The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-18
NOTABLE COUNCIL.
Congregationalists to
Convene in
Boston.
over 500 DELEGATES.
Many Of Worcester's Church
People to At.
tend.

There will be many Worcester Con.
gregationaIists in Boston during the
present week. The city will be The
Mecca Of the Congregationalists of the
world and will be given the privilege
OF entertaining the leading representa-
tiVes of the church of the Pilgrim
fathers.
It's peculiarly fitting that the second
gathering Of the international council
OF the Congregationalist church should
be held in Boston, city repIete with
historical interest to that denomination.
There is scarcely a landmark about thu.
city that does not remind one of The
Gays OF the early church and of the
men VINO devoted their lives to the cs-
adjustment of the mode of worshin
ana government their conscience die
sated. Plymouth saw the birth of Cor
greeatlonalism in this country. 1t was
Hurtured in Boston, and the whole
country mas been more or less inf1u-
anced by it.
II Is the present representatives. of
| these founders of Congregationalisr
not only in America, but in the world
VINO Will gather in the city to council
together in International convention To
consider the things of the church in its
spiritual and temporal relation to tho
world. The delegates include among
thel- number the brainest men of the
denomination and in fact this inter-
national council will be the most re-
markable gathering Of Congregational
ISIS that has ever been convened in the
history of the church. not excluding,
even the Westminster assembly of d.
vines. Every state in the union Will
nave representatives as will also Eng
land, Scotland, Ireland. Wales. Canada
ana the north British possessions, Au-
stralia, Japan, Hawaii Africa India
China, Turkey, Micronesia and Mexico,
The work Of the international council
Is not at all legislative; it is purely
helpful advisory and suggestive. IN
dependence is the fundamental princi-
pie of the government Of the Congrega-
tional church, each church being its own
governing power, so that in this respect
the international council does not in the
least resemble the general assembly of
the Presbyterians Congregationalism.
1t is said, is true republicanism. Each
Congregational church and society
elects its own officers, owns it own
house and property, judges of the quail
ftcations of its own members, allows to
each member an equal vote and has no
superior. The international council will
suggest and recommend certain mea-
sures, but the acceptance of these lies
entirely with the individual church
Congregationalists differ from Pres
byterians principally in church govern
d, &C. 60 -,
tism and church communion, from
Methodists both in doctrine and in
church government and from Episco-
palians in ceremonies of worship and in
church government.
The history of Congregationalism in
America is almost one with that of the
country itself. 1t commenced with the
landing of the Pilgrims in Plymouth in
1920, and its most recent landmark is
that of the we'll appointed Congrega-
tlonal house on Beacon street. The colo
nists of Massachusetts Bay, founded by
Winthrop, Endicott and their followers
in 162S-30, adopted the congregational
ism of Plymouth Their earliest church
was at Salem, organized Aug. 6, 1929, the
Plymouth church being represented and
extending its greetings. From the first
settlements until the end of the century
the development of Congregationalism
was along two principal lines, those of
territorial expansion and of theological
belief The western movement of the
population carried Congregationalism
west, The record of Congregationalism
IN the nineteenth century has been one
of more rapid and diversified progress.
Theological differences were also ac-
lively at work. and reached their climax
In what is known as the Unitarian con-
troversy, and the two wings separated.
There could be but one result and DIM
culties in the settlement Of ministers
began to occur The selection of the
Rev. Henry Ware as Hollis professor of
divinity at Harvard in 1905 provoked
crisis. The outcome was the secession
Of thirty-nine churches to the Unfair
ians and the division of nearly lOo
others. ~
The total church membership of The the
thirty-two Boston churches Jan: l. 1879
was il ,2S5; Sunday school membership
1927. 4os o,Iar.od
200 each for Great Britain AiIle I..a
ard the colonies-were filled out, there
would be 600 persons present ne lep
,.aesntation will nearly reach that num-
The American delegation is chosen by
.+ataa and is proportional to the num-
80. ~ resident Congregationalists.
fremont Temple has been engaged
Gov the nine days during when the
co,,ncil will be in session. Sessions VIII
he held morning, afternoon and even
10 An admirable program mas peen
. hanged The subjects are drawn
' ar ans broad and fundamental lines
u Vii the matters peculiarly germane
w y, 20 rgrepationalism its policy ana
o,.eio,1 will be given due consldera-
10 Great questions touching the
snIat;on of Christianity to the Wori9
lGi'1' he kent well to the front. Snoulu
~ canacitv of fremont Tempie pe
o oir overflow meetings VIII De
,.aS5 IN the Park Street church. here
is tbe program for this week
" WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 20.
,etarnoon- Reorganization address OF
z,ao,,e in behalf of the committee Oh
W We, :, aenoents by Samuel Billings Ca
Nan NJ A., chairman; ron eau, his
pen, ~ Addresses of welcome; ms
F1NTli,p The governor of the COM
eNceileIfb Roger Wolcott, LII D.; MS
iho,l% The mayor Of the city OF bos-
hoiioI Tosiah Quincy; presidents ADDRESS
I g. ,, So Burriil Angell Ii. D., presluent
J va ti,o University Of Michigan Ann
Arbor, Mich, j,
THURSDAY. SEPT. 2l.
on Fundamental principles
:. rtnaniosv." George Harris D. y, -
d. presidenteect Of Amhe af the eo'ie cd
Amherst Mass, "Messsge !, 81 c, imv
Testament for today" Franz Ghani pro
lain Porter, D. D., Pm. ", W WA VIZ mi
fessor OF biblical theVI1s'
vefslty, IN "The historical method IN
Af ,er,,% George Park Fisher, D, D.
theol0ES Tt,tus street professor OF eccie-