The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-26
MINISTERS MEET.
Methodist and Congregational
CIergymen in Session Today.

The regular weekly meeting of the
Methodist preachers of Providence and
vicinity was held in the Mathewson street
Methodist church at 1880 o'clock this
morning with Rev. J. III. Buckley of Gen.
trail Falls in the chair.
Devotional exercises were conducted by
Rev. William McCreery, after which a
brief business meeting was held. The
report OF the nominating committee ap-
pointed at the last meeting to choose
officers for the coming year was present
ed by Rev. Joseph Cooper, and the fol-
lowing officers were elected:
President-Rev. Is. f. Simon, Ph. u.
Vice president-Rev. w. A. Gardiner.
Secretary-Rev. William McCreery.
Program committee-Rev. John +.
Blake, Rev. J. II. Buckley, Rev. III. A.
Ridgway.
At the close OF the business meeting
Rev. Joseph Cooper of Centreville. II. l.,
read an interesting and exhaustive re-
view on Harnack's What is Chris
tianity?"
The review enlarged for the first part
on three sections of the )kocA:
lst The Gospel
ID The Gospel in relation to certain
problems.
Under the first head the speaker touched
on the leading features of Jesus message.
God the Father and the infinite value Of
the human soul, the higher righteousness
and the commandment of human love.
Under the second head the speaker con-
sidered the Gospel and the world on the
question OF aceticism. The Gospel and
the poor or the social question, the Gospel
and law or the question OF public order
ha Of
civilization, the Gospel and the Son of
God and the Gospel and doctrine of the
question of creed.
Under the third head the speaker con-
sidered the Gospel i'm history or the dis
cussion Of Christian religion In five ways,
as follows:
1st. In the Apostolic age.
ID In it's development into Catholicism.
3D. Greek Catholicism.
4th. In Roman Catholicism.
5th. In Professionalism.
In summing up his review OF Har-
nacks philosophy. the speaker said that
"the denial OF Jesus supernatural birth.
OF his complete union with the Father
strike at our fundamental beliefs. Either
Christ is the Son OF God, as He claims
TO be. In the intensest sense OF that word,
or one OF two things follows: First we
have utterly misunderstood Him or He
spoke what He knew to be false. Sec
ondly, He says miracles never happen.
That may be true. There may be forces
and facts I'm nature which Christ under
stood better than the modern scientist
but If he did-does not he argue for ms
superiority In an incredible degree, a de-
gee, which certainly defies Him. Given
the person OF Christ and the miracles are
easily explained"
NGREGATIoNALIST MINISTER'S.
The regular meeting of the Congrega-
tionalist ministers was held i'm the iole
room OF the Beneficent church at 1O30
O'Clock. this morning with Rev. T. L.
House I'm the chair. The interest of the
meeting centered in paper read by Rev
II. 7. Root pastor of the Elmwood tenn
pie, on the subject, lis Person Synouy-
nous With Being?"
The subject was treated from a socio-
logical standpoint. the solidarity OF the
race being emphasized
The paper was followed by a general
discussion which brought out many IN
teresting points OF view.