The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-25
DAY CLOSES
WITH FEAST
Third Day of Synod Ends
With Banquet
OF ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Rev. Bruce Griffith Is Elected
President.
OF ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Friday proved very interesting and
Instructive day at the Synod meeting Of
the Reformed church. There was a good
attendance and the session was good
one. The banquet Of the Western Alumni
association Of the educational institu-
tons Of the Reformed church ended up
the days work, and was real sociable
affair. which was enjoyed immensely by
all the ministers and many Wichita peo-
pie
During the course Of the regular bust
ness Of the Synod, several important
and practical questions in active church
work came up for open discussion. Since
the ministers present represented charges
FAR different in nature, the differences in
opinion were marked and original The
attitude OF the church toward so-called
itinerant missionaries, was discussed and
the prevailing sentiment seemed 10 re-
gret the fact that such men are becoming
more numerous every day; they are
working and sapping not only business
men, in that they secure contributions
By personal request, but they even sat
urate and drain our churches when the
Iaxity of ministers and consistories open
their pulpit for the discussion and the
presentation of every fanaucal movement
by so-called travelling agitators. In view
of this fact the church need be cautious,
not sleeping. but awake to all construc-
tive, positive and progressive work,
while discouraging and disregarding the
fanatic and the quack.
Deaconess work in the Reformed
church is receiving consideration by
active workers in our church. We are
seeing that in our busy centers OF human
fly we need a factor which combines
sympathy with conservation, not that
these elements are not found in the min
istry, but the minister is so overwhelmed
with the Increasing demands Of our age,
that he needs voluntary assistance.
which can be supplied through the
agency of the deaconess-a woman-of
purity and conservation, carrying light
into tho darkness of humanity.
The prevailing questionable methods of
obtaining money for church work pro-
voked a warm discussion Some felt the
need OF social affairs to raise the neces-
sary funds. while others deprecated and
some even denounced the idea. No one
considered il the ideal way Of raising
money, which unquestionably is volun-
tary giving for the sake Of giving but in
order 70 attain that ideal such occasions
may serve as means TO the realization of
the plane of life in which we give TO
Christ. regardless of natural returns
Thus even church fairs and suppers
may serve the purpose of Christ, not as
an end in themselves. but as instru-
ments lifting humanity into a higher
plane. when we need resort to no such
questionable occasions to raise the finan-
cial support of congregation.
The theological paper for the day was
read by Rev. J. c. Howing, of st. Louis.
The following is a brief abstract:
Prophecy is one Of the profoundest
movements Of the human spirit. 1t grows
out of the universal consciousness that
man IS related to God and that man in
general and some men in particular are
in communion with that Supreme Being
on whose viii the well-being of the grace
depends The unfolding of this move
ment Of the spiritual forces of mankind
works one of the most important chap
ters in the history of religion. The pro-
phet was defined as a forth-teller "one
who speaks for or in hehalf Of another
and that other is God. Jehovah is the
source Of prophecy. but it ever stands in
relation with the changing current of his
tory events. he stands on the watch
tower Of the nation and reads the sign
OF the times as seen by the eye of God.
8 Being one with God in his vocation and
one with the people as a man. the
prophet is the interpreter of God to his
own times and notion. With d clear con-
viction OF Jehovahs sovereign purpose he
defines the sphere of that purpose to the
chosen nation and its end the establish
ment OF a holy nation. Fundamental to
and inspearable from his political func-
ton IS that religious teaching that is es-
genital 10 national existence. The prophet
at heart is d religious teacher who ap-