The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-25
WILL HOLD THREE CONVENTIONS AT
CHATTANOOGA NEXT MONTH.
Prosperous Year for Christian
Churches-NO Steps Taken to Choose
DR.. John Halls Successors.
special to the Indianapolis Journai.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Sept. 23--The national con-
ventions of the Christian churches (Disci-
pies of Christi will be held at Chattanooga
Oct. Is to 20. These conventions are three
in number-the Christian Woman's Board of
Missions, the headquarters of which is at
Indianapolis Qt is the union of the woman
hood of the Disciples and does both home
and foreign mission work and educational
work among its own members) the general
convention, which will consider the home
work of all descriptions, and the foreign
board. These conventions promise to be
most interesting account of the reports
to be made. 1t has been a year of great
prosperity in all departments of this great
brotherhood of Christians. The Disciples
are an inland people, having the bulk of
their membership about $50, 0O0) between the
Allegheny and Rocky mountains. Their dis
tinctive plea is for the union of all Gods
people on the basis of the Bible as the only
rule of faith and practice. At their con-
ventions last year, held in Tomlinson Hall,
Indianapolis, a distinctive feature was a
celebration of the Lords supper, at which
it was estimated that 5000 partook; some-
thing without precedent in modern times.
Over the general convention at Chattanooga
next month the Rev. DR.. Power, of WASH
ington, will preside, delivering the annual
address. Among the other speakers will be
the Hon. Benton MeMillin, the representa-
tive from the Third Tennessee district in
Congress. Another great speech will be de-
liveTed by President collars of Hiram Col
lege, the institution made famous by Presi-
dent Garfield. AT the foreign section of the
convention addresses will be made by re-
turned missionaries, nearly all parts of the
world being represented.
Those conversant with the dTifs of opinion
in the Protestant Episcopal Church predict
that the approaching General Convention at
Washington will neither adopt the recon-
mendation of its committee in the matter
of the canon on marriage and divorce nor
allow the present canon to stand. AS things
look now compromise will be the outcome,
to consist of the provision that there shall
be no remarriage after divorce, but that as
the statement Of Jesus Christ in the Gospel
of st. Mattahew is open to more than one
construction, persons who conscientiously
believe that He did not take such advanced
ground, may be advised to remarry under
the civil authority, and that having done so,
they are not to be denied the sacraments of
the church This is the position taken by
the bishops of the English province of Can
terbury, and may be said to be the one that
is gaining ground in. the church here.
The situation regarding a successor to the
late Rev. Dr. John Hall can be given on
the authority Of the chairman of the pulpit
supply committee of the session. That stu
alton is that nothing whatever has been
done. The various men who have been
heard in the pulpit this summer may or may
not be voted for. Nor is there any talk of
choosing two pastors, except such as may
be INDUCED in at any time, the tendency
being in all large churches to increase the
ministerial force. The hate DIR. Hall never
discussed the matter of his successor, and
never expressed any preference whether he
should be an American or foreigner AL
most the only thing that can now be pre-
dicted with safety is the one that the sue
cessor will probably be a foreigner. This
is owing to local conditions. Just as smaller
cities look to larger ones for their special
functionaries, ministers on great occasions
among them, so must New York. There is
no larger American city for New York to
look to- Hence it must look abroad. The
one thing new that has developed since the
great divine's death. and in large part be-
cause of it. is the likelihood that the eight
or ten members of the session who left the
Fifth-avenue Church last spring will now
return to it, not as members of it's session,
but as members of it's congregation The
late DR.. Hall was president Of the Presby-
terrain Board of Home Missions. 1t is too
early yet to consider the name of his sue
cessor in that great body.