The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-02


nj churches, yesterday morning AFTER
noon and evening in the Newman
church. East Providence. IL WAS ihs
reCuiar autumnal meeting and Rev. lr'
". c. McClelland presided as moderator
All visiting clergymen were seated as
honorary memebrs and upon motion OF
Rsv 7 ]. wooIley OF Pawtucket COM
rnittee was appointed and shortly aiter-
wards appropriate resolutions We're
adopted memorial OF the late president
Mckinley.
REV. g. a. Daniels. u. d. OF the Am
srirsn Board OF Foreign Missions deliv-
eyed the first address. His subject was
.sroreir, Missions" He referred 10 the
sioubt in the minds OF some OF the most
ssifhful workers as 10 the advisabihiy nf
carrying on missionary work IN nomliaI-
Nv Christian lands. but expressed " as
ats own opinion that the results that nad
spresented themselves ia such countries
as Mexico and Spain we'll repaid the
sacrifices that had been made
Rsv l. II Lyon spoke on the suoiect
rf "lIome Missionary Work In Rhode
,sjand' lie recountered the crcum-
stances OF establishment OF home ms
pionsry work in the different towns ot
she state. :,
a, the afternoon session. Rev. y. y.
sIou.e was the first speaker ana ne
rheme was THE Social Element IN
Church Life.
REV. MR.. KRoMs ADDRESS.
Rev. Asbury T. Krom, pastor of tbs
fsenehccnt Congregational church inns
~itv. next delivered an able address on
-schanges Essential In Church lhts u
Meet the Conditions of today lie sAio'
There is nothing so helpful 10
~reaker az the sympathy OF hearers HOW
ever much you may disagree with me az
Al the suggestions offered In this paper
am sure that you will concur with me
~vhen | say that the Subject II perhaIs
The most difficult and perplexins IN moo
-, soc,e,v THE question itself is decep-
.,ve II NAV well be called two-faced. IL
1ooks in upon the activities or inactivi-
sIes AZ the church. IL looks out upon the
ronditions of modern society. 10 aoo ~
she confusion both these aspects oissu's'
shemselves under the mask or an easy
solution.
..There isn't a man in pulpit OF pew
- c.n,t outline In Ave minutes Jus
~,bat changes are necessary. To be sure
no two men will do IL In the same way
Nor do the spinners of these theories Vi
sen endeavor 10 weave them INTO pf"s
sice. ., -
an the same way We are cogihhhn' ~
changed conditions In society III ~
a. state what many OF those cohui.ioh'
1.ho task can perhaps be better done
Nv o,,r rrandmothers than by the phiioso
~,hara Vet after ALL our suggestions ~
- .ocfetv amount to but little more 'ndi
shat within the past year the picyoio ,.,'. r,'.
seen supplanted by the automophe. IN
student OF the condition of modern so.,a
" can point out not only ,as
changes. but deep underlying tenoehc'es
Vet our social philosophy Is so youn'
shat the language is extremely dinicul
20 cop,nrehension except to the cars
= rs fond progenitors. .,ts oans
az will not be the purpose or TINS pape
boo do more than suggest. as occasion 10
uuires. what the conditions reahy a..
. that the church must meet ,h
.uss,on combined with study Oh VI
.hanees necessary 10 meet changed cor
d,f,ons would far exceed the limits =
shts naner The changes suggested WI
themselves suffice TO make cioai WI"
che sneaker recognizes TO be inc impers
tive needs OF the hour. TO TINS iehs 'i
introduction must be added ahotner pa
agraph by way OF caution.
EVERY member of the church' ever
minister. naturally looks at this suoJe.
from the standpoint of his own parlsi
Whatever solution may be onereo
vy.s,ed nv the needs of his own worl
Ike Patrick Henry, He has no lamp
guide his feet except the lamp OIL e.
perienoe
"Out of the past he brings the lessor
hest suited 10 meet the conditions oil u
nresent and these two combined COZ
stitute his solution of the problem. re
his Individual parish the diagnosis ar
-rsuprfy- may both be correct. But J
two parishes are alike. Some are no
some are cold. and SOME are neither,
st. John. the Devine. tells US. IL
RllF
kill I'm another.
asurelv the services OF n physician WI
urescribed the same remedy for rhe'
Inatism and the mumps would not
held in high repute. To discuss TINS su
sect In it's proper light demands the pu
ring aside all local needs and referrii
pniy TO those changes that will he OF sc
vice 10 the church as a whole
/ CHANGES NECESSARY.
sft may be we'll for me 20 state at q
seeinning that my conception OF q
changes necessary rs not OF the kind TN
s,s looked upon with most favor at I
present time. The Institutional chur
ss proclaimed by ITS advocates as 1
yanscea OF al lis
...rhat A h worthy Of great respe'
that Il IL doing noble work. aud thi
,,uder some conditions. it alone can ms
the needs OF the community no one v
deny But those conditions are not NJ
>crssi. hence that vast held OF labor m
he dropped from our discussion
'~The historical method Of inquiry Z
alone lead ms 20 adequate knowledge.
know anything one must know its an
..~dsn,s and study it from its inoept
until tho present The clergy OF y
church are largely responsible for its q
Gition.
Like priest. like people - an old
.r,,c adaee Their time u spent in
service. their infnerce Is predominant
ffs management. their VII is usually
railing force.
what J shall say. therefore a.
flr1~ - TO the changes necessary
the rhnreh vlii have 60 do largely "
fhr chanreS necessary IN tho pulpit.
believe that ihcn. and only then. WI
he tonchlng the depths Of the churc
~eaknses To understand the far
and ereakncsses and then the conseou
Inability of the clergy ~ meet the NO
~ the time we mus 20 hack. as IN
study "a those antecedenss that give
man. "a p clergyman. birth. refer
The schools Or theological training.
There 10 no doubt but that within
rsst fe~ -esrs changes have been m