The Indianapolis journal., 1897-04-16
WORLDWIDE ALLIANCE
PROPOSED FOR THE EIGHTY-NINE
PRESBYTERIAN BODIES.
Object of N Conference Now i'm Session
at Characterization Passed by
Vincennes Presbytery.

CHICAGO, April 15.-Many distinguished
Presbyterian ministers are in session here
considering methods of bringing the va
rious Presbyterian Church organizations Of
the world into closer harmony. These men
are members of the western section of the
executive commission Of the alliance OF re-
formed churches throughout the world
holding the Presbyterian system They
come from many sections of the United
States and Canada, and represent a variety
of Presbyterian bodies. Their meeting is
not open TO tha public. The western sec
ton of the commission has fifty-six men,
bers. Rev. William Caven, d. D.. principal
Of Knox College, Toronto. Canada, is the
chairman. Rev. w. Ii. Roberts, d. D.,
clerk of the General Assembly of the Pres
byterian Church, is the American secretary.
The executive commission will try to carry
out the plans laid down by the General
Presbyterian Council that met last June
with delegates from all parts of the world.
There are in the alliance eighty-nine diff
ferent Presbyterian bodies, with 1905 pres
byteries, 20 ,364 congregations, 25.477 minis
ters, 81 1868 Sunday schools, 3,5l9,OO0 teachers
and pupils, and 4627, JAG communicates. In
America alone there are the Presbyterian
Church in Canada, the Synod of the Church
of Scotland in Canada, the Presbyterian
Church of the United States of America,
the Presbyterian Church of the United
States, the Reformed Church in the United
States, the United Presbyterian Church of
North America, the Cumberland Pres
byterian Church in North America, the Re-
form Presbyterian Church of North Amer
lea, the General Synod or The Reform Pres
byterian Church of North America, the
Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Church in the
United States and the Associated Reform
Synod in the South.
The object of this worldwide alliance Is
to unity the different branches of Presby
terianism as much as possible. There is no
attempt to interfere with the complete au-
tonomy of each body. The judicial and ad-
ministrative work of each is distinct. An
effort is being made TO have the various
bodies cooperate in home and foreign mis-
Sionary work, Sunday school work and
other features OF religious work that are
common to all of them. Missionary work
in Brazil and Japan has already been uni
fled. Progress has also been made toward
consolidation in India, where dozen diff
ferent Presbyterian bodies are working In
dividually. In many small places in Amer
lea Presbyterian missions have been con-
solidated In the unifcation of the creed
are limited to collocation OF the doctrinal
symbols of the different bodies, but without
any effort TO express them in one catholic
symbol.
The report of the treasurer, George Jun
kim of Philadelphia, showed that the finan-
cial condition was far more prosperous
than at any time in the history of the
ganization. Invitations for the next meet
ing of the council were received from the
Reformed Churches of Reading, Pa, and
from the Ministerial Association of ST.
Louis. AS the meetings of the commission
are held alternately in the East and in
the West. it decided to accept the in
vitation to Reading. The commission re-
solved to have fixed dates for its semi
after the second Sabbath of April and the
last Thursday in October as those dates.