The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-09
WANT II run ON
BUSINESS Plan
Congregstionalists Propose Radical
Change in Church Work.
BLESSINGS OF TRINITY COLLEGE.
so,epdtd Array OF speakers Has Been
secured for the Convention Of .
the Brotherhood of ST.
Andrew in This CITY.

(written for The Times,

NEW YORK September S.-About as.
radical thing as has ever been projected
into American Congregationalisn is Row
talked OF In connection with the reorgani-s
cation Of beneEoiet board methods OF that
religious body. 1t is not the ministers.
but some prominent business men who are
proposing II, and IN doing o Trey are M n
tioniylg names OF persons, also iaEmen,
whom they say ought 10 be selected 10 put
DIT into effect Their suggestion is a
national board of controi--a name has not
Vet been given it-ihat shall be above all
Of the six Congregational society eXecu-
tiyes, ana decide the large affairs of ali OF
chem 1t is proposed by these business
men that the National Council. meeting
next year, IraIne some members OF thls
new board. and the societies be ASKED 10
name the rest For chairman of this board
there IS proposed a president, VINO sflala
be salaried, and who will give ms entie
time and abilities to administrative mat
ters Of large import.
The reason for this radical suggestion Is
the widespread dissatisfaction existing IN
Congregational churches. especially IN the
West with administrative methods OF the
benevolent societies. Propositions have
been made to reduce the number OF these
societies from six 10 three, to have one
treasurer for all, and TO cut down the
number OF secretaries, and, while perhaps,
not actually decreasing expenses, TO
1 1OcTSA&e EIGallS LIZ IGsu!tS llCIiich. ~
Is Learned that the woman are going TO
take hand in this reorganization bust
ness. One st. Louis woman OF large
influence in the womans' board Is writing
letters to associates favoTing decisive
action ant the approaching meeting OF the
American Beard in the city named. Other
western women are responding, and among
them reorganization is much discussed.
TO BE AT THE HELEN.
Several names are mentioned in connec-
ton with presidency of this proposed new
board. The one most favored is that of
T. c.. Macmillan, who is Clerk Of the
United States District Court, Chicago. He
DIS one of the growing men in the denomi
nation, president of the Chicago Consre-
gational Club, and SO interested in reliS-
ious matters that when political honors
We're mentioned 10 him recently he stated
that he wished to throw his influence. much
or little, into religious rather than politi-
cal conditions Other names spoken Of
are those Of Charles A Hull, BROOKLYN;
Hon. Thomas ]. Weston. Boston. Presi-s
dent Tucker. of Dartmouth College, and
president Capen- Of the American Board
The aim of the projectors OF the plan Is
to secure a iayman of so high character
and such business Acquaintance and alb lily
as win place him al the Very start in
unquestdoned control Of affairs.
There is no intention to do away with
the executives. OF the several societies, nor
to change existing organizations further
than to aI1lalgamate according to best
modern methods 1t is thought that the
present executives. meting once month
as now, will attend to the detailed con-
troll, within the limits prescribed by' the
superior body. The latter meeting twice
year, via deal with the larger affairs Of
an societies, such, Tor instance, as the
Indication OF fields wherein different
boards shall and shall not labor. Alaska
rs a case in point Three Congregational
societies are labori1g there, all appealing
to the same churches for financial support,
and all doing IN the territory named pre-
cisAy the same work. Somebody is
wanted, it is held, with power and prestige
sufficient to Indicate which society shall
do all Alaska work an which shall retire
Similar conditions obtain in fields in
Southern States, and it is aimed that sim
liar remedies are needed. Decisions are
also wanted about special appeals. The
two great objects just now are China and
home misSionS-the former because OF
recent losses. and the latter because the
Home Mission Society is to celebrate its
sepenty-fifth anniversary. II is held that
these should de given the preference now
and others keep out. But who shall make
others keep out?
THE PRESENT SYSTEM
There is now q Congregational COM
mittee of Fifteen; named by the National
Council and the six societies, to stimu-
late contributions from the churches, and
TO See how the efficiency of the societies
may be promoted. Before this committee
had time to do anything about the second
part of Its task, the societies named a
committee OF nine to take up the matter.
This Nine Committee meets next Thurs
day in Hartford. Members of this COM
mittee deny that there is friction, but 1t
is known that members of the Fifteen
Committee have written TO them and to the
at stir c-a 70
have told them they. the Nine, must show
some progress in return for the time al
lowed. The existence of the two COM
mi1tees has led TO no end OF talk among
leaders. and now Inc matter has gotten
into the women's societies. as has been
mentioned. Some criticism of the new
Board OF Control. or whatever it is TO be
called, that it is not according to Con-
Eregadonal traditions. has been rather
sharply met by the statement that the
societies themselves are not consrega-
donal. but close corporations which exist
merely because C.cngreSationalists make
sisa OF the n. Discussion Increases, and
xhe impression grows that radical changes
NG1u come out OF It.
Cardinal Steinhuper was reported this
hast week to have just been confirmed
- Perfect or president OF the Sacred
Congregation Of the Index. As a matter of
TACT he was confirmed more than a year
QEo. and MS !9a3fle appears as 9fetcct IN
ths Official Vatican publications of last
January.s date. OF about equal accuracy
s. the accompanying statement that the
Cardinal will make radical changes in
ohe class OF music sung In Catholic churches
n America Al any rate, that is what
saadinE organists and choir-masters in
Catholic churches say. Such statement
e. made with q frseue1lcy that is almost
painfully regular. and ii comes to nonght
The fact Is that most music sungtn Cath
Ole chtnches where the alleged objection
ab1e a4rs could be rendered, Is by Gonnod-
Beethoven. Mozart. and the rest. against
whom there can. and has been, no -ob-
lection.
Z Cardinal steinhnber is, by the way. the
only Jesuit IN the College OF Cardinals at
this time. and he belongs to the lowest
order. that of Deacon.
TRINITY COLLEGE,
Cardinal Gibbons has fixed upon NoveIn-
her 9Th. next. as the date OF the ceremony
OF blessing the one new building OF Trini-
" CoiicEe that viii be completed by that
.