The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-06-14
PAN-PRESBYTERIAN ALLIANCE
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.

Today the representatives Of the 25,0o0,
900 followers of the faith Of John Calvin
are gathering i'm New York for the ninth
annual conference of the Alliance of Re
formed Churches holding the Presbyterian
system. They are coming from every con-
unent, and from every principal country
OF the globe Ninety different denOmina-
tons, speaking d half-dOzen tongues or
more, viii be represented. Called the Pan
Presbyterian alliance for short. this great
association has succeeded in establishing
a fraternal spirit among all churches Of
GalVinlstic creed. Ii is one of the great
landmarks on the road toward Christian
unity, and seeks to have other great
faiths united as it is. 1t hopes to see ali
followers Of Wesley bound together by
similar organization, all the followers Of
Luther united in a similar way.
The conference will be the most impor
tant IN the history of such gatherings. II
VIII celebrate the four hundredth ami
versary Of the birth of John Calvin, which
occurs on July 10. Many movements have
been marked in the Presbyterian world,
movements toward a revision of creed and
toward Christian unity. There has been
great unrest in the religious life Of the
day. And the changing fields of endea-
vor, changing methods Of work, and wild
ening horizon Of Christian view, all call
for attention by the conference.
The alliance is not a legislative or a
judicial body Its powers are simply ad-
visory. It recommends only, and aims to
shape public thought in the direction Of
its recommendations. Many of the great
questions Of theological discussion of the
day viii come up for consideration. and
the announcements of the conference
thereon will be awaited with keen interest
1t will discuss "Our Lords Pre-existence, %
His Virgin Birth, - His Resurrection ~
The Newer Phases Of Evolution" and
many other questions about which the
fires of religious controversy rage today.
II there is any new or any old thing
about Calvin and Calvinism that will not
be told or retold. it will be a remarkable
circumstance; for two days will be occu-
pied with addresses on every phase of the
life and faith of the great theolOgian
Even the regrettable things in the career
of Calvin viii not be OveriOOked-such as
his part in the burning of Servetus, ac-
cused of being a hereto.
The growth of the Calvinistic churches
Of the world has been remarkable. Tween
ty years ago they had less than 26.0O0 con
gregatons; today they have nearly $1,000.
Ten years ago their annual contributions
to the work amounted to about thirty
million dollars; today their contributions
amount to about fifty million dollars. In
twenty years they have added more than
5000 ministers TO their number. and have
practically doubled their list of commu-
meant members. II will he interesting to
many to know that Calvinism has its
strongest hold in North America Nearly
20 per cent of its contributions are re-
ceived from American sources. More than
half of the followers of Calvin are found
on this continent and about 50 per cent
of the congregations embraced in the al
| lance dwell on American soil.
The story Of Calvin. founder of Pres
/ byterianism. is one of the most attractive
in all the biographies of theoloEisns. Born
in Picardy. France. on July 10, 1909 he en-
jOyed peculiar educational advantages
At the tender age of y years he was APP
nointed to receive funds from the cathe-
dral The noble family Montmors took a
I fancy to him, and gave him the same ed
ucatiOnai advantages enjoyed by their
Z own children. BY the time he was 10
| he had held two charges as eurate and
| resigned the last one in favor of his
younger brother. In 1928 his father
changed his mind about the boys career
and decided that he should become a law
/ yer. His hard study during the period
/ that followed laid the foundation Of the
/ ill-heslth that was afterward his lot. By
the time he was p he had written the IA
nous inaugural address of his friend Cor
/ upon the occasion Of his election as rec
/ tor Of the University of Paris. His orig
/ inalty Of thought did not impress tbs
/ people, and the two had to flee for theil
! lives as heretics. It is said that Calvin
/ let himself down from his window by &
rope made Of his bed sheets. and dis
/ guising himself as a vine-dresser he made
/ his escape. In 1885. at the age of n. he
! published the first edition Of his Insti.
] LuLeS OF the 0nflSLldh Religion one OF Ine
/ most remarkable productions of the Ref.
| ormation period. He afterward met Farel
| who declared he would lay the curse OF
! God upon him If he did not take up the
/ work with him.
Calvin took the call of Farel as the
| call of God. and at once enlisted in the
work that resulted in the establishment
I of the Calvauistic creed. He and Fare
worked together for two years. but they
/ became so extreme in their rule OF church
and municipality that there was rebellion
I and they were forced into exile after two
] years Of residence. The people of Geneva
very soon found out however, that they
/ could not get along without Calvin, sterr