New-York tribune., 1905-11-16
CHURCH CONFERENCE ON.
PLAN TO Divide LABOR.
Delegates from Many Denomina-
tions Meet IN Carnegie Hall.

The Interchurch Conference on Federation held
It's get together meeting in Carnegie Hall last
night. and win begin the business sessions this
morning at $3.50 O'Clock in the same place. The
conference represents twenty eight religious bodies
having seventeen million communicates. There
1--WE hundred delegates and three hundred alter
mates, and these. with their wives and friends,
made an audience of about fifteen hundred per-
sons to listen to the opening addresses last night
President Roosevelt had been invited to be pres
ent at the conference and become Its honorary
chairman He was unable to be present, but he
sent the following letter to the chairman of the
committee arrangements, which elected much
! applause when 1t read to the delegates:
Ny Dear Dr. Roberts; have your letter: In
ing Of the InterchuTch Conference on Federation
hVf or fhf shes a ety we the n
ton to the great good it will do here it is per
IN Of
which feel TO be retarded by the divisions among
ourselves and by the failure to recognize the fact
that the Christian Church I'm Japan must, Of
course, assume essentially Japanese national
So, you see. have , very real interest in what
TO attend the meeting, as you request, but L re-
gret to say that it is out OF the question for me
am genuinely soTy to haye to wris to you
Preparation for the conference have been going
on for than three years, and it is hoped by
Its promoters that 1t will result in permanent
organization which will do away with much Of the
waste Of Christian effort due TO the competi-
ton among churches. 1t meets in response to
call sent out by the National Federation Of
Churches and Christian Organizations after its
annual meeting in 1902. The object is not to de-
wise for the federation of the Protestant
churches. but to consider the conditions that pre-
vail and to admit of the exchange of views between
the different bodies of Christians.
Among those the platform last night were the
Rev. Dr. Joachim Elmendorf. the Rev. DR.. ]. s.
Remensnyder. Bishop Fowler resident Bishop of
the Methodist Episcopal Church; the Rev. Dr.
Charles L. Thompsan. Bishop Burgess. of the
Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Long Island; the
Rev Dr. w H. Roberts, the Rev. DR.. Frank Mason
North, the Rev. Dr. John Calvert, the Dew
DR.. Kerr Boyce Tupper, ]. Cleveland Cady and
Martin W. Littleton Borough President Of Brook
lyn.
In the absence of Mayor Mcclellan IN New-Jer-
sey Mr. LittIeton welcomed the delegates for the
city J. Cleveland Cady was the chairman for
the evening. After organ prelude there was an
Invocation by the Rev. DR.. Elmendorf. the singing
of hymn by the delegates and a prayer by Bishop
Fowler Mr.. Cady then made address.
The letter from the President read the
conclusion of Mr.. Cady's speech. and Mr. Ltueton
then made his address Of welcome He delivered
patriotic speech with several humorous quips,
which brought hearty applause from his audience
Ministers and public officers. he Informed his hear
ers much to their surprise, both work for nothing
He then proceeded to explain that public officers
get Just enough salary to corrupt weak man and
to hurnliate a strong one while ministers
constantly turning to that part of the Bible that
says something about the substance of things
hoped for and the evidence of things unseen
Mr. Littleton followed by the Rev. DR..
Charles I. Thompson. secretary OF the Board OF
Home Missions of the Presbyterian Church DR..
Robert S. Macarthur was also to speak, but he
was not present, and after DR.. Thompson's ad-
dress the meeting closed with the singing OF
hvmn and the benedction by Bishop Burgess.
The only serious criticism of the conference has
come because of the exclusion Of the Unltarians.
The governing body of that church. supposing
that IL had been intended TO invite 1t to take
mart appointed delegates. but they were Informed
that the conference was intended to include only
vanpeiicaI churches. The executive committee OF
fbn Conference was unanimous in making the de-
cision which was on the ground that many other
denominations would not consent to q conference
In which Unitarians took part. 1t Is thought
possible that the question may be brought up
before the conference