The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-10-06
Genesee Association of Congregations
Churches.

Churches.
The semi.annual meeting of the Genesee AS
ISOLATION of gregational Churches and Min
listers convened at the Copgre gational church.
Bancroft at two o'clock on Tuesday, Oct 3.
The meeting was called to order by the regis
trar Rev. T. ii. Warner, of Perry The roll was
taken showing thirteen churches represented
and twenty-six delegates and pastors present.
Rev. p. Schermerhorn was elected moderator
and Miss Hannah Dewey, SCRIBE anda business
session followed.s
The regular program of the afternoon began
with paper on as the consolidation of our
Home Benevolent Sc cieties desirablef' by Rev.
TIL Warner Rev. Warner expressed himself
as favorable to consolidation because OF the
benefit to local churches. He thought that there
should be committee In every state and asso-
citation which should have the duty of appor-
tioning the amount to be given by each associa-
ton and the committee of the association should
apportion that amount among the various
churches 1t would also allow the meetings Of
all the various societies to be held at the same
time, a day being devoted to each. Adiscussion
followed which brought out the idea OF the need
of consolidation in the local churches
Rev. Arthur Metcalf, in speaking OF the mid
week prayer meeting. suggested the study OF
some book of the Bible at each meeting. DR.
Martin suggested that it should be above all
prayer service Following this was a devotion
al hour led by Rev. w. d. Ebert.
The last paper of the afternoon was by DR..
Butler, of Alma, on IA christianity for the
times Dr. Butler showed the decrease in the
number OF churches and the steady decrease in
the number of those who were uniting with the
churches. He said we must have more of God
In us or we would never be able to evangelize
the world. In the discussion which followed
every one took the view that the Christ spirit
in the world is increasing and that the world is
seeing the promise of God, that Gan things
which offend shall be put under His feet" full
filed
The evening session opened with devotional
exercises A sermon was preached by Rev. A.
Binkborst, of st. Johns. His subject being
sour higher needs" He compared our need of
God to the need the Jews felt for the wells of
their country. He said that even Christ felt the
need of these spiritual wes-In mis- temptation
he trusted God and used one OF the wells of God
when he quoted the passage Man shall not live
by bread alone but by every word that proceed
eth out of the mouth of God" We should learn
to appreciate our daily blessings and seek to
know God more and more in his richness and
munion supper was administered by DR. Martin
and Rev Schermerhorn.
wednesday morning the first paper by Rev. |
F. A. Stephens was "A minister's reading" |
He placed the Bible first and as most essential |
but at the same time he thought the minister |
should read any books and papers at his COM
mand which would make him better able TO
meet the needs of all In the discussion some
one said he should read for, LIST. facts; end to
stimulate thoughts and srd, for style.
DIR. Warren then addressed the meeting on
"Home missions" His very enthusiasm for
his subject would have held our attention had
we not been interested in what he said. He
said that feeding the hungry or planting sun
dav Schools was not home missionary work but
the planting OF churches in communities where
the people did not have our beautiful and glor-
ious gospel.
After n devotional hour. "The ideal trustee
was discussed by H. Fl. High of Ovid. He said
that on board of trustees some members
should be men who are not processing christians
as they wou5 be drawn by this work. He said
the ideal trustee should be a man who was tact
full and had good deal OF business ability in
order to deal successfully with all men.
wednesday afternoon there was brief re-
port of some of the striking features OF the In
ternational Council at Boston by Rev. Arthur
Metcalf The four subjects most discussed
we're theology education sociology and inter
national fellowship. He mentioned DR.. Fair |
BARN as one OF the greatest of the speakers
spoke OF the idea which one received OF the
greatness of the work for education which Con
gregationaism had done. In the discussion
some one said that II was the greatest meeting
ever held among Congregational churches in
that It stood for truth and life in their fullest
sers sc.
Rev. Ewing then gave us an outline of the his
torical settings of the old and new testaments
and something of the work of the Congregation
al Sunday School and Publishing Society. He
told of the wonderful work in Alaska.
After q devotional hour the last, and to many
If not all, the finest paper of the meeting was
read by Rev. G. H. Hanks. His subject was
"Are Sheldon's social ideas practicaY' He
said the world was to be transformed by a reve-
latiou OF God. We have the supreme reyela-
ton in Jesus-of God to us. We should live
as Jesus, our revelation, would have us live
God is q being In relations and all organizations
of christian character must be founded on re.
Fatherhood of God, and the
Brotherhood OF man. Sheldon attempts to
know men In order to see their needs. The
sum of his social ideas is the Lordship of Jesus