The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-04-26
The Ecumenical.

i Roman Catholic Church. Again, the
Methodists held an Ecumenica1 Con
ference at London. These Councils or
Conferences were purely denomina-
tiona1. Their transactions, however
important or religious, did not pertain
to ali the acknowledgements. A con-
ference ecumenica1 in name was held
in London in 1878, but only a few
European and American delegates
were present Another was held in
1888, missionary in character, when
sixteen hundred members were en-
rolled. Today the city of New York
mas witnessed the entrance into it, of
many men, possibly two thousand in
all, socially, intellectually and re1ig-
iously great, whose residences and
fields of labor are in all parts Of the
babitab1e world, who are citizens of
nearly every country on the globe,
representing all Protestant denomina-
tions, and whose mission is to ''go into
all the world to preach the Gospel to
every creature A Council more
truly ecumenica1 was probably never
convened since history began.
The place of assembly is Carnegie
Hall. Ex-President Benjamin Har-
rison will preside. President Nc
kinney will occupy the platform, with
DR.. Angel of Michigan, Ex-President
Cleveland, Admiral Philip, President
Schurman and Justice Brewer. But
greater than these will be in attend
ance at the Council workers from
mission fields in Africa, China, Japan
India, Oceanica-tnen and women who
have given years to the service, like
DIR. GraceS RIG hards, of Vassar, who
was heroine in the Turkish Empire
when the Armenian massacre was on,
and like John G. Patton, of New
Hebrides, who has been in peri1s great
as those that assaulted Paul, the famous
missionary apostle.
The discussions thai will interest
and animate that distinguished Coun-
eli cannot be narrow or sectarian, but
will assume a world wide significance,
for the persons who will take part,
like Dr. Livingston, are discoveries,
explorers natara1ists, ethno1ogists,
1iupuists, scholars who have invented
written languages for barbarians,
and translated books educational, bio
graphical, social, religious, into the
dialects of savages; they have made
the moral conduct of mu1titudes
created religious thought, touched old
and inspired new social customs and
usages; they have established schools
and instituted colleges, and they effect
the politics of tribes and nations, and
promote the commerce of the world
they also study disease, watch its
trend, build hospitals, and maintain
free dispensaries for the relief and
bodily healing OF suffering thousands
Higher Criticism and New Theology
are only side shows to those devoted
missionary toi1ers; they represent ap-
piled Christianity, the religion OF
Jesus on its simple, humane, and prac'
teal side. With such broad area from
which to gather inspiration and argu-
nlent, the waiting world may expect
not the ironing of the wrinkles OF
theories and theo1ogies so as to even
them on their superfcies, as at the
Worlds Parliament of Religions, but
practical suggestions on the importan nj
question, What can be- done to make
the world better and mankind hap
pier?
Each missionary society will Of
course carry all the characteristics an6
acknowledgements of the particular
Denomination from which it has beer
evolved, but all these sectarian ripple'
and ridges will be softened into chris
tian oneness and brotherliness. Tn
world has no brotherhood so SINGER
and who1e-sou1ed as that which
grows out of missionary service
Nations sometimes strike each other
home churches do not always agree
but the missionary societies of the De
nominations, three hundred and fit
In all, do not quarrel, cannot antagc
nize one another, for each is governe
by general law Oh CnI1slldh COUNTY
on parallel and intersecting fields ope1
atoms and operators never clash; OF
if an error should occur anywhere
would be recti6ed at once by the HON
society. The worlds missionary wor
is for Christ, not for a sect.
Perhaps the unse1fshness an
Christ1iness of the Protestant purpos
TO elevate and evange1ize the uncivi
lied and unsaved people of the ute
most parts of the earth is that whic
has promoted and secured its success
In 1872 one volunteer missionary, a
inconspicuous shoemaker; today tt
Protestant churches of Europe an