The San Francisco call., 1903-12-01
MEN Of VARIOUS
CREEDS CONFER
Clergy Of Different Sects
Mingle at Religious
Meeting.
Steps to Unite in Church
Work Are Steadily
Advancing.

4AeIe was a large representation of
the ministers of various evangelical
bodies at the union meeting of clergy
at the Presbyterian Home Mission,
Sacramento street, yesterday. There
were pastors from the Congregational
church, Baptist church, Presbyterian
church and the Methodist Episcopal
! church. The Rev. Mr. McElhinny pre-
sided.
For over an hour the assembled cier-
gymen listened to a profound and in:
/ teresting extemporaneous address by
Professor Thomas F. Day of the Pres
byterian Theological Seminary Of San
Anselmo.
The professors subject was Jesus
and the Time Spirit" in which he held
that in the religious and moral sphere
Jesus was the absolute and moral
teacher. In other spheres, said Profess
sor Day. Jesus exercised a guiding and
deeply inspiring influence, but left
mankind free to investigate. This was
an age, he said. in which there was no
disposition to shrink from taking hold
of the profoundest subject and giving
expression to conclusions in the most
modern form. Redefinition and rein
vestigation were no exception because
men insisted in defining for themselves
the terms used in the vocabulary of to-
day, while, too, there was a disposition
to even re-edit text books according to
the light of the day in which. we live.
DUTY OF MANKIND.
Civilization he held, was due directly
to the influence of Jesus. Tiew the
absolute teacher He taught. as the es'
sence of religion, that love. to God and
love toward man was the first and final.
duty of mankind. :
Owing to- the success that attended
the: union meeting of the clergy. the
Rev. T. F. Burnham proposed. the fol-
lowing resolution, which was adopted:
THAT the presidents of the several
ministerial associations be made
committee to arrange for union meet
ings of the associations whenever there
is a fifth Monday in the month"
The affairs of the Eureka Valley Sum-
day-school, Eighteenth street, were
considered at a special meeting Of the
presbytery yesterday. :.
The subject under discussion and de-
liberation was the establishment of
new church in Eureka Valley TO he de-
veloped out of the Sunday-school,
which, for some time, has been .estab'
lished in the district. =.
The matter was referred to the home
mission committee. which is to report
to the finance committee, which body
will report back to the December meet
ing of the presbytery. -
CHURCH FEDERATION. "
The sscond annual meeting of the
Federation of Churches and Christian
Work of Northern and Central Califor-
MIA was held yesterday in Epworth
League Hall.
The movement had its inception In
the Federation of Free (aissenting)
|. Churches in Great Britain, and the ma
tional federation in the United. States
is composed of representa- from the
largest States in the East. The Cali
fornia Federation is but recent. addi-
ton. Professor C. S. Nashj p. D., of
Berkeley presided.
Statements of work accomplished
during the last. year showed that local
federations had been organized in Ala
MEDIA and Berkeley. and that steps had
been taken to organize a. federation in
the Mission and Western Addition of
this city, =.
The report also showed that. three
union ministerial meetings had. taken
place in. the auditorium of the Youiig
/ Mems Christian Association during the
! year, which were on each occasion at
|: :tended by all the evangelical organiza-
tions in San Francisco. and vicinity.
Arrangements had been made to hold
a series of meetings Under the leader
ship of:G. Campbell Morgan, who in a
measure was considered the successor
to the. late. Dwight L.. Moody.
According TO the report various ad-
dresses had been given .at the. Univer-
sity of California under the auspices of
the federation.
UNCONVENTIONAL HARMONY.
During the meeting a committee on
Observation-Disclosures comfy was re-
quested to formulate working plan
for harmonizing work Of various CO.
operating denominations, particularly
in overcrowded fields. The matter will
be taken UP at a meeting TO be held
later.
The annual election of officers was
held with the following results:
President. Professor c. S. Nash DID, Berke-
lev: first vice president d Edward Collins,
Oakland: second vice president, j. H. Stevens;
secretary Rev E. p bennett. Alameda; treas
urer Rev. J. c. Wooten. Berkeley; chairman
on religious census. Rev. e. III. Avery. ID,
Oakland: on evangelization. Rev. F.. p. Den
nett. missionary comfy. Rev. ]. X. Mclean.
DID. Berkeley; reform movements Rev. 7. F.