Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-10-21
LAST SESSION.
Big Congregational Con-
ference Comes toCIoSe.
One Of Most Important in His
tory Of Denomination.
Summary Of the Business Trans
acted at Ten-Days Meeting.

Boston, oct. 2O-The National toun
cil of CONGREGATIONAL churches. ad-
iourring its fourteenth triennal con
vention tonight closed with What the
leaders of the denomination declare to
have been the most important confer
oncc in the history of the 'denomina
ton TOnght'S session concluded a
Lseries of meetings which has extended
over a period of 10 days
Two decisions in particular. in the
opinion of the leading clerical dele
safes to the council. stamp the Boston
meeting of the council as epoch max
ing 50 far as congregatiOnalism is
concerned namely the vote to cen
tralize the source of denOninationat
activity. authority and power and
secondly. the unusual number of af-
filiated Congregational societies hold
ing their annual meetings in ConneG-
tion with the councils triennia SEES
sion.
Tho Capitalization of activity. pow
or and authority was brought about
by the council vote to constitute the
members of the council the voting
members of the various affiliated so
dependent organization
The effect of this action will be to
bring the American Board of Commits
aioncrS for Foreign Missions. the Con
Gregational Home Missionary Society
and the American Missionary ASSOcia-
ton under the direct control of the
National Council This action will al
50 tend to make the individual
churches of the denomination, hereto
fore independent. answerablc to the
Council.
While d substantial maporty of the
council members favor the centraliza-
tinn plan, u considerable portion Of
the minority consider the action to be
Of a revolutionary character. These
minority members point out that when
the National Council was organized
at obcrlin. Ohio. half "A century ago.
il was determined that the council
would b" in no sense an administra-
tive body, but would exercise merely
an advisory function.
y church polity committee of ~
members will investigate conditions
ana endeavor to \cVolve a workable
plan for bringing about the proposed
contralization This committee. it is
expected will make haste slowly. ana
u" radical Transformation is lookcf
for before the next triennia council
meeting ~ Kansas City. Mo. in 1913.
Tn" centennial of the founding of
tn" American Board of commissioners
for Foreign Missions was held simul-
tane"usly fith the meetings of the
National Council and the centennial
celebration brought to Boston mis-
si"naricS of the denomination from
each of the seven seas. Thus. the
meetings Of the council were given a
world wide represent,ti,n ,o,.or
achieved before.
Other societies holding their meet
inSS at tn" same time the National
Council Was ~ session were tho Nat
innal Erotherhood the American AS
So"iation; the American Federation of
Womens State Home Missionary or
CARNATIONS; the congregational Edu
cdtioh society the congregational
HCmc Missionary Society; the Con
gregational Church Building Society;
the Congregational Sunday School and
Publishing Society. and the Congrega-
tlonal Board of Ministerial Relief
Rev. DR.. Nehemiah Boynton Of
BROOKLYN. \. Y. as moderator. pre-
sided over the deliberations of the
National Council, and the meetings