The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-04

firmed by the vote of the convention,
without debate
President, c. S. Thompson Of New
York; vice presidents, c. l.. Dickinson
Of Boston, G. S. Mills Of Cleveland, r.
II. Council of Philadelphia, Judson
Ellsworth Of Milwaukee, J. P Peters Of
New York, A. r. Merriam Of Hartford,
Sylvanus Stall of Philadelphia, w. Ii.
z. Faunce Of Chicago, X. b. Topper Of
Philadelphia, II. Fl. Kelsey of Hort
ford, Josiah Strong of New York, Will
liam &c. Dodge of New York, T.. d. Burr
of Boston, #. M. Worth of New York,
e. w Warren Of New York, G. S. Har-
rover Of New York, r, c. Ogden of
New York, Edward Judson of New
York, Leighton Williams of New York,
G, c. Hall of New York, Henry Mottet
Of New York, c. r. Robbins Of Cincin-
natl S. Y. Y. Holmes of Buffalo, S. p.
Cadman of New York, ]. F. Stetson of
Philadelphia, c. S. Nash of Oakland,
Cal, F. w. Tamkins of Providence,
George Griftiths of Philadelphia, c. r.
Henderson of Chicago, Y. d. Morgan
Of Dayton, O., J. N. Gamble Of Cincin-
natl, A. P. Atterbury of New York, o.
p. Clifford Of Buffalo, r. d. Lord of
Brooklyn, ]. W. Philputt of New York,
George L. Perrin Of Boston; correspond
ing secretary, 1s. B. Sanford ef~lNeW
York; recording secretary, j. D. DeVins
Of New York; treasurer, j. S. Huyler Of
New York
The principal discourse Of the eve
ming session was delivered by Dean
Hodges of the Harvard theological
school, who spoke on the subject, THE
social mission of the church"
DR.. Hodges said in part: In spite Of
all that is justly said in favor Of the
institutional church idea, the project
ies Ito al - f1l
i've, This is a fault INTO which / think
it has not as yet fallen deeply, but it is
possible for it to do so, If care be not
taken to AVOID it. We may be IN dan
ger Of oVerestimating the Importance
of the institutional side of the church.
Spiritual work seldom gives tangible
results; therefore we frequently tend
towards a temptation neglect its VI
tai nature.
We cannot all have institutional
churches but we must not abandon the
social side of church life altogether on
this account. The church does rot set
a right example in the social line. l
remember hearing some one tell an
apocryphal story about a church in
the entry of which there was u nickel
in-the-slot machine. You dropped in
five cents and there was stretched
forth to you an iron hand which you
We're privileged to grasp in lieu of that
of the pastor or one of the members
of the church. If the church wants to
teach social lessons it must practice
them.
We want more friendliness in the
churches. We also need more fairness
in our dealings with people. Men in
business have told me that the hard
est people they had to deal with were
trustees Of churches. The church can
do its work best by putting it into the
hearts of people to do it for the church,
The public school is a great field for
church work. What we need there is
not the outward teaching Of religion,
but the presence of teachers who carry
their daily lives, If not or their tongues.
One % the greatest of the social prob
lens that the church ought to deal
with is the newspaper. Every church
ought to start a newspaper reform
movement # there is a yellow journal
in your city, it is the duty Of the
churches to root it out. Don't talk to
the reporters, they are not responsible,
for they only do the work they are
sent to do. 1t is hard work, and they
do it well, but they don't dictate the
policy Of the paper. The way to stop
a yellow journal is to persuade the
only people that the proprietor Is afraid
of, the advertisers, to stop supporting
the paper, and you are rid of it in no
time.
Rev. DR.. Watson l.. Phillips of New
Haven, Ct, discussed the question,
Ought the churches in well-to-do sec
tons in our cities to come into organic
connection with work in the destitute
districts?" He considered the prob
lem with reference to the work that has
already been done by the Church of the
Redeemer in his own city. His dis
course was an able argument for the
unity of the mission churches with the
ones from which they spring.
The speaker was distinctly opposed to
anything that savored of eondescension
towards the people that are converted
at the mission churches, and told of the
methods that are used with much sue
cess in the lower portions of New Ha-
ven to bring the people to the church.
In speaking of the practical advan-
tages of thus breaking down the bar
riers between the church and the mis-
sion converts, Mr.. Phillips said that
there had been fewer labor troubles ex-
perienced by the wealthy men of his
church since the plan was adopted than
even before. and it was fact that there
seemed to be growing up a kindly feel
ing between the employers and the en-
ployed in the city that promised to be
of insstimable benefit and wholly due
to the attitude taken by the church.
In closing the convention, DR.. Lewis
expressed the pleasure OF himset ana
of the church that the convention
should have been so successful a one,
and hoped that in the future the church
would have the privilege OF entertaining
the convention again.
He said that he thought the two key
words of the convention would be fed
Grafton" and open church They are
10 represent the spirit that is embodied
in all Christian life.
"Christian unity" said DR.. Lewis, us
a hlInnbug, and if l could sweep away
ali UNCONVENTIONAL lines with a wave
of nv hand, l would not do it. No
two men think just alike, II they say
they do one of them does not think at
all The greatest thing is not unity,
but cooperation and federation and a
disposition to drop the non essentials
and emphasize the essential things OF
Christian faith
1t was much regretted by the dele
gates that the address of Rev. Dr..
Charles Cuthbert Hall of New York, as
well as that of President G. Stanley
Hall of Clark university, could not be
delivered, owing to the unavoidable alb
sence of both these gentlemen.
The benediction was pronounced by
the venerable Father Sleeper Of this
city.
HOW THE SENSES GO TO SLEEP.