New-York tribune., 1908-01-04


movements were started during The twelve
month but a number of matters were advanced.
and among religious leaders the year is counted
TO have been one of progress
1t has been essentially missionary year. be-
cause practically all conferences and conven-
tions were pronouncedly missionary In their
outlook. OF the great conventions of the year
Il can be said that the missionary spirit pre-
dominated at all of them, Of those es-
peciaily noteworthy in this regard being the
Episcopal General Convention. the Christian
Endeavor Convention. the International Con-
vention of the Young Mems Christian Associa-
fion and the several Presbyterian assemblies
Distinctively on foreign mission lines the lay
mems missionary movement has presented the
spectacular advance of the last year. Organized
in November of 1906 a result Of the centen-
NAL celebration of the beginning Of foreign
work by American churchmen. it has been pre-
senting to gatherings Of men in Various parts
Of the United States the responsibility which
rests upon the churches for the evangelizatiou
Of the heather world.
Among the religious bodies of America the
Episcopalians had a year Of activity surpass-
ing that of most of the others, and they have
large plans for 1905 The visit of the Bishop
OF London. the celebration of three hundred
years of English Christianity in America, the
slight opening of Episcopal pulpits to men Of
other religious bodies-these some of the
things that provided leaders with work and the
country with news. There is almost an entire
cessation OF oldtime disputes between High and
Low Church. and marked increase in mission
ery zeal 1t not long ago that very large
proportion Of Episcopaans did not believe in
foreign missions. and frankly said so. That Is
changed and the year just ended saw not a lit
tie of that change, If indeed 1t did not mark the
end of il.
The big Episcopal events Of 1908 are abroad
These are the Lambeth Conference and the Pan
Anglican Congress Every ten years as many
of the bishops of the Church of England
throughout the world. and Of its allied commu-
MONS. including the Episcopal Church in Amer
.ca as can afford the. time and money go to
Lambeth Palace. on the bank of the Thames,
and there talk over Church interests The host
of the occasion is the Archbishop Of Canter-
bury.
The Pan-Anglican Congress is something new
II has no connection with the Anglican Confer
ence and does not cover the same dates. Both
will sit during the London season, however.
The great American gathering of 1908 is ex-
pected to be the first meeting of the Federal
Council of the Churches of Christ in America.
which has already been announced for the
meeting will represent the elimination of many
years work in the cause OF federation. Up to
this time there has been official federative
body representing large proportion OF me
Protestant churches Of America
1t is deemed unlikely that any definite steps
in the direction OF the organic union of denomi-
nations will be taken during the year. and it
cannot be said that the cause OF church union
was greatly advanced during 1901
hi Aarl1 l1o5-
lists principally because il saw the rearrange-
rnent Of the missionary work of the denomina-
tion which was decided upon the last gen.
erai conference The missionary administra-
tion hes been divided into two departments,
home and foreign with results that are admit
tedly unsatisfactory. Leaders are quoted as be-
lieving that matters Will adjust themselves DUR
ing this year. although the foreign mission de-
r,ar1ruent has TO enter the year with a deficit
Of SIS 0OO. caused only by the change in admin
istratfve methods The great Methodist event
of 1908 viii be the quadrennial general confer
eECe. TO meet in May.
The important matter among Congregational
.sts in 1907. other than the action on Church
>union already mentioned. was the tendency ex-
pressed at the meeting Of the national coun-
ell toward Capitalization
In the Baptist Church the year has been
marked by little that is especially of note, and
few important matters are pending. The de-
nomination is making a steady advance IN mem
bership and in missionary zeal a readJustmen1
has recently been effected of the affairs OF the
Baptist Young Peoples Union, which have been
occupying the attention of Baptist leaders for
several years The publishing interests OF the
union have been turned over 10 the denomina-
tional publishing society.
The Presbyterian and the Reformed churches
y1aaar ing
May and June, but no great questions are pro-
4ected for the meetings of these bodies in 1908.
Presbyterians have proposition for new
catechisrn TO be couched in modern language
and adapted for use in Sunday schools and
homes
The Young Peoples Missionary Movement. an
.nter1enonainational organization for the educa-
Y ton Of the young people Of all the churches IN
y missionary affairs, is TO mark the new year by
an innovation in the form of a convention, 10
be held in Pittsburg in March The movement
has maintained summer conferences at Silver
Bay and other resorts. but has not before at
tempted q city convention
The year 1897 was marked by the greatest
growth of any year in The history Of the Young
Mems Christian Association Its organizations
in North America have passed the two thousand
mark and have enrolled about half a million
members Sixty-fonr new buildings have been
occupied by associations during the year and
evidence that these building operations are TO
be continued during 1908 is given by the fact
that the associations report SI6,10o,000 in hand
and pledged for new buildings In all depart
-rer1ts OF its work The Young Mems Christian
Association is forging ahead
The close Of the first years work Of the Young
vyonen's Christian Association since the union
of all the American associations was accom-
,.,,,s,r +l,a r,-ers6euc-, NJ Grace II