The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-18
FIRST HE SCOLDS:,
THEN SUPPORTS
The Orthodox Congregaliona|ist and
His Missions,
THE WEEK OF PRAY r.
After Several Years Protest an
Innovation Is Madc-Topics
for t h c Days An
nounced.
Written for The Times.l


NEW YORK, November 17.-Tia ortho-
dox Congregationaiist first scolds his
MISSIONARY suclel-es. ana then supports
them. The six societies handle nearly 81
Aa,,nun yearly, ana there are marry SIX
hundred thousand Congregational ssYefs'
hence there are a good many people to flnd
fault, and VIDE interest is taken in any
radical changes proposed. TAX OF uni
forming or consolidating these societies
IS always in order. Just now
there is a good deal Of il.
Some tI,irk there was never 50 much
But thirty years ago, on the first OF tne!r
recurring national councils, Congregations
al-sts made committee 10 CONSIDER ana
report upon bringing these societies t0getn-
er Nothing was done, however, until q
suggestion vas made to Tolerate, and thus
avoid complications Of orsansc union. out
OF t.!is federation idea grew the Committee
Of Fifteen representing the churches and
societes. 1t did admirable work toward III
creas-ng the contributions from the
churches. bur before it got to its second
task of fedora ting administrative details
the society executives named 4, Committee
Of Nine. which tlas practically taken the
matter out of the first committee.
This sec Ild committee has but one
member Who IS a pastor, and but one from
the four thousand churches west OF me
Hudson river. So some say 1t IS not larry
representative Of the churches and OF the
ministry TINS committee proposes a rad
it-al reorganization Of the six societies. by
changes III their charters, constitutions,
membership. working officers and Their
method OF administration. Its propositions
excite discuss on. but the denonlinatiolal
periodicals refrain from committing them
selves. The churches, on the contrary, are
expressing with nluch emphasis Their
VARYING views One clement en-
another
thinks it does not go far enough,
and a third, which is making it
self heard With some vigor, believes the
societies should be kept substantially as
they are, although it thinks there ID eht
be, as an experiment perhaps. one annual lt
meeting and one missionary perlou!cal /
This last element holds that the societ Is
IN their varied forms stand 1or the IN
,I;,-;Gual life III the churches.
THE CONSERVATIVES.
II Is row said 10 be extremely doubtful
whether the large conservative clement i!
the CONGREGATIONAL churches IS fett4iy II
favor OF a project TO amend socetS con-
stifutions by introduc nG al afosttaGs
limit ii he terms Of service Of the ENe2-
80 l.o1,3rnitleenlen Although this has
l,ear, a6o,ted in two Of the larger socie-
tae and received q favorable preliminary
ycta in the Third, il is declared not %
Rave. worked Well The motion 10 ADOPT
in the American VI Visionary Association
meeting iast heti in Springfield was ii1d
IN the table The Influential! cons.defa ton
:, its favor just now seems . DC, the
S,,.,,,oseji ,a,,,oose OF those committees to
fake sron ;t1e societies tle. election OF a.
heir working officers The committees are
known canscientiously 10 be!leNe LIZ .iiss
cal, select these officers more WtsetS tttsal
can be done by general and open vote Vi
the societies. As 20 the attitude 81 lhs au-
fnirl;strat We officers hitherto e'ected y
the societies themselves. some faNot US
,t,.s4,sfer, 70 committees of 5!le!r appoint
me,1t: others do not The former prefer ., %
he responsible to only a small select BOO
Of men, with wn,on they are personals
familiar and who are closely cosn zaht
, vita their work. The latter feel Ihat u1ss
should represent directly tnelr F t.tiist > :
constituency IN the churches. II seems, ~
them. It is sad. unWise to take away
from the churches t:1e power TO appoint
and dismiss all the active ofhcers "ao
should be held Immediately reslsonSi5ts y
those who really create anu support ss.e
mission work.
Another important change proposed is
that oe taking from the iidiE.du;si s'ct .s
ties the entire charge Of the "orh % 90; go
iiciiinr and collecting funds and piac1is
Il i,,EfI,e },a IldS Of a central committee Of
nina chosen BY and from the executive
conu,;rt.,es of the societies This conf
u,.ttee is to act for all societies ana also
to constitute a COMPULSORY .,om''iftss .
arbitration on all unsettled differences pc
| sween the societies about their work and
about their fields. their decision benz
final and bind. ng. appa-ently v . fi1out re.
ference TO the societies At tnssr annual
meetings This seheme is criticised on
f17a Ground that questions ar sing between
SOCIETIES should be aro:tra ted by persons
not Officially connected with the societies.
n..ti thai those persons should be chosen
lo: "a +, as1esTian l., ts,e l1ssla va y la
is sa..sas 10 be needed : more 1rnoart'as
judgment than is likely 10 be secured
from members of the very executive COM