Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-21
COUNCIL IS OPENED
Protestant Missionary Workers in
Session at New York.
EI-PRESIDENT HARRISON PRESIlES
He Delivers an Address on the Trend
of the Times.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES


| rison, to bid them welcome. there are gath
cred today in Carnegie Hall more than 2,00O
missionaries from almost every quarter of
the globe. For ten years preparations have
been under way for this meeting, known as
the ecumenical conference on foreign mis-
Sions.
1t is the third of it's kind ever held. Every
branch of the Christian Church is repre-
sented except the Roman Catholic, the
Green and that branch of the Anglican
| Church known as the Society for the Prop
agation of the Gospel.
The great hall completely filled when
| exPresdent Harrison began his address of
welcome. On the platform were many
clergymen and statesmen of world fame.
Seated with the great body of the delegates
were many workers from foreign lands,
whose bright costumes added a dash of
color to the scene
| Ex-Presdent Harrison was given a great
reception.
| EN-President HnrrisOn's Address.
Mr.. Harrison said in part:
Il count it great honor, a call to pre-
side over the deliberations of this great
body. 1t is to associate ones self with the
most influential and enduring work that Is
| being done in this day of great enterprises.
| My assignment is to the chair-not to
| the speakers desk. The careful and COM
prehenSive program that has been prepared
| for the convention will in its orderly de-
| VelOpment bring before you the whole sub
ject of foreign missions in all it's aspects.
| Gentlemen whose learning and special ex-
| periences will give not only interest. but
| authority to their addresses will discuss
| assigned topics.
We shall have the arithmetic of mis-
siOns, the muster roll, the book increase.
| the paymasterS accounts, some will need
| these We shall have before us some vete-
| rams from the mission outDOsts-men and
| women who have exhibited in their work
| an unsurpassed steadfastness and heroism,
| whose courage has been subjected to the
| strain of time. They have been beea guered; !;
| they have known the WEAKNESS of those
| who look for succor From them shall
| hear what the Gospel has done for tribes
| and lands: and, best of all, what it has
| done for the individual man and woman.
| These reports will be consolidated reports
| of the whole mission work of all the de-
| tachments of the evangelical Protestant
| army.
THE gigantic engines that are driving
| forward a material development being
| speeded as never before. The din of the
| hammer and the ak, and the hum of wheels
| have penetrated the abodes of solitude-the
| world has now few quiet places. Life is
| strenuOus-the boy Is started in his school
| upon the run, and the pace is not often
| slackened until the painting man falls into
| his grave.
| at is to a generation thus intent-to a
| generation that has wrought wondrously
| in the realms of applied science-that God
| in His Word and by the preacher, says:
| All these worthy only, and in propor-
! ton. as they contribute to the regenerat ion
of mankind Every invention, every work.
! every man, every nation. must day
| come to this weighing platform and be ap-
| praised.
But with the increase of commerce and
| wealth the stress of social difficulties is not
| relieved, but increases in all of the great
| nations. The tendency is not to the broth
| erhood. but to many. Work for the willing
| at wage that will save the spirit as well
| as the body Is a problem of increasing tan
gle and intricacy. Competition forces eco
| nomicaf devices and names wages that are
| In some instances, insufficient to renew the
strength expended. 1t suggests, if it does
| not compel, aggregations of capital, and
| these in turn present many threatening
| aspects. Agencies of mans devisng may
| alleviate, but they cannot cure this ten
| dency TO division and strife and substitute
| a drift to peace and unity. Christ in the
| heart and His Gospel of love and ministry
| in all the activities of life is the only cure
Highest Conception of Man.
| THE highest conception that has ever
entered the mind of man is that of God
and the Father of all men-the one blood
| the universal brotherhood. 1t was not
| evolved, but revealed. The natural man
| lives to be ministered unto-he lays his i'm
| they may fan him asleep, bring him the
| jeweled cup dance before him and die in
| the arena for his sport. Into such world
| there came a King, not to be ministered
unto, but to minister The rough winds
| famed His sleep; He drank of the noun
| tain brook. and made not the water wine
for Himself; would not use His power to
stay His own hunger, but had compassion
| on the multitude He called them He had
| bought with great price no more servants
but friends. He entered the bloody arena
| alone, and dying, broke all chains and
| brought life and immortality to light
| Here is the perfect altruism; here the
true appraisal of men,. Ornaments of gold
| and gems silken robes, houses lands
stocks and bonds-there are tare when men
are weighed. Where else is there scale
so true? Where brotherhood so wide
and perfect? Labor is made noble-the
| King credits the smallest service. His val
| ues are relative. He takes account of the
per cent when tribute Is brought into His
| treasury. No coin of love is base or small
| TO Him. The widows mite He sets in His
crown. Life is sweetened: the poor man
becomes of account. Where else is found
philosophy of life sweet and adapt
able-a philosophy of death so comforting? E?
THE men who, like Paul have gone to
heather lands with the message we seek
not yours but you have been hindered by
those who coming after have reversed the
message. Rum and other corruptng agen-
cies come In with our boasted civilization.
and the feeble races wither before the hot
breath of the white mans Vices.
Curse of the Rum Traffic.
1.-The great nations have combined to sup
press the slave trade. Is it too much to
ask that they shall combine to prevent the
sale of spirits to men who, less than our
children. have acquired the habits of self
restraint? If We must have consumers
let us give them an innocent diet.
| The enemies of foreign missions have
| spoken tauntingly Of the slowness Of the
work and of its great and disproportionate
cost, and we have too exclusively con-
| soled ourselves and answered the criti-
cism by the suggestion that with God a
thousand years is one day. We should
not lose sight Of the other side Of that
| truth-one day with Him is as a thousan
years. God has not set uniform pace for
| Himself in the work of bringing in the
| kingdom of His Son. He will hasten II in
His day. The stride of His church shall
be so quickened that commerce will be the
laggard. Love shall outrun greed. He ex-
/ acts faith. He will not answer the demand
. | to show a course of stone in His great
cathedral for every thousand dollars given
But 1t may be justly asked that the admin
istrators of our mission treasures justify
| their accounts: that they use a business
: wisdom and economy; that there is no
waste; that the workmen do not hinder
,~tA