Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-02

Y ing light upon the history and the times
of the Bible, especially of the Old Tesla
\ ment. He maintained that the general
| credibiltty of the biblical narrative had
| been established by the results of archaeO-
| logical work, while the indirect evidence
\ is extensive. He said that the literary
A criticism of the Bible could be checked
! In many directions by reference to monu-
| ments and inscriptions. He referred to the
| tendency to look for certainty in such
matters, and he said that not the minute
| accuracy of every detail of the Bible should
| be looked for but the belief was we'll
| founded that the book was the honest
| work of men taking full advantage of their
| opportunities, writing sanely and with a
| noble purpose. He thought it was a cause
| of thankfulness that the divine revelation
| is thus historically given, as we are saved
| thereby from the danger of having our
| religion eNaporated with sentiment or lost
| in The mazes of speculation, but the ulti-
| mate evidence of divine truth is not ex-
| ternal merely or even chiefly, 1t is COM
| mended by its affinity to what is highest
| and best in our own natures. 1t is made
| certain to us by the witness of the Holy
| Spirit in our hearts.
Both Papers Discussed.
A discussion followed which referred to
| both of the papers read. The first delegate
to take the platform was Mr.. William
| Smith, who is a member of the English
| parliament He asserted his belief in the
Holy Scriptures as authoritative documents
| and dvinely inspired He believed that
| many people were coming under the doml-
nation of priestly authority because of the
deadly work of the higher critics. Men,
| he said want certainty, and it makes for
| infide.ity, on the one hand, and the growth
| of Romanism and sacerdotalism to increase
| uncertainty.
| Rev. DR.. Gerhart of Lancaster. Pa; Rev.
| Dr.. Beatty of Louisville, KY, and Rev. DR..
| Laws of Columbia, S. c., spoke, arguing
against materialism in religion. The latter
| speaker came out strongly against evolu-
ton, and said in his opinion the higher
| criticism was the evolution of this evolu-
| ton He said that Herbert Spencer had
| lost God since 1869, and had not, to his
| knowledge. found Him and had no use for
| God.
Papers COmplimented.
| Principal Caven of Toronto, Canada,
| spoke of the admirable papers which had
| been read, and said he agreed with them in
| the main. He said If the principle Of evolu-
| ton was true the fall of man must have
been an upward one. While in some of Its
phases he believed In evolution, yet as a
principle it must be modified If brought into
| the religious field. He said he found moth
| ing unbelievable in the Bible, and that was
| strong evidence, in his opinion, that the
| Bible was from God. The evidence for the
| book, he declared, must mainly lie in the
| book itself.
! Rev DIR. McCook of Philadelphia re-
| ferred to his work in natural history, which
| brought him in contact with young men
| pursuing scientific studies. He said the
| superna turalistic is the natural, and, he
| added, there is nothing unnatural in the
| Christian faith. 1t is in harmony, he said,
| with the nature of man.
The speaker went on to say that what was
needed now was to convince scientific men
| that there is no conflict between science
| and religion Because men were familiar
| with scientific subjects was no reason to
he theV knew ahOnt SDir-
| itual subjects. He sad it was not true
| that the great body of scientists were OPP
| posed to religion. The men who stood at
| the top, as well as the workers who fur
| nished those men with the facts, were not
| opposed to religion, and the proportion OF
| unbelievers in that class was not greater,
| he maintained, than in other classes.
DIR. McCook spoke with force, and in the
short time allotted to him managed to say
a good deal which evidently met the ap-
prevail of the delegates.
After some announcements the aillance
adjourned for luncheon.
Afternoon Session.
The session this afternoon was begun at
2 o'clock. A paper on the "Apologetic
Value of the Study of Comparative Re
lgion was read by Rev. DR.. Robson,
Aberdeen, Scotland, followed by a discus
sion.
The report of the committee on Sabbath
schools was submitted follows: Eastern
section, Rev. Thos. Burns; western section,
Rev. DR.. j. V. Stephens, Lebanon. Tenn.
! Papers on Improvement in Sabbath School
Methods were read by Rev. Or. james ~.
| Worden, Philadelphia, Pa, ana Rev Alex
ander Smeilie, Thurso, Scotland.
There will be no evening session
There Will be no session tomorrow morn
| ing, but the program for the afternoon and
| evening sessions is as follows: Two o CLOCK,
after noon-l Report of business comm4ttoe;
>. Report of the committee on the desidela-
ia OF Presbyterian history; eastern section,
! Rev Prof. Lindsay, Glasgow, Scotland
western section, Rev: DR.. NJ. II. Hutton,
| New brunswick, n. j.; discussion. 3. Pa
| pers on Methods for Increasing the Eff
| cienc" of the Alliance Rev. Dr. Mathews,
Londo1. England, and Rev. DIR. William F.
Junkin, Montclair, n j. Discussion
| Eight o'clock, evening". Report of COM
mittee of the western section on "Co-opera-
ton in Home Missions =, Addresses on
| Mission Work, including Missions Among
| the North American Indians; a. The United
| States, Rev. b. S. Stern. New Bremen, OHIO;
| b. The United States, Rev. Dr. fhoinp-
| son, New York city; C. Canada, Rev. DIR.
| Robert Johnston, London, Canada.
Excursion to Mt. Vernon.
| The visit to Mount Vernon by the dele
gates to the Pan-Presbyterian alliance Sat
| urday afternoon seemed to be thoroughly
| enjoyed. Nearly all the delegates and Their
| wives awaited themselves of this opportuni-
| ty to visit the home Of the great American,
| and they expressed themselves as beng
| greatly interested in what they saw. Mount
| Vernon was seen in one of its most aItrac-
| tive forms, there was nothing to mar
| the elm beauty of the fail afternoon The
| air was IA Their fresh when the boat was IN
| motion but still the visitors saw a good
| deal of the scenery along the river and
| were charmed with 1t. Before leaving the
| house a group picture was taken.
| Reception Given.
| In the evening a reception was gwen in
| honor of the members of the council at the
| Corcoran Art Gallery. 1t very large
| ly attended, and in a building of less capac-
| ity a not so well adapted for such pur-
poses the throng would have been uncom-
| Portable. AS it was 5000 people scattered
| through the building, but about 10 o'clock
| the pressure became SO great about the re-
| ceiving party that it was deemed best not
| to attempt to greet all, and the party sep
| arateA. The introductions were made by
| Mr.. j I'M d. McChesney. Mr.. 8. II. kauff-
| mann represented the trustees of the gal
| lery, and with him in the line were Rev.
| DR.. and Mrs Radcliffe, Rev. DR.. Lang
| president of the alliance; Mrs. John w.
| Foster, Rev DIR. Mathews. the general sec
| rotary, and Miss Mathews, Rev. DR.. Rob-
| erts, the American secretary, and Mrs
| Roberts.
| Mrs. Radcliffe wore black gown, with
bod ri,