Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09
! N THE CHU ES

N 7 H E CHU RCHE IS
| Notwithstanding the fact that at the re-
| cent meeting in this city of the committee
Tor the revision of the creed of the Pres
| pyteran Church, Rev. DR.. Roberts, secre-
| tary of the same, declined to say whether
| or not minority report on the subject will
be presented at the next meeting Of the
general assembly In May, 1t is now known
that Rev. DR.. Merrick Johnson of Chicago
Will submit to the body a separate state
| ment. 1t will be that 1.-The confession does
not correctly or adequately represent the
faith of the Presbyterian Church of today.
| Neither in point of view nor proportion, nor
| IN all its statements, nor in its omissions is
1t the creed we would write If we were for
mulating one. The blessed work of the
HOLY Spirit is only partially stated and the
Worldwide mission of the church is not
stated at all in this document. The form
OF the new creed is not an unimportant item
but 1t must be treated in few sentences.
First. 1t should be positive. Our theol-
| ogy is vertebral and our creed must be. We
believe something, and believe it with all
| our heart. We ought to state it with the
emphasis of clear conviction.
second. 1t should be concrete, not alb
stract; philosophical, not a philosophy:
scientific in spirit and method with out
teaching science, and, of course, theological
| In substance and expression, and at the
same time devoid of technicality.
Third. 1t should not be ironic. We are
| a Protestant church as distinguished from
Roman Catholic. We are evangelical and
we hold the Reformed faith. Our creed to
be true-and may we never profess false
one-must declare our testimony to these
doctrines. But our creed can state these
doctrines in terms of love and peace. 1t
should be an olive branch and not sword
a sanctuary of the truth to which we invite
hriSt 10, b,.at
which attack them.
Fourth. 1t should be long enough to
comprehend the system of doctrine taught
| in the Holy Scriptures but short enough to
be convenient for use. Fewness of words
and simplicity of expression are most de-
sirable.'
An appeal has been made to the mem
bers of the Baltimore conference NJ E.
Church, which comprises all the churches
of the denomination in the District of Co.
lumbia, asking for aid in raising a con-
siderable quantity Of money for church
purposes
1t is stated that for the year closing last
october the Baltimore conference was
asked for $1,000, and was to receive $1,000
The conference raised s., 500 and was en-
titled to $432. Since that time $40 has been
granted to the Bohemian Church, Balti-
more There are now on file, granted,
$500 Of donations.
1t Is further stated that sixteen great
spring conferences are in the east, aside
from the colored and foreign populations.
lhese conferences were asked to raise for
missions $535, 75O, and did actually raise
$43o. 929, or over II per cent. The same
conferences were asked to raise for church
extension 9SSO0, which was less than their
proper share. The deficit in the missionary
collections from the Baltimore conference
for 1900 was $1,7s3. and the deficit in the
church extension collection from the Balti-
more conference was $3.474.
The home department, the latest tnnoya-
ton in Sunday school work, is believed to
be the greatest modern movement in that
line. 1t is not the school in the home
church, as some have supposed, but Is a
department composed of persons who do
not attend the Sunday school, but who
agree to study the lessons individually and
privately at their several homes,
In the initial organization the pastor or
the Sunday school superintendent may Sc
cure the names, or the work may be COM
mitted to some competent person, which,
In this case, may mean any faithful per-
son of ordinary intelligence who will make
a diligent canvass and make a list of the
names and addresses Of those who do not
attend the Sunday school, but are willing
to give little time to the study Of the
lesson at home.
Then, 1t is suggested, the number might
be subdivided, say into tens, and q visitor
appointed for each subdivision. The duty
Of the visitor Is to take to the members
the quarterly lessons and leave an envelope
for the members offerings. Toward the
end of the quarter the visitor takes the
literature for the new quarter, receives the
old envelope with It's contents and leaves a
new one for further contributions.
The home department is to be connected
with the Sunday school. The contributions
more than cover the cost Of the literature.
1t Is asserted by those posted on the SUBJ
ject that the home department pays finan-
cially and every other way.
The last report of Sibley Memorial Hos
pital, the training school for nurse deacon
esses in this city, which, while under the
fostering care Of the woman's home mis-
sionary, is entirely undenominational in its
work. shows that during the past three
months persons Of many different nationali-
ties have been cared for. These comprised
pa, 95 Of whom were free patients. The
District nurses made 334 visits to the sick
poor in their homes, furnishing dressings
when required and in many cases also food,
and loaning from the supply closet clean
bedding. This institution receives no aid
whatever from the government.
Within the next three weeks the Amer
lean Baptist Home Mission Society, accord
ing to Information received by members Of
the Baptist churches here. needs $50 600
In order to meet its obligations for the year
ending April 1, 1901. The year began with
an Indebtedness of $50, 200. The executive
board has striven to prevent the accumu-
lation Of such an indebtedness. 1t has de-
clined urgent appeals for larger appropria-
lions to many mission fields. In several of
these fields it has made reductions. In
others, as in Cuba and Porto Rico some in
crease was necessary, the appeal states, as
Its radical and sweeping reductions were
impossible without most disastrous results
The program for the great ecumenical
conference to be held in London Septem-
Der to II next. so far as the part as
signed to the United States is concerned,
has been completed OF the committee hav-
ing this matter in charge Bishop Hurst Is
chairman. Others who are well known In
Washington and who are connected with
African NJ. E. Church, Bishop Galloway of
the M. E. Church South, Rev. F. T. Tagg
of the Methodist Protestant Church and
Rev. DR.. E. L. Hubbard, resident Of this
city.
Why the Boiler Bursts.
From the Chicago Chronicle.