The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-18
P~RESBYTERIANS SPEAK
ADDRESSES AT THE TWENTIETH
CENTURY CELEBRATION.
Rev. DIR. McCook Says President Nc
kfnley Believes i'm PredestinatiOn
Other Church Meetings.

aaS been Tor years the custom or the Pres
byterian General Assembly TO begin the
real business sessions of the meeting on the
Friday following the opening day. an innov-
alton was introduced this year in the form
of a twentieth century celebration in the
Academy of Music to-day. To-day was de-
voted - .usively TO a proper observance of
the occasion. and prominent ministers and
laymen from all sections of the country
participated in the exercises incident 10
the celebration.
John H. Converse, Ii. d., of this city.
presided at the morning meeting. Addresses
were made by Rev. DIR. Willis Craig, D.. d..
LII. D., of Chicago, who presented a review
of the nineteenth century, and Rev. Henry
c. McCook. ID. D., S. D., of this city. on
Progress of the Presbyterian Church in
the Nineteenth Century,"
During the course of his remarks DR..
Craig said the worldwide problem of uni
versal evangelization could only be solved
when nations were brought into contact
with each other. I'VE must annihilate dis
tance. he said; I'VE must subjugate nature
and come face to face with the people
whom We expect to convert"
Rev. DR.. McCook's address was principal
~ a history of the Presbyterian Church.
lr speaking of the doctrine of predestina-
ton he referred touchingly to Mrs. Mckin-
ley. He stated that President Mckinley,
on meeting a member of the revision conf
mlttee, remarked to the latter:
SO you are going to change your Con-
fession OF Faith?" To which the committee
man replied:
I'VE are going to consider the question. I"
Nv ell responded the President, Il hope
you won't revise out of 1T the doctrine OF
p~redestination."
Let us hope" said DR.. Clark, las the
PRESIDENT sits beside the noble woman
whom he welded in a Buckeye Presbyterian
Church, this goodly doctrine may be a COM
fort to him, whatever may be the issue,
and he may say with resignation, Not my
will but Thine be done"
The speakers at the afternoon session
were the newly-elected moderator. Rev. DIR.
II. c. Minton; Rev. DR.. George T. Purves,
of New York. and Robert E. Speer, of New
York city. DIR. Minton spoke on 1.-The Di-
vine Purpose Developed in the Progress of
Time" and said in part: The page of the
past is but a transcript of one progressive
be clear that the history of man can be
known at all only in so far as IT is the
outworking of an Ineligible idea. The
reformed churches have compared revealed
truth with the wisest thought of the hui
man mind, testifying IN harmony that the
only key which will fit the problems of
world history is the single truth that God
rules"
The address of DR.. Purves, on 1.-The Prob
lens of the Twentieth Century, was an in
telligent presentation of the conditions now
confronting the Christian church, with
practicable suggestions as to their solution.
Among other things DR.. Purves said: ANY
assault on the fundamental conception of
mans relation to God is the most danger
the Churstian church must deal. The
problem lies in the relation of re-
lglon TO the intellectually of
man. We want religion that will
man mind. The solution of this problem is
the definition and defense of the super
face the doubt of the twentieth century
with an affirmation of the transcendent,
supernatural, self-revealing God. The re-
lation of organized church to social progress
is another problem. How shall the organ
lied Christian church meet the social re-
quirements of the day? We must appeal
to mems hearts and conscience and we
must save the individual morally"
DIR. Purves said he believed this end
could be more quickly reached by the CO.
operation of the different branches of the
Christian church, which for various reasons
are now separated.
Mr.. Speer's topic was 1.-The Speedy Bring
ing of the World to Christ" He urged
earnest effort in evangelization. which he
said was the only way in which the world
could be brought to know the Creator.
John Wanamaker occupied the chair at
t%o-nights session. The principal speaker
was Rev. Samuel j. Nicolls, D.. D., Ii. D.,
of st. Louis. who delivered an address on
1.-The Opportunity and Duty of the Pres
byterian Church in the Twentieth Century"
II. vi. ~ iSOIs " HI I
chairman of the notwithstanding fund
committee, read the report of the COM
mittee, which told in detail the methods
adopted to raise money for the church.
fund. presented a supplementary report.
showing receipts up to noon to-day, as
follows: For boards of the church. s106. 030;
for colleges and academies, 1890, GAP: for
theological sem.naries. $40, 767; for hospi-
tails. So .65S; for Young Mems Christian As
ISOLATION, S117, 464; miscellaneous, $4,000; for
local debts on churches, $1,0S1 ,654; for i'm
provements in local churches and building
new churches. Sl,531 ,913. Total, 1887, 031.
This amount has been contributed by one
thousand Of the 1900 Presbyterian churches
in the country.
DR.. Roberts stated that he had to-day re-
ceived Information that in st. Louis SUBJ
scriptions amounting to $4,000 had been
received and had not been included in the
report. He was also informed, he said.
that one-half of the amount required to
remove the mortgage on the Presbyterian
building in New York had been raised.
This was not included in his report.
The report of the ommitte on creed re-
vision will be laid before the commission
the subject will be discussed by the assem-
bly, before the middle of next week. Sur
prise was manifested tonight when il was
learned that a minority report will be pre-
sented. The minority report agrees in all
its conclusions except Clause B., which
recommends that the revision committee be
instructed to prepare a brief summary
OF the reformed faith bearing the same
relation to the confession which the shorter
Catechism bears TO the larger Catechism.
The minority believe that this recommen-
dation is not identical with what many
of the presbyteries requested in their
answers to the committees inquiries, and
that it erects an additional standard of
orthodoxy with the shorter Catechism. The
report is signed by Il. w. c. Humphrey
and William McKibbin.