Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-07
A CHURCH COUNCIL
Meeting Of Pan-Presbyterian ALI
ance in This City.
CONSTITUENCY OF TWENTY MILLIONS
Many Distinguished Delegates
Expected From Abroad.
SCOPE OF THE ORG EXAMINATION

The interest of the Presbyterian world
is now conferred in the meeting of the Pan
Presbyterian Alliance, which will be held
in this city. The sessions will begin Sep
TENDER 81 and continue for ten days or
two weeks, according to the Importance
and number of questions and topics to be
discussed. Represented in the alliance are
some of the brainiest men and deepest
thinkers of the religious and ecclesiastical
classes. AS the name of the organization
suggests, its scope is only limited by the
confines of the known world. The dele
gates will include men of letters and Of
brilliant attachments from all parts of civ
iliZatfcn, some three hundred or more in
number. Many of the European delegates
have already arrived in the United States
and are making a tour of the country be-
fore coming on to Washington for partici-
patton in the deliberations of the alliance
council
A program is being arranged for the re-
ception and entertainment of the delegates
and for the conduct of the council: The
meetings will be held in the New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church, of which the
Rev. Wallace Radcliffe is pastor. The lat
ter returned to Washington last night,
after his summers rest, and from now on
preparations for the gathering of the
churchmen will be pressed rapidly forward
The Importance of the coming council can
hardly be overestimated in its bearing
upon the church, and may be realized when
it is pointed out that the Washington coun-
Gil will be but the seventh since the forma-
ton of the alliance in 1876. The first coun-
ell was set for Edinburgh, Scotland. in
July, 1876, but as America was celebrating
its centennial that year the gathering was
postponed a twelvemonth The American
church has taken an important part in
the alliance ever since the idea was sug
gested. and 1t was deemed advisable to
have as large representation from this
country as possible at the inaugural meet
ing. Since the Edinburgh council five 9TH
ers have been held follows: Philadel-
phia, 1880: Belfast. 1884; London, 1888; To-
ronto, 1882, and Glasgow, 1896.
In Two Sections.
For the purpose of administration the
Pan-Presbyterian Alliance is divided into
two sections, the United States embracing
the whole of the western section. The
eastern section is made UP of Europe and
all other countries outside of the states.
Presidents of the alliance have included
Rev. DR.. w. G. Blaikie, who, with Presi
dent McCosh of Princeton, had much to do
with the organization of the alliance itself;
Rev. DIR. Talbot w. Chambers of the Col
legiate Reformed Church of New York, and
Rev. DR.. w. H. Roberts, who is stated
clerk of the general assembly and chair
man Of the western section of the alliance.
The Washington council will be a social
as well as a religious affair. President Nc
Kinley will receive the delegates at the
White House. and the Presbyterian unions
of Philadelphia and New York will give re-
ceptions in honor of the foreign delegates
The Philadelphia function will be the well
coming reception. taking place while the
delegates are en- route to Washington,
while the New York affair will be in the
nature of farewell 1t is estimated on a
basis of 3.5 adherents for each communi-
cant. The number owning religious allegi-
ance to the Pan-Presby terian Alliance at
the present time is about 25.0o00o0 persons
Australia. Africa. Asia, South America and
the continent of Europe are largely rep
resented in this great number
The subjects to be discussed will be mat
ters pertaining to the betterment of the
Presbyterian Church and it's peoples. 1t
is for such purposes the councils are held
Views representing many phases Of work
are exchanged. The results of such coun-
ellis are said to be far-reaching. Different
lines of religious pursuit and dissemination
and oftentime reforms are suggested as the
outgrowth of the discussions and express
sions of opinions at the alliance councils
1t is believed to be important that church
workers. especially those of common de-
nomination, should be closely allied and
labor together rather than pun in different
directions. 1t was to bring about unity
among the Presbyterians of the world that
the alliance formed. Already the
church has felt the benefits OF the move
it is claimed, and the usefulness of the
alliance adjunct is ever-increasing.
Distinguished Delegates Expected.
Lord Overtoun will be one of the dele
gates to the Washington council. He is a
of Glasgow and a we'll
known religious and temperance worker
in the British Isles. He teaches bible
class and in various other ways shows his
Christian activity. Rev. DIR. William
Beatty, a Christian worker in India of
many years experience. is another on the
list of delegates. DR.. Beatty was modera-
tor of the Irish general assembly last
year. and is now the secretary and dele
gate of the Hibernian Bible Society. An
other delegate of Importance, representa-
tive of Great Britain, is Rev DR.. John
Robson moderator of the United Presby-
terrain Synod of Scotland. For the last
twenty years DR.. Robson has been pastor
of the St Nicholas Presbyterian Church at
Aberdeen. He is a writer of some note,
one of his works being on the philosophy
of India, in which country he was engaged
in missionary work for a number of years
Two other Scotchmen of fame in religious
work will be present. They are Rev. DR.
W. G. Blake, editor. preacher and teacher
of Edinburgh, and the Very Rev. DIR. Alex
ander Stewart, principal and professor OF
divinity of st. Mary's College, 81. Andrews
Scotland. DR.. Stewart was formerly a pro-
fessor in the University of Aberdeen, and
he is the author Of a handbook on Chris
tian evidences, an authority in the United
States and Canada, as well as IN Great
Britain.
Among the other delegates from abroad
will be William CarrutherS for many years
connected with the British Muse UNI. one OF
the most active Presbyterian laymen in
England; Rev. DR.. j. Marshall Lang,
prominent pastor in Glasgow and president
of the alliance: Prof Thomas Hammill of
Belfast and Samuel Smith. a member of
the British parliament Canada is to be
represented by Principal Caven of Knox
College, the Right Rev. DR.. Torrance, mod
orator of the general assembly, and Prin-
cipal McVickar of the Presbyterian College,
Montreal.
From New York will come Rev. DR.. r. F.
Sample, moderator of the general assembly,
and Rev. DR.. Howard Duffield Other dele
gates are Rev. DIR. George T. Purves of
Princeton. Rev. DIR. George L. Spinning of
Orange. N. j.: Col John j. McCook, Gen
Ralph E. Prime of Yonkers. N. Y; George
E. Sterry and Gov. Mount of Indiana. John
Wanamaker and ex-Gov. Beaver of Penn
sylvania, Rev. DR.. w. I. Chamberlain. re-
Gently chosen secretary Of the Evangelical
Alliance: John s. Bussing and Rev. DR.. d.
j. Burrell.
Origin of the Alliance.
The Pan-Presbyterian Alliance had its
inception when the venerable Dr. McCosh,
president of Princeton University, voiced a
sentiment among Presbyterians in favor of
an alliance. He mentioned the subject in
an Irish general assembly, and 1t was
greeted with a cheer. He mentioned 1t