New-York tribune., 1902-05-22
GREAT CREED DEBATE TODAY
LITTLE OPPOSITION To SUGGESTIONS OF REVISION com.
MITTEE EXPECTED-A DAY FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS
JOHN WANAMAKER PRESIDES AT BIG MEETING

Nearly ali the boards of the Presbyterian
Church have now been heard from, and this
morning the great creed debate of the General
Assembly viii begin. Preparations were made
Yesterday for the presentation OF the subject.
A large company of auditors is expected as
many visitors have expressed their desire TO be
present during the discussion. 1t is possible
that a decision will be reached tonight, Ger
tainlv upon that part Of the report of the re-
vision committee which relates to the Confession
Of Faith There seems to be little disposition
TO oppose the overtures suggested by the COM
mittee. 4 remarkable degree Of unanimity pre-
walls both in the committee and in the assem-
blv on this point The same is true in the
main regarding the Brief Statement. If no
attempt is made to send it to the presbyteries
for their adoption it will probably be approved
bv the assembly, and issued by it, as its name
indicates. as a Brief Statement OF the Reformed
Faith but not intended TO be used test
of orthodoxy for ministers. elders and deacons
This evening. after the day of contending for
tbe faith once delivered the saints, the breth-
rem will meet like brothers true and tried at the
Waldorf-Astoria guests of the Presbyterian
Union. Preparations have been made for two
thousand people. Noah c. Rogers the president
of the Presbyterian Union, will preside, and
welcome the guests in behalf of the union.
Navor Seth Low will present the greetings in
OF
orator. will make a response for the guests
Music will be supplied by male chorus and by
the Hungarian Band.
IRA D. sANKEY SANG.
Ira D. Sankey, a Methodist for forty or fifty
years who became Presbyterian last Sunday,
sang at the devotional service yesterday morn
ing In the afternoon the Rev. DR.. Theodore L.
Cuyler. Of Brooklyn, and the Rev. DR.. Morgan
Dix Of Trinity Parish, were presented oy How
ard Duffield who was presiding, and made brief
addresses.
Foreign missions have hold on the Church
10 less strong than that accorded TO the work
Of the Church in this land; in fact. the interest
is greater because the need Of the teeming mill
ions of Asia appeals more strongly TO sympa-
thetic hearts than does that of people nearer at
home who can, If they will. in most cases have
the Gospel privileges which are denied 10 the
people of India and China and Corea and Japan,
and the islands OF the In addition 10 the
entire forenoon given TO the subject at the As
sembly yesterday, there were two popular meet
ings in the evening, with John Wanamaker. OF
Philadelphia. presiding, in Carnegie Hall, and
Robert E. Speer in the Central Presbyterian
Church.
The Assembly presentation of the subject was
unusually strong this year. The chairman OF
the committee which had considered the work OF
the board was the Rev. Courtenay H Fem,
who was shut IN with the legations two years
ago, and was the miller during that memorable
siege. Mr. Fem has been acting as secretary
of the board in the absence of the Rev DR.. Ar
thur J. Brown. who has just completed visit
of inspection of the mission fields under the
care OF the Presbyterian Church. He has, there
fore had special advantages OF being dozen
years on the foreign field. and of seeing how the
administrative work OF the board is carried on.
SAVED FROM DEBT BY LEGAClES.
Mr.. Fem began his report with the statement
that the board had had a most successful year.
in fact, the most successful year in its history,
both in work accomplished and results achieved
The sad feature of the year had been that the
board was saved from heavy debt. not by the
gifts Of the living, but by the legacies from the
dead
DR.. Brown began his ministerial work In the
Central West and then went TO Portland, Ore
where he built up a successful congregation. one
Of the largest and most important in the city.
When he came to the Foreign Board. he had al
ready achieved a reputation for ability as
speaker and organizer. He has far surpassed
every expectation of his friends; his assembly
addresses are not excelled by those Of any other
in the body where he speaks. With his ex-
perience Of fifteen months in foreign lands, he
has added TO his former gifts that Of personal
knowledge, which he had not had before. His
address yesterday teemed with facts and ex-
periences which. presented in convincing man
ner produced profound impression upon the
large audience that filed the Fifth Avenue
Church. DR.. Brown followed by mission
aries from the field. who told what the Church
doing through its representatives abroad.
THE EXPENSE ACCOUNT SMALL.
In the afternoon the Board of Aid for Colleges
and Academies, the only board having its head
quarters in Chicago and the Board of Publica-
ton and Sabbath School Work, which has its
office in Philadelphia, divided the session
DR.. Herrick Johnson, the president Of the COL
lege board, refuted the charge that there are
too many colleges in this country. He said that
there were not many Germany has. with
much smaller population and a much more
contracted area Further, If all New England
and New-York were put together parts of
this country, not single college site would be
touched. He urged the commissioners to put
their money into some Of the new Western COL
leges. which would train young men through the
generations to come.
OVERFLOW RALLY HELD.