Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-17
pertaned to a meeting of citizens held two
years ago.
TODAY'S TASK THE lAYMAN'S
Elder. shoulder the Burden OF tho
Church and Pastors Labors Are
Lightened In These Times.

I'm times gone past the elders and other
laymen in the Presbyterian church kept in
| the background. The elders rode in a one
horse chaise drawn by the minister. Not
so today The burden is assumed by lay
men, and the overworked pastor is not al
lowed to assume all responsibility. This
change speaks well for the welfare OF the
church in the coming century. II is the
hope of the Twentieth Century movement,
which Presbyterians have launched said
Dr. Charles A. Dickey Of Philadelphia at the
mass meeting of Presbyterians last night
at the First Presbyterian church.
Dr. Dickey is moderator Of the general
assembly and one OF the most prominent
Presbyterians in the United states. With
the beginning OF the year he inauguIated
the Twentieth Century movement in New
York with great mass meeting In the
Fifth Avenue Presbyterian church January
2 he was in charge of a similar meeting in
Philadelphia and he Is now making tour
OF the principal cities Of the United States
for tho purpose Of encouraging Presbyterian
churches to avail themselves OF the op-
portunities offered by the new century.
Omaha Presbyterans were urged by DR.
Dickey TO rally TO the support of the Omaha
Theological seminary and Bellevue college
| He spoke briefly Of the good these institu-
! tions have already accomplished and en-
phasized the importance Of Christian edu-
cation. Wealth" he said, ''is under obli-
cations to the churches for the preservation
| OF law and order and should contribute
literally to the support of religious insti-
| tutions.
Confession of Faith No Disrupter.
"The Presbyterian church will never be
disrupted over any changes In the confes-
sion of faith" added DR.. Dickey. What
ever is done In this matter will be done by
united action. Presbyterians will always
| be as one in doctrine, purpose. power and
influence. They will live up to the great
| hope which God has set before them at the
beginning Of this century"
| He spoke feelingly of the great responsl-
bility Americans have in the race problem
| and urged the necessity of Christianizing
and educating the negroes, who have
| doubled in number since the war which
freed them. In spite of the killing Of Pres
byterian missionaries in China DIR. Dickey
said that the church has no desire for re-
taliation and will rebuild the missions
which have been destroyed.
The n Getting was the third of series of
meetings which have been held in the First
| Presbyterian church. All the meetings
were we'll attended, but the church was
particularly well filled last night on ac-
count OF the prominence of the chief
speaker.
George F.. Bidwell presided and made a
brief address, in which he reviewed the
growth OF the Presbyterian church during
the last century. In 1900 there were 1S3
ministers, 449 churches and 10000 commun-
cants. At present there are 7i67 ministers.
| 1850 churches and 1,007 ,639 communicates.
| Rev T. v. Moore, pastor of Westminster
Presbyterian church, addressed the meet
ing on tho desirability of synodical mission
work and recommended that the synod OF
Nebraska make a special effort to enlarge
its gifts to missions.
TO PREVENT THE GRIP
Laxative Bromo- Qunine removes the cause