The Portland daily press., 1897-10-16
BIENNIAL CoNVEN-
TON,

UNlVERSALiST BIENNIAL CoNVEN-
TON.
Outline of the Programme of the Coming
Meeting.
Chicago, Oct. 15.-The approaching
biennial convention of the Universallst
Church, to be held in this city October 10
to 70 inclusive, calls public att entlon
anew to the standing and the work OF
this growing body of Christian believers:
The session now approaching is one VI
the most important for many years III
the business to be transacted and the
questions to be settled. The convention
will meet in the beautiful st. Pau
church, one OF the most picturesque DIES
| of architecture in the city, whose pastors
the Rev. A. j. Garfield, D. D., former
ly of Brooklyn, n. Y, and the Rev. D.
j. Lewis, the well known lecturer, nave
charge Of all arrangements for entertain
ing the delegates and other attendants.
The convention, according to the admlra-
bic organization of the church, consists
OF delegates chosen by the various state
conventions, which in turn are made up
OF delegates from the several parishes.
Inc organization of the church is thus
representative in its form and carefully
systematized. During the interim be
church are in the hands of Board OF
trustees, which has power to adopt an
needrul measures for the growth and wei
fare OF the church. The president OF TINS
Board is the Hon. John D. w. Joy OF
boston, and its other mem bers are Inc
General Secretary of the Con vention, Ur'
y. l.: Demarest of Manchester, N. H.;
Rugg, of Providence K. l.; DR.. E. =.
Sweetser, of Philadelphia; President Z.
Ellwood Nash of Lombard University,
Illinois; Ex-Governor Sidney Perham,
OF Maine; Stevenson Taylor, OF New
York; Rev. DR.. Almon Gunnison, OF
Worcester, Mass; Rev. DR.. John Coie-
man Adams. of Brooklyn; Henry
Manning, of Chicago; and Harry III.
f'owle of Cleveland. O.
The business which will come before
the convention of Chicago is various ana
important and serves to show the func-
lions of this body. A long debate, run
ming through some fifteen years. concern
ing proposed changes in the Winchester
Profession, the creed of the church, Will
be continued, and /. vote taken on a sub
st1tute offered two yeats ago at Merlden,
conn. proposition has also been MADE
to change the basis of representation in
the church, giving to every parish one
delegate and to every Clergyman in fell
low ship seat in convention. Some
other constitutional questions will come
up, and the interests of the home mission
of the church, as we'll as of its fiourishing
work in Japan. The financial policy and
conditions of the church will receive I'M
| usual attention, as, in common with all
religious bodies, the convention has been
much crippled of late years ~ the hard
| times.
The convention will assemble at $50 p.
M, on Tuesday, October 18th. 1t will be
welcomed in an address by DR.. Garfield,
the popular and eloquent pastor of the
| church which entertains the convention.
A response will be made by the vice. presi-
dent of the convention, DIR. George L..
Perrin of Boston, well known all through
New England for his work in the Every
| Day Church." in Boston. The conven-
ton will then organize and the commun-
ion service will be observed, as a solemn
and religious preparation for the work in
hand, by the pastors of the local church
DR.. Garfield and Mr.. Lewis This will
| be followed by the occasional sermon, -
so-called, by the Rev. DR.. Arthur G..
Rogers, brilliant and very able clergy
of Reading, Pa. DR.. Rogers is the son of
the Rev. Guinness Rogers, of London,
the famous Congregational leader in
England. The evening session will be
devoted to platform meeting, with ad-
dresses on themes of social and ethical in
terest, by Henry D. Lloyd of Chicago,
and others. Wednesday will be devoted
| TO the conventions business, including
the important reports of the Board of
Trustees, the Financial Secretary and
the National Missionary. The latter Off
DIAL is unique character, in the person
of Rev. @. Ii. Shinn. an energetic, ear
nest organizer, who is furnished with a
| rowing commission, which takes him all
over the country, especially in the West
| and South, forming scattered Universal
| lists into churches, and preaching in com
| munities where this faith is unheard Of.
| The evening will be devoted to denomi-
national interests, and is announced on
| the programme as "An Evening with
Ourselves, in which there will be an adj
| by clergyman "To the Clergy" An
other platform meeting will close the
| third day session, on which the key note
is struck in the programme-title for it,:
Forward. - The presiding officer at
| II these sessions will be the well-known
Chicago banker, Mr.. Charles L. Hutch
inson, whose devotion to the Uniyersalist
| interest in the public and artistic life of
his adopted city.
An interesting feature of the conven-
ton will be the, conferences to be held in
addition to its regular sessions, on the
mornings of the various days. On Mon
day there Will be conference OF minis
tiers" led by one of the best known pas
tors in the West, Rev. DIR. Crum. On
Wednesday "a conference of women" led
by Mrs. c. A. Quimby, president of the
National Woman's Missionary Society,
and one of the most prominent women in
the church. On Wednesday it will be a
conference of Sunday School workers, 4"
led by DR.. j. M. Pullman, of Lynn.
Mass. ,gwhose work in the associated chart
ties OF the country have given him wide
repute, and who is an expert in all mat
tiers pertaining to Sunday School work.
There will be closing conference Of pas
tors on the last day OF the session, and
Just prior to adjournment, some time on
Friday, President Hutchinson will give
| the farewell address.
The condition of the UNIVERSAL st
church is one of prosperity and active
growth. 1t numbers oyer a thousand
churches and some 700 ministers. 1t has
four line colleges-Tufts, in Nassachu-
setts; St. Lawrence, in New York;
Buchtel in Ohio and Lombard, in ILL
nols. 1t has parish properties above in
debtedness amounting to nearly 10000
OU0. The invested funds of the General
convention amount to $27l 900; and those
| OF the yariOuS Gtafa conventions and any