Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-06-17
WANTED REVISION.
q. e. Boude Says Majority at AS
sembly Desired Change.
STRONG APPEAL MADE FOR MISSIONS
Reports Of Secretaries of Various
Church Boards Were Most Crafty
ing-President Roosevelt and John
Wananiaker Speak at Meetings.

THE large majority of the delegates
at the national assembly OF the Pres
bSterian church held recently in New
York, were in favor Of certain revi-
sions in the confession" said G. e..
Boude in his report of the convention
given last evening at the regular pray
er meeting Of the First Presbyterian
church. Mr.. Boude went to New York
as a delegate to the assembly from this
city and in speaking of the convention
tells of several points of interest that
were noticeable at the meeting.
An exceedingly strong appeal was
made by the representatives of both
the home and the foreign missionary
societies of the church for increased
support upon the part of the member
ship OF the church for missionary
work. The Sunday school and Chris
tian Endeavor work received special
attention and the Presbytery of Porto
Rico was established and added to the
synod of Iowa.
c. E. Boude's Address.
There was quite large attendance
of the members of the church and af-
ter the preliminary praise service had
been held Mr.. Boude spoke concerning
the national assembly as follows:
I'm the remarks shall make I shall
endeavor to give few of the impress
sions that l received while attending
the national assembly in New York. 1t
was notable gathering of representa-
tive men. One that would not fail to
impress most favorably an observing
person. There were gathered in that
city large number of most intelligent
and representative men, body Of men
with whom any person might well be
proud to be identified.
The Greed Revision.
"This assembly has rightfully, I
think, been called a history making as
sembly, and such believe it will
prove. l will not say much concerning
the revision question as it has been so
fully reported in the daily press. This
was the all absorbing topic before the
convention even previous to the time
when it was brought up for considera-
ton. Whenever number of dele
gates would get together there would
at times be some pretty warm discus
sions. 1t was quite evident to even
the casual observer that very large
majority of. the delegates were in IA
vor of some change in the confession,
that would make palmer to the ordi-
nary layman, some of the doctrines
that the theologians of former days
had written. So when the report OF
the revision committee was stated in
~ {r to,y "a u
by the great body of the assembly as
happy release from the affair that it
was feared in the beginning would
cause considerable trouble, and this
report was finally accepted with only
two dissenting votes.
Secretaries Reports.
"The reports made by the secreta-
ries of the different boards showed
the work done during the past year for
the most part of most encouraging
character. Good progress has been
made in all lines of church work. One
gratifying feature of the reports was
that the boards reported no debts at
the close of this year. Notwithstand-
ing this excellent showing, it was a
noticeable fact that the contributions
were practically no larger than last
year and that the increase had been
received through legacies left to the
church.
Church Work.
"An earnest appeal was made in the
interest of the home and foreign mis-
sionary field and that the members as
sist in increasing the funds for carry.
ing on the work of missions. In this
appeal one field of foreign effort was
especially mentioned, that of Corea
and it was noticeable that the work
done there during the past ten years
has borne most gratifying results.
"The Sunday school and the Chris
tian Endeayor societies were given a
prominent place in the affairs of the
convention. Mr.. Furgeson, state sec
rotary of the Sunday school work, who
has spoken several times In this
church, made report in regard to
the work on the state that was most
encouraging. One of the most pleas
ling parts of the assembly was the
mention of the progress that the
church has made in the way of the
erection of new churches. A special
committee was appointed for the pur
pose of giving such encouragement c
the young peoples society as may be
possible.
Porto Rican Presbytery.
'The new presbytery of Porto Ri
ca was authorized and the assembly
gave recognizance to the state of Iowa
as the result of the work done in that
country in the matter of carrying the
gospel to them. DR.. Green, of Fit.
Dodge, was one of the first missiona
ries to reach that country.
Roosevelt Speaks.
s'There were two notable meetings
held during the time in which the as
sembly was in session. The delegates
to these meetings met in Carnegie hall
These two meetings We're in the in
terests of the two missionary socie
| ties of the church. The great hal
was crowded to its utmost capacit,
and many people were turned away
owing to the lack OF accommodation
President Roosevelt was the principa
speaker at the meeting of the home
missionary society. AS he stepped
upon the platform, a tremendou.
wave of applause swept over tn,