The times., 1899-09-28
.PRESBYTERIANS AT WORK
Proceedings of the First Session of
the Alliance.
President Lang, of Scotland, Calls
the Body to order-An Address of
of the New York Avenue Church
The Conference 10 Last Ten Days.

With worshipful service and impressive
sacred ceremonies in the morning, with
statesmanlike organization and parlia-
mentary procedure in the afternoon, and
with a social gathering OF magnificent
proportions in the evening, the first day 5
session of the seventh general council OF
the Pan Presbyterian Alliance has passed
into history. The opening services were
held at 10S0 O'Clock yesterday morning in
the auditorium of the New York Avenue
Presbyterian Church. The afternoon ser
vice began at 2:30 at the same place, and
in the evening President Mckinley, Mrs.
| Mckinley and the members of the Cabinet
and their ladies received the visiting
clergymen and their families in the East
Room of the White House.
The sessions of the alliance will continue
for ten days. The work in hand is the dis
cussion of the religious topics of the day,
touching the preaching and teaching OF the
Presbyterian faith. The delegates to the
| council have been chosen for their emf
nence in the districts which they repre-
sent and as a body, they are well caicu-
| lated to inspire the laymen in the faith
WIN cOuuQBuCG III tlcll etDiilly " iC>NAi
right conclusions touching religious dog
| mas.
! When the reverend delegates filed into
| the auditorium from the entrances on
| either side of the pulpit, preparatory fcr
| the opening service yesterday morning,
/ the scene was inspiring alike to them and
| to the large congregation which had filed
| every available seat. The church was
| beautiful in decorations. The air was filled
n nnI-
| ing notes of the organ as it thundered its
welcome. AS soon as the delegates had
reached the seats to be occupied by them
! the congregation arose and all united in
singing the "Doxology.' Rev. Dr. William
Hutton, moderator of the Presbyterian
Church of England, pronounced the invoca-
ton. psalm was then read and hymn
sung. following which Rev. DR.. John Rob-
| son, moderator of the United Presbyterian
Church of Scotland read scripture lesson.
The opening sermon was delivered by Prof.
John Dewitt. of Princeton Theological
Seminary his subject being THE Attitude
of the Reform Church Toward the Holy
/ Bible.' Prof. Dewitt was listened &c
| throughout his somewhat extended re-
marks with rapt attention. DR.. Dewitt
stood for the Bible indefatigably and at all
| times. He was somewhat severe on what
is known as higher criticism, and declared
I
the demands of Bible critics with rigid
scrutiny and with counter criticism. He
emphasized the duty of prayer and the
blessings TO be derived from such COM
munion with God, in the way of estab-
fishing ones self in the word and in the
faith.
The Organization Perfected.
| At the afternoon session the organization
of the council was practically perfected
The roll was called, and showed goodl5
| number of those who are expected to at
tend the conference, already present Com
mittees were appointed The opening ad-
dress of President J. Marshall Lang was
one Of the features of the day. President
Lang is from Glasgow, Scotland. and a fea-
| ture Of his remarks was on the friendly
| relations existing between the United
States and England. Rev. Dr. Radcliffe
pastor of the New York Avenue Church
followed DR.. Lang in an address of vel
come. He expressed the greatest cordial
| ity on the part of the resident Presbyter.
| ians, and his remarks were received witt
apparent pleasure by all present.
1t was 2:35 p. m. when Rev. DR.. j. Mar
| shall Lang called the session to order an(
| said that the proceedings would be opened
by singing the forty sixth psalm; there wal
no iHStruIu6nldi Accompaniment. ne uSlc
gates and large audience sang the psalm
| On the rcstrum with President Lang. wer.
Rev. DIR. G. D. Mathews, OF London, England
General Secretary of the Alliance, and Rev
| DR.. w. II. Roberts, of Philadelphia, th'
| American Secretary. After the psalm wa
sung President Lang offered a ferven
prayer, asking for aid and direction in tn
conducting Of the alliance, and blessing
upon the proceedings.
| Secretary Mathews then read the repor
of the executive council, which showed tha
a communication had been received from
the General Assembly of the Church o
South Africa asking that it be admitted
TO the alliance. Also a communication
from the churches of Trinidad Island
which said as they were connected with tn
Church in Canada the thought il best L
withdraw from the alliance. The repor
was adopted. Then Rev. DR.. John Steel, o
Glasgow, was appointed assistant TO DR.
Mathews, and Rev. DR.. ]. NJ. Hubert, o
Lebanon, Tenn, assistant 10 DR.. Roberts
and took their seats.
Two Hundred Delegates Present.
The roll was called and showed owe
two hundred delegates present, represent
ing England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada
ber of delegates from different parts of tn
United States
A motion TO invite missionaries from for
eign fields, ministers from churches on tn
Alive and Vet dead