The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-07
CONGREGATIONAL
CHURCH / IS GROWING
Forty-Eiahth Annual Conven.
ton of Minnesota General
Association Opens.

ICY anu IOIiiOTrOW. rev. Samuel ".
Smith, of the Peoples church Of st.
Paul. presides at the meetings as mod
orator Yesterday afternoon about one
hundred and fifty delegates had regis
tered.
After the devotional exercises, con-
quoted by Rev. Alexander McGregor,
pastor of the Park church, the forenoon
was devoted to the reception of the re-
ports OF committees on the work of
the year. Rev. D. D. Wilson, of Way
zata, was elected scribe of the ses-
sion, and Rev. F. L. v. Meska assist
ant scribe.
The report of the finance commit
tee recommended an additional assess
ment OF cents on members of the affil-
lated churches in order to produce an
increased income for the organization,
and also that the salary of the ,secre-
tary be increased.
Congregational Church FIourishes.
The report of the secretary and treas
urer was read by S.. j. Rogers and
showed that the state Of the Congre-
gafional. church in the state was in
nour1shlng condition, there being 221
churches in existence, nearly all of
which are supplied with pastors.
Nine new churches were added dur
ing the year and four dropped, leay-
ing an increase of five. The member
ship of the churches has increased by
200, there being 1900 additional mem
bers and 1900 lost by reason of death
and other causes The number of min
listers has increased TWENTY-FIVE and
nine new societies of the Christian En-
deaVor society, with a membership of
500, have been added to the roll The
total amount collected in the state dur.
ing the year ending March, 1903, was
$!4,6S5, an increase over the preceding
like period of $4,000. Expenses, while
we'll within the receipts, have increas-
| ed $24211.
The report made by Rev S. J. Rogers
on the condition of the churches was
voluminous and exhaustive, going over
| the whole ground very carefully and
| finding in all parts of the state cause
for congratulation and hope. All of
| the churches are we'll attended and the
prayer meetings and church societies
large and enthuSia Stically supported.
Preparing a History.
| Warren H. Upham presented the re-
! port of the committee on the preserva-
ton of historical matter. He reported
| that the attempt begun five years ago
| to collect material for the history of
| the Congregational church in, this state
was going ahead rapidly, and that
| many manuscripts and valuable rec
I ords have been received by the COM
mittee. 1t would be about three years
| more, he thought, before they would be
ready to publish the history from the
material collected. This report was
ordered printed in the annual record of
! the proceedings of the meeting.
| The morning session concluded with
an address by Rev. Theodore Clifton,
D, D., of Chicago, which was to be de-
livered on Thursday afternoon, but
was placed ahead of the programme,
owing to the early departure of the
speaker.
| His subject was .'The Great North
| west and the Great Southwest" and in
this he dealt principally with the ed
ucat1onal aspect of the work being
| done by the Congregational church and
| the amount which still remains to be
| done.
Must Make Provision for Negro.
In regard to the race problem, which
| enters into the questions vitality, he
declared that the whites and the
blacks could not live together in re-
figious way, because of the inherent
differences In the natures, and that
| some way must be worked out by
which they could at beast live side by
| side in conciliatory and forbearing
| spirit. if the best good was to come
| to both. DR.. Clifton also mentioned
| the vast field for educational work in
| New Mexico, where there were only
| six missionary schools, and where there
was need of sixty or more. New Mexi-
! co, he declared, was not fit for state
! hood because of the general ignorance
| of her population.
| The afternoon session opened with
3, an extended exposition by Rev. George
r. Merrill, D. D.. on the first twelve
chapters of the Book of Acts. This
was followed by the presentation of a
number of reports by various commit
tees among the most interesting of
which were the report on Carleton COL
lege, by President W. H. Salmon, and
| the report on the work of the Anti
Saloon league in this state, by c. F.
| Crawford, of Minneapolis.
Pleads for Carleton COLLEGE.
President Salmon, of Carleton COL
lege, after telling briefly of his as
sumption of the duties of president
| during the past year, and the favorable
| prospects for prosperous year for the
| college, both in the work to be done
and the increased number of. its stu
dents, made an earnest plea for the
support of the Congregational associa-
ton for the college,
I We do not forget that the college
| was founded by the Congregational
ists,' said President Salmon, cor that
its early years were helped by the same
denomination. and while, for several
years past, we have called ourselves
unsectarian and undenominational. and
have twelve denominations represented
on our board of trustees, and a Presby-
! terrain for president, the students and
the teachers are never allowed to for
get the debt which they owe to the
| Congregational church, and all have a
feeling of loyalty and gratitude for
| that church.
| Carleton college is at the head of
those in the Middle West in its con-
tributions to the ranks of the Congre-
gational ministry, and is a power for
good in the church. On the other hand.
think the college has the right to
expect a loyal support from the min
listers and laymen of the Congrega-
tional church.
ut used to be that the ministers of
the churches were on the lookout for
bright young men and women to send
to Carleton, but for several years past
we have not had the full support and
| confidence of the ministers of the
church, and I appeal to you present to
restore the old feeling of mutual pride
4 and good. feeling of a former time.
This is an issue far more vital than
the money question if Carleton is to
fulfill its destiny and aid toward that
object which the church is work ing