Commerce in the ancient
city of Bristol. This address contains
probably the last. as it Is one of the best
Of the ardently-eXpressed desires on the
part of Mr. Bayard for the maintenance
of a perpetual peace between the United
State and Great Britain. Or. Hoge said
when Mr.. Bayard received his appoint
ment as Ambassador TO England he
wrote him a congTatulatory letter. in
which he told Mr.. Bayard that his chief
reason for his qualification was his be-
lief that he CMr. Bayard) would do every
thing in his power TO preserve amity
between the two countries. Mr.. Bayard
in his reply assured the Doctor that this
was one of the aims which he would
keep steadily in view and that nothing
would give him a deeper or more lasting
JOY than that he be the instrument OF
strengthening the ties of friendship be-
tween the two nations that might, in
concord, do so much for the cause of
humanity in the world. "Nobly has he
fulfilled his purpose" remarked DR.. Hoge;
"and he will return, bringing with him
the grateful regards of the best men on
the other side Of the sea. and with the
heartiest approval of the best man on
our side Of the sea-"
1T cannot be believed" said DR.. Hoge.
in conclusion that our Senate. repre-
senting the intelligence, the philanthropy,
and the craftsmanship of the Union. can
fail to ratify the proposed treaty Of ar
bitration between Great Britain and the
United States, and that it will prove the
initial one of a series, which shall ult-
mately include all the civilized nations
Of the world"
WHAT SECRETARY WILSON SAYS.
Rev. DR.. Joseph r. Wilson. stated clerk
of the General Assembly Of the
Presbyterian Church, when seen by the
reporter yesterday afternoon, said:
The General Assembly of the Presby
terrain Church in the United States
Southern Assembly, appointed, some six
years ago, special committee, Of which
the late Rev. DR.. w. A. Campbell, Of
man, whose immediate duty it was to ad-
dress an official letter to all other
ecclesiastical bodies, the world over,
With a request to each that 1t take action
as soon as practicable expressive likewise
Of its sense of the vast Importance OF
such international arbitration as should
serve to prevent the recurrence Of public
war. These letters were prepared In
many languages and forwarded, with the
signatures of the officers Of the assembly,
to their several destinations in all Euro
pean and American countries.
'"rhey met with a prompt and cordial
response everywhere, and undoubtedly
served to mould a firm public opinion
favorable to the cause of universal peace
and to the means for securing it. But
the Southern Presbyterian Church, not
satisfied with this one conspicuous and
hitherto Unprecedented effort in behalf OF
a cause so philanthropic, continued,
through its committee from year TO year,
TO appeal to all Christians throughout the
earth to engage their utmost zeal In be-
half of this most humane work. Mean
while. IL co-operated with Northern Pres
byterians, who also gave their heart TO
the great Christian enterprise of gather
ing the governments Of the world 10 the
feet of the Prince OF Peace"
THE SCANDAL OF CIVILIZATION.
Rev. DIR. r. +. Kerr pastor of the
First Presbyterian church here, and
who has taken a profound interest in
this movement, said:
1.-THE scandal Of civilization Is that
after 1000 years of Christianity, nations
cannot, like individuals. adjust their diff
ferences without resort to arms, which,
after all, only decides which of two
contestants is the strongest, and not
which is right
For the United States and Great
Britain, the two greatest nations, TO
agree upon a general arbitration treaty,
such as has just been arranged be-
tween Lord Salisbury and President
Cleveland marks a new epoch in his