The San Francisco call., 1897-09-03
WITHOUT CREED
DR. DISTINCTION
The Independent Church
Movement Steadily Gain
ing Ground.
A Plan of Organization Sub
mitted at a Meeting Of
Those Interested.
0ommendatory Speeches Made by Rev.
W. D. P. Bliss, Rev. G. @ Adams
and Others.

The plan of forming an independent
church in this City-one to which people
OF all classes and creeds will be welcome
and find themselves equally at home
has taken firm hold, and much of the pre-
liminary work Of organization has al
ready been done. A meeting of those in
terested was held i'll Byron Mauzv Hall
last evening, at which many prominent
clergymen were present and expressed
opinions datory of the work. The
meeting was called to order by Chairman
James NJ. Howe, after which the Rev.
George c. Adams. pastor OF the First Con-
gregational Church, led in prayer.
The committee which was appointed at
the last meeting to suggest plan of action
then submitted the following report,
which was unanimously adopted:
1t appears to your committee as the result
of careful survey of known facts and opin-
ons-bearing upon the matter. that the time is
fully ripe for testing the sentiment OF the COM
munity in favor of such a project, and the na-
ture and extent OF the testing required may be
sgnified by the interrogative use OF two words
agreement and finance. II sufhc1ent num-
ber of good, earnest people can agree on the
basis, principles and aims of the project, and
ii it can be effectively sustained financially,
there can be no doubt that the work contem
plated should be entered upon without delay.
Believing that in such matter "Where there
is will. there is a way your committee ven
ture to suggest the following outline of the
principles and aims OF the Work, including a
preliminary practical effort:
That deplorug the divers creeds and con-
troversies which, too often, separate religious
people and ALLEVIATE religious people, those
who unite in this organization agree to use
their influence publicly end privately to en-
phasize the matters upon which religious
people agree and TO minimize their differ
enees, thus aiming to increase the sum of
benefcent influence for the good of society at
large
nizlng the fatherhood of God ana the brother
hood of mankind, the members OF this organi-
ZatIon purpose to cooperate regardless OF Class
distinctions, 10 alleviate human sunerlng ana
reduce the sin of moral evil in the world, and
in all possible ways to help forward the we'll
being OF human kind,
That the universal religion of love to God
and love to man, as inculcnted in the teach
ings and example of Jesus Christ, be the bond
OF fellowship and the inspiration of effort
among all who unite in this organization |;
also that members shall not be required to
subscri be to any stated creed, but only to as
sent 10 q wellknown bond of union which is
expressed in these words: 'In The love of
truth and in the spirit of Jesus Christ we unite
for the worship OF God and the service of
man.
That, so far as may be for the furtherance
of these principles and aims, the organization
| assume the form of a church, with regul ar
| services OF preaching and worship, with a
! Sunday-school, classes for Bible study and
| such other meetings for religious exercise and
| mutual Improvement as may seem to be re-
! quired. the ultimate aim being the develop
| Inent OF powerful institutional church, fully
! equipped for every department of moral and
| social work. devoted to the well being of the
community in respect of physical health,
| social purity, moral culture and spiritual en-
That initiatory work be commenced as soon
as practicable by the holding at Metropolitan
| TEN ble OF a series of public services on sue
| cessive Sunday evenings IN September and
! October by as many ministers of San Fran
| cisco and its vicinity
| That committee of nine be elected at this
! meeting for the following purposes: First, to
make arrangements for the proposed prelimin-
/ ary services in Metropolitan Temple; second,
| to o obtain con tributions toward defrayInR the
| expenses of sucn services third, to receive
! and record promises of personal and financial
| aid toward permanent work; fourth, to pre-
! pare a scheme OF permanent organization, and
| fifth, TO report 70 a public meeting OF the
/ friends Of the movement in this City not later
! than October 81, 1897
| A letter was received from Rev. DR..
| Wendte, expressing his regret at being
| unable 10 attend the meeting on account
of home engagements. and his hearty ap-
! probation of the work and well wishes
/ 1or its future.
| DR.. Adams then made a short address
| as follows: 81 understand that the prime
| idea OF this committee is to set about the
| form alton OF a downtown church, which
| shall be independent of denominational
! ties. / am stranger in this City, and
since my arrival have been puzzled to
| know Just where the. down of San Fran
| cis CO Is, as it seems to be we'll spread out
and almost as thickly populated in one
part as another. As far as the actual
business part of the city is concerned,
however. l think 1t is better supplied with
| downtown churches than any other
large city. You will find the establish
ment of an independent church to be a
| Herculean task, as people are not really
as much afraio of creeds as is sometime s
| imagined-in fact every one has creed
of some kind. and the man who says he
has no creed generally has the strongest
one of any, as he is the hardest person to
convince on the subject. L have the
warmest appreciation of the plan, how
ever, and hope for its success"
He was followed by the Rev. W. D. P.
Bliss of Boston. who spoke on THE
Brotherhood of Man and Fatherhood of
God" 81 think you will find that while
the spirit of your work is good the prac-
tice will be very poor" said DR.. Bliss.
| "What we want is more of the love of God
in our daily lives-not downtown churches,
! but true Christiani y and universal broth
erhood instiIled into the minds of the
downtown people and business men.
| think the brotherhood of man is rapidly
coming. and Will eventually be brought
about in a great measure by the system OF
! arbitration which is springing u between
the work ng classes and the great com Di.
nations of capitalists and when 1t does
come it cannot be complete or enduring
| without true recognition OF the love OF
God.'