Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-10-13
NATIONAL COUNCIL
TRlENNIAL CONVENTION OF CON.
EDUCATIONAL CHURCHES TO
BE HELD IN DEs MONIES.

BE HELD IN DEs MONIES.
Cooperating Societies Will Meet At
the Same Time Expected That
1000 Delegates Will Be in Attend.
ance-Rev. johnson to Go.
z Rev. P. A. Johnson, pastor of the
First Congregational church, will at
tend the twelfth triennial session of
the National Council of Congregation
al churches in the United States and
church societies, whose first session
opens Thursday October .13, in the
g Plymouth Congregational church at Des
Moines. After months of planning and
preparation all is now ready for the
meeting which will be attended by the
most distinguished men of the Con-
gregational church and is expected to
prove the largest church convention in
point of numbers, ever held in the
state.
Three years ago, when the last ses-
sion OF the council was held in Port
lgnd, Me-, the Rev. F. j. VanHorn,
Then pastor Of the Plymouth Congre-
fational church of Des Moines extend
ID an invitation to the council to come
q the capital city of Iowa and it was
unanimously accepted. The three
RS have passed and the big event
which not only Des Moines people,
people of the entire state have
en- looking with great interest. be-
IS Thursday and continues for one
eek. Six years ago the convention
met in Portland, Ore, three years ago
in Portland, Me-, and this session is
held in Des ;Moines, being point half
way between the two former meeting
places.
Cooperating Societies to Meet.
For the first time in the history of
5%the council the cooperating societies
of the church will meet at the same
time as does the larger body, These
societies are the Congregational Edu-
cational society organized in 1915, to
aid the colleges and seminaries of the
denomination; the Congregational
Sunday School and Publishing society
organized for the purpose of pushing
Sunday school work; the Congrega-
tional Church Building society, for the
purpose Of aiding church building; the
American Board of Commissioners for
{ Foreign Missions and the Congrega-
tional Home Missionary society The
coming together Of these different
bodies will mean fully 1000 actual
delegates. besides a large number of
visitors and friends. The sessions
! will be held in the Plymouth Congre-
gational church. with the exception of
few evenings when the Christian
and Baptist church auditoriums will
!, be used for the accommodation of
hsome of the society meetings.
Entertainment will be provided for
all the regular delegates at the homes
of the Congregationalists, while the
officers and speakers on the program
will be entertained at the hotels
!, throughout the seven days session.
n The strangers will be met at the de-
J pots by members of the committees,
who will escort them to the Central
Presbyterian church, where the com
nlittee on entertainment, under the di-
II rection of s.. A. Merrill, will assign
1 them to their places. The Commercial
! exchange will cooperate as far as pos
!. sible with the various committees in
conducting an information bureau in
the club rooms, and rendering such as
sistance as is possible. Modest official
badges are now being prepared
for. the delegates. each body having a
badge Of its own. Meals will be served
in Plymouth church both noon and
evening and breakfast is furnished
L the guest at the home where entertain
4 nent is provided Low railroad rates
\ of one and one-third fare have been
Il arranged for.
1 VIII Have Special Train.
y The American Board of Foreign Mis-
h sions meets at Grinnell today. Wed.
I nesday and Thursday of this week, and
all of the delegates and visitors will
come on special train to Des Moines
Thursday afternoon.
! The national council is the advisory
body Of the Congregational church. 1t
4 is neither legislative nor executive and
! can only recommend or resolve upon
! measures to be brought UP and consid-
i cred by the various church societies.
4 1t is composed of the representatives
j of the Congregational churches
= throughout the United States. Not
only do they meet for discussion of
i matters of UNCONVENTIONAL interest but
also for discussion of social, educa-.
X tional and religious questions. Among
I the vital questions to be taken UP at
4 this session are those of capital and la.
4 Dor, polygamy and divorce.
While the council has none of the