The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-02
THE TALL MISSIONS WORK
Success in Converting French
Atheists to Christianity.
Several Interesting Reports and Ad.
dresses Before the Association
Yesterday - The Progress Made
Since Twenty-nfnc Years Asz.

Since Twenty-ninc Years As1.
The American McAll Association con-
vened In annual session at the Church of
| the Covenant yesterday morning. About
seventy-fve delegates from all parts of
| the United States were present Mrs.
Charles H. Parkhurst. wife of the eminent
New York divine. is the president of the
| association. which has for it's object the
evangelization of the poor of France,
among whom atheism exists to a start
ling degree. The McAll Association main
tains fifty-five missions in that country
and the movement. which was inaugu-
rated twenty-nine years ago. has met
with considerable success.
The morning and afternoon sessions
yesterday were given over to the consid-
Grafton of routine business. A number
of interesting addresses were delivered
dealing generally with the work of the
McAll movement in France. The most in
teresting session was held last night when
addresses were delivered by the Rev. s.
B. Rossiter, of Philadelphia, the repre-
sentative-secretary of the association, and
by the Rev. Floyd w Tompkins. D. D..
of Philadelphia The latter made refer
ence to recently produced religious dramas
ment that the men of this age were hun
gering for religion.
In his address. The Supernatural and
the McAll Mission the Rev. S. B. Rossi-
ter. d. D.. Representative Secretary of
the association, brought out prominently
the principles on which the movement was
founded and is now carried on. He said
in part:
THE McAll Mission Is an incident in
the history of the Church An incident
often lea0s on to greater things. The
McAll Mission will come to greater things
not only in France. but in Italy. where the
door is already open. We believe in the
supernatural and by the supernatural the
doors through which the McAll work will
progress are opened. The work is apos-
tolic in its nature. inasmuch as it relates
to the spreading of not only the truth,
but the word Of God among the people Of
France. 1t is not so hard to find a Bible
in France today as it was twenty-nine
years ago.
of the relation Of the McAT Mission to
Professionalism I would say that twenty
nine years ago the McAll Mission was the
breath of the Lord on Professionalism. Now
it is the forerunner of Professionalism.
'Of the relation of the McAil mission
to the Catholic Church. l would say that
we antagonize no religion. We merely
preach the word of God. Louis XIV said.
France shall be Catholic Are there
any descendants of French Hrguenots
present? 1 will sp ak to them. 1t is time
Tor you to say. Fl ance shall be Christian
''yhe work Of the McAlI Mission most
worthy of praise is that among children
of France. We are endeavoriDg to let the
er{,T r,f
is a heaven. a Jesus Christ, and a Faith
er's House open to them
In the interim before the address on
THE Twentieth Century Religion" by
the Rev. Floyd w. Tomkins, d. D.. of
Philadelphia. the Rev. Dr. Sunderland ex-
pressed the belief that now, at the OPEN
ing of the twentieth century, the wealth
of the church should be consecrated to
spread the gospel among the nations of
Christianity
Modern religious plays were referred to
by the fev. r. Ivyu Tompkins as an indi-
cation of the hunger which was felt by
men in this new century for religion. In
opening, he said that the religion OF Je-
sus Christ was the same always. but that
as time advanced and conditions changed
the methods of its application necessarily
underwent TRANSITION. He then said
that whatever changes might result. the
chief characteristic in the evangelization
of France is to be the true religion of
Jesus Christ Touching the subject of
the stage, the speaker said:
It's wonderful how people flock to see
the Passion Playi of Oberammergau. It's
wonderful how they will go to see Ben
Hur' or the Sign of the Cross Then
there is The Christian, a poor play from
a
weak book. 1t attracted the people be-
cause it portrayed the yearning for and
drawing near to Jesus Christ of a soul
Marie Correllfs The Master Christian
and that poor book by the Rev c. E.
Sheldon. In His Steps have the same
charactsristics They illustrate the crav-
ing of the age.
THE world will only be converted by
the personality of Jesus Christ. CONVEX
sion win come only through something
we really believe. There is too much I'M
certainty in this age. The religion which
is to convert the world must be so strong
that we fairly live in it."
Devotional exercises led by Miss Alletta
Lent, of New York, opened the session
yesterday morning. After a hymn, the
Hamlin, to Washington, on behalf of the
city, the Washington Auxiliary, and the
Church of the Covenant.
Mrs. Parkhurst replied briefly She con-
graduated the Washington Auxiliary upon
the work and progress made during the
past few years, and closed her remarks
by predicting a fuller and more complete
life for the association in the future
The roll-call of delegates revealed the
fact that there were in attendance rep
resentatives from auXiliaries in all parts
of the United States. Miss Caroline Rem
ington. the general secretary. then sub
mitted her report, which dealt largely
with the literature published by the McAll
Association. and from which some little
revenue is derived
The report of the Corresponding Sec
rotary, Mrs. II. L. Maryland, of Phila-
delphia. was so broad in its scope and
so complete that copies OF it were some
time ago ordered printed. The delegates
were provided with copies yesterday. The
report contained general information re-
garding the character and manner of car
rying on the work in the McAll missions
scattered throughout France The mis-
siOns are called SALES" and those sup
ported by the auXiliaries are known by
their respective names. Sale Washing
ton" is maintained by the Washington
Auxiliary An interesting feature of the
work is that conducted on the mission
boats. The McAll Association owns two
large boats. which traverse the small
rivers which penetrate the interior of
France. Meetings are held aboard. Stops
are made at the smallest and most in
significant towns, and the country people
are thus easily reached.
At present the director of the McAll
in France is G. T.. Greig. Mrs.
Parkhurst made the announcement that
he was at the present time i'll and had
recently suffered the loss of a son. She
suggested that purse of $500 be raised
by private subscription and presented to
him. Later in the day Mrs A. r. Per-