The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-11-22
Delegates to Represent TO-.
600, 900 Protestant Com
municantS.
SESSIONS IN PHILADELPHIA
PLAN TO FORM GREAT COOPER.
ATING COUNCIL OF TWENTY.
SEVEN DENOMINATIONS At
MEETING IN DECEMBER.

Philadelphia, Pa. Nov. 2f.-Repre.
senting aO,0OO0Oo of communicates in
twenty-seven religious denominations.
more than 100 delegates will assemble
in this city December ., TO participate
in the federal council of the Churches
of Christ in America.
This meeting is regarded as the
greatest and most representative gath
ering in the history of Protestant
Christianity in this country. Its
members have been chosen by the
highest adjudicatory bodies in the de-
nominations to be represented,
Among them will be more than thir.
ty bishops, many presidents of univer.
stiles and colleges, some OF the most
noted collegians and preachers in the
country. officers in mission boards and
other departments of church work and
large number of laymen of promi-
nence. Nearly all those who have
been appointed have signified theirs
intention of coming to the council.
The sessions of this representative
body will continue until December s.
For the prosecution of work that
can be better done in union than in sep
aration"-this is the expressed purpose
of the meeting, which is unique I'm
character and which is regarded as cer-
tain to prove historic in the annals OF
American Professionalism. II aims
through counsel and cooperation TO
avoid the two great faults OF Profess
antism. overlapping and overlooking"
and one of its principal purposes is to
organize the Protestant churches in
this country so that every section shall
be directly under the supervision OF
Protestant influence.
To Perfect Church System.
At the same time 1t is expected to eff
feet an organization that will prevent
! the establishment and maiutenance of
too many protestant churches in a Civ
en- locality. An effort will be made
to perfect a system as thorough and ex-
act as the parish system of the Roman
Catholic church.
The federal council is the outcome
of the interchurch conference. held in
New Yok in 1905. which adopted the
plan of federation. and set this year
as the date for its first convention.
Purposes Of Council.
During its deliberations the councn
will consider. among other things,
ways and means of effecting the fol.
lowing specific purposes:
/. To express the fellowship and
catholic unity of the Christian church.
. To bring the Christian bodies OF
America into united service for Christ
and the world.
3. To encourage devotional fellow
ship and mutual counsel concerning
the spiritual life and religious activi-
| ties of the churches.
4. To secure larger combined in-
fluence for the churches of Christ In
all matters affecting the moral and So
cial condition Of the people. SO as to-
| promote the application of the law ot
! Christ In every relation of human life.
| 5. To assist in the organization of
| local branches of the Federal Council
| to promote its aim in their communi-
/ ties
Following are the denominations
which will be represented
1 Baptist. Christian Connection. Cons
gregational. Church of the Disciples.
/ Evangelical Association. Evangelical
German Synod. Free Baptist. Society
of Friends. Evangelical Lutheran,
Mennonite, Methodist Episcopal. Meth
odist Episcopal South. African Meth
odist Episcopal. African Methodist
Episcopal Zion. Methodist Protestants.
Moravian. Presbyterian church In tho
United States. Protestant Episcopal,
Primitive Methodist, Reformed church
| in America, Reformed Church in the
! United States. Reformed Presbyterian,
Seventh-Day Baptists. United Breth-
rem. United Evangelical, United Pres.
| byterian and Welsh Presbyterian
churches.
The Rev. DR.. William II. Roberts.
former moderator of the Presbyterian
General Assembly is chairman of the
executive committee of the council