Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-16
join HANDS
Should Be Future Watch
word Of Observation-Disclosures
elntef-church Conference on Fed
GRAFTON Is in Session.
Object Is 10 Secure Unificadon and Single
Purpose in Work.

church conference on 1eQerdtlOn, rep
resenting "a religious bodies and num-
bering among it's members 600 dele
gates, began it's sessions, this evening,
at Carnegie hall. On the platform were
the members Of the committee among
whom were Revs. DR.. w. H. Roberts,
Frank Mason North. John B. Calvert,
William l. Haven, Joachim Elmendort,
Charles NJ. Thompson, Kerr Boyce
upper and William Hayes Ward and
Messrs. Stephen Baker and J. Cleve-
land Cady.
The chairman, ]. Cleveland Cady,
made tho opening address. After DID
ding welcome to the delegates and OUT
lining. briefly, the history OF church
federation in this ciuntry, Mr.. Cauy
said In part:
"What is to be it's future? Thought
full men who have anxiously considered
this question, saw very clearly "hen II
became a federation-not OF volunteer
and ephemeral workers, but OF ,he
great denominations and churcneS
themselves. These churches, dlfterihs
as they may in form and PROCEDURE
will be united in service ana spirit
which is, after all. the only thlnS that
greatly moves or blesses the Woriu. II
is the deep and widespread hope OF
this that has brought together TINS
great conference of the representatives
IF "a denominations having II millions
of communicates.
at is to be said, however. that this
movement has been intensified by the
sentiment of the times, organizations
to avoid waste and increase efficiency
obtain in every direction, and surely
these objects are valuable in Christian
work as elsewhere. So it has happen
ed that strong expressions have come
from all directions, calling for the
grasp of fellowship.
''Three years ago when the national
federation held it's annual conference
in Washington they were invited by
President Roosevelt to call upon him
at the White House. The large dele
cation from different sections of our
country met with a most hearty vel
come, His first exclamation as the
men gathered about him was Well
there are plenty of targets for us all
to shoot at We had hoped to have
him with u.s., this evening, to give his
Goodspeed to this body of shooters but
his recent absence from Washington
has thrown unusual burdens upon nm
and we must be content with a letter
he has sent and which the chairman OF
our executive committee, the Rev Dr.
William H. Roberts, will now read to
u.s."
DR.. william Henry Roberts then read
the following letter:
-. Oyster Bay. N. Y, July s. 1903.
NV Dear Mr.. Roberts,
Il have your letter of the seventh.
Indeed 1 remember very we'll the call
Of your delegation upon me and our
talk upon the proposed meeting of the
inter- church conference on federation.
I have the very highest sympathy with
the movement for instance, l feel that
indirectly in addition to the real good
1t will do here, it is perfectly possible
that the movement may have very
considerable effect in the christianlz-
ing of Japan which l feel to be retard-
ed by the divisions among themselves
and by the failure to recognize the fact
that the Christian in Japan must of
course assume essentially a japanese
national form. So you see l have
very real interest in what you are do
ing and only wish it were in my pow
er to attend the meeting as you re-
quest but l regret to say that it is out
of the question for me to do so. l am
genuinely sorry to have to write you
thus.
Sincerely yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
?. In the absence of Mayor Mcclellan
the president of the borough of Brook
lyn. Martin w. Littleton welcomed the
delegates to New York in a brief
speech. He was followed by Rev.
Charles l.. Thompson. The Rev. DR..
Robert Stuart Macarthur, pastor of
Calvary Baptist church. who was to
have been one of the speakers failed to
arrive.
The meeting closed with the bene-
diction by Right Rev. Frederick Bur-
CESS, bishop of Long Island diocese Of
the Protestant Episcopal church.