The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1909-08-04
THE CENTENNIAL
OF ORGANIZATION
OF Disciples of Christ to
be Observed
IN p|TTSDuRG, OCTOBER ll-1s
Elaborate Preparations For
CelebratiOn-PreSident
Taft Is Expected.

Elaborate preparations are being
made by the Disciples Of Christ for
the celebration Of their Centennial
this year in Pittsburg, Pa. The date,
October 11-1s, 1909, is taken from the
appearance OF "A Declaration and Ad-
DRESS" by Thomas Campbell, father OF
Alexander Campbell. September 7th,
1908, which was the first and only
publication of THE Christian Associa-
ton Of Washington. Pa an organ
ization composed of members of diff
ferent churches bent ON Christian un-
ion and missionary propaganda.
Their first church was organized in
1911 at Brush Run, Washington coun-
ty, Pa, but the year before friends of
theirs had established one in New
York City and in 1903 Barton w.
Stone. who in 1882 formed coalition
with the Campbells, had taken the
same position in Kentucky. These
forebears were to the Declaration and
Address what the Mecklenburg Dec
laration and the Boston Tea Party
were to Thomas Jefferson's immortal
document Of July Attn. 1776.
From 1912 to 1929 the Campbells
we're connected with the Baptists
But having been received without en-
dorsing the Philadelphia Confession Of
Faith and evincing no disposition 10
conform to is tenets, their relation
with the regular ministers of the de-
nomination was increasingly strained.
Originally the Campbells, Stone and
Walter Scott, who soon became a man
"a might in the movement, were Pres
bytefians, either Seceder (now Unit
ed, or regular.
The Disciples have grown West
ward with the progress of the nation,
In the United States they rank sixth
In Missouri they are first and nearly
or quite so in Kentucky, Indiana and
numerically among religious bodies.
Oklahoma. Throughout the upper
Mississippi Valley their influence is
pro. ortionate TO their membership and
they are enlisted aggressively III the
cadse of Prohibition and other re-
forms.
Pleading from the first for Christian
union and insisting that the abandon
ment of human creeds, denominatio-
al names and post-apostolic authority
and restoring the primitive church
just as the Apostles left it, would give
at once union, liberty and truth,
they seemed to be only confusion to
the sectarian strife of the day.
For hundred years they have
stood Gamaliels test. In human frail-
~ the balance between liberty and uI-
ion, the centrifugal and centripetal
forces of church life, has wavered but
has never failed. Denounced by the
other denominations as heretics and
Ishmaelites in almost every new field,
the day of their success finds them in
cordial fellowship. The Y. NJ. c. A.,
Y. p. S. c. E., International Sunday
School Association, Young Peoples
Missionary Movement and Inter-
Church Federation Council accord
their representatives full place and
power.
Five great auditoriums with aggre-
&; te seating capacity of 10000 have
been engaged by the Pittsburg Com
inittee for the parallel sessions of the
C, LIBERATION and Convention. All are
in a compact group at the entrance 10
S'.henley Park. President Taft is OK
pected TO be present and speak Sat
urday, October 10th. Among other
distinguished speakers are Congress
man Champ Clark, Ex-Congressman
John Allen, LATE Pence and 4. w.
Phillips, Judges S. A. Altman and F.
A. Henry. The meeting will be noted
for the large number of business men
attending.
Two sessions Of Tuesday, October
18th, will be exclusively for MEM.
Among these will be Theodore p.
Shonts, former head Of the Panama
Canal work, r. A. Long, President Of
the National. Lumberman's Associa-
ton; C. c. Chapman, the Orange
King of Southern California. and DR..
E. e. Montgomery, the great Phila-
delphia surgeon. Six or seven lead
ing denominations will send their
most distinguished men to speak as
| fraternal delegates.