The Washington herald., 1912-11-03
IN TIE RELIGIOUS WORLD
The Trend q THINGS

The Trend q Things
Prof Charles r. Hsnderson. OF the Uni
versity Of Chicago. recently sailed from
New York for India. where he win serve
80 lecturer on the Barrows foundation
N that country. Japan. Ceyion and
China. His lectures, which deal with
the application Of Christian ideals to
practical problems" are in memory OF
Rev John Henry Bafrowa. Prof. Hen
derson 10 the ,ird lecturer to be ap-
pointed: the others were Dr. Marcus
Dods. of Edinburgh. and the late Presi-
dent Charles cuthbert Hall. Of Union
Seminary. Prof. Henderson II not only an
able student In the field Of social service
and allied interests. but renders prac-
tical help in community affairs. ~ Illus
trated in his service on the Chicago Vice
Commission. and .as secretary Of the
more recently appointed one on unem-
ployment. 1t Is understood that upon
his return to the United States he will
give substantially these same lectures
for number Of American universities.
One. Of the most interesting religious
phenomena Of the times 10 the extraor-
dinary Hberality OF a number Of Jewish
philanthropists to Christian enterprises
says the Continent. Two prominent Jew
ish citizens of Chicago-Julius Rosenwald
that region. Mr.. Rosenwsld gives muntfi-
Gently to the Young Mems Christian As
ISOLATION. which il in the strctest sense
. Protestant enterprise. and Mr.. Pam
Is the chief benefactor at present Of the
Catholic University at Notre Dame at
South Bend, Ind. And the thing pecu-
liarly significant about the gifts Of both
Of these men IL that their crossing Of
religious lines cannot be In any sense at
tributed to religious indifference. for both
are men Of unmistakable instincts for
religion. Though Jews themselves. they
clearly see that Christianity Is the only
form OF religion bound to tell in this
country. and therefore they put their
force behind IL. Their attitude toward
these questions 10 perhaps very much
the same as that of Oscar Straus, Of
New York. who accepted it as perfectly
consonant with his own feelings when
the convention which nominated him for
Governor OF his State sung as an express
sion of its reform fervor that most EN-
phatic Christian hymn, Onward. Chris
tian Soldiers"
The Baptist denomination in the North
has followed the lead of Presbyterian.
Methodist. Unitarian. Episcopal, and
Congregational by appointing a social
service representative to stand for its
enthusiasms in social reform. The new
BAPTIST secretary is DIR. Samuel Zane
Batten. DIR. Batten has well won this
honor from his church by his vigorous
zeal In drawing Christian attention TO
the social meaning of the gospel in the
present critical age. First as a pastor.
then as a college professor in Lincoln.
Nebr.. and Des Moines. Iowa, DR.. Bat
ten has spoken and written with con-
vincinR intensity on current social prob
lens. He has served also as the volun-
teer secretary Of the denominations So
cial service commission. This commits
sion. however. and the brotherhood
council OF the denomination both SOIL
cited the Northern Baptist Convention
to elevate this secretaryship to the level
OF the executive positions Of the benev-
olent boards. The convention acceded
and directed the Baptist Publication So
ciety to create new department with
such secretary in charge. The choice
of DR.. Batten for the office naturally
followed. Besides giving his time 20 the
general promotion of social service DR..
Batten will serve as the national sec
retary Of the Baptist brotherhood.
Episcopalians have taken a long step
forward educationally in the appoint
ment of Rev. William E. Gardner as
general secretary OF the General Board
of Religious Education. This recently
formed organization undertakes to cor
relate the agencies already at work in
behalf OF better Sunday school ins,ruc-
tion in the different dioceses and de-
of ~
throughout the United States. They
will still be left free to work out their
own plans. but greater uniformity and
larger results will be secured through
relation to a central clearing house OF
ideas. So general is the desire in all
parts of the country for more effective
work in the Sunday school that at the
last general convention steps were taken
to give the movement official standing
and direction. Mr.. Gardner. who takes
the Office which has just been created.
was formerly a rector In Cambridge.
Mass. and OF late has been the secre-
tary OF the New England Department of
the Board of Missions. He Is a born
teacher winning speaker and an ar
dent champion of missions. He has al
ready proved his ability and his desire
to do team work with workers in other
The Federal Council. in which are
Joined thrty-two Protestant bodies
meets every four years. Its second
quadrennial meeting will be held in
Chicago at the beginning of December
and will be utilized to show forth
Christian unity in practice. For eight
days the sessions will be given up to
federated methods Of work. to pres
entation of the plan to form a peace
league Of ministers Of America. Great
Britain and Germany. to results at
tanned for social service. and to digests
Of the exhaustive surveys that have
been made in what used to be the home
missionary States between the Missis-
sippi River and the Pacific coast.
There Is forming, to be completed by
that time, federation Of the volunteer
organizations. to prevent overlapping.
and a directory Of them will be issued
after the quadrennial meet
ing.
Since the end OF the Men and Religion
Movement forty-seven federations, some
State and some city. have been formed
and have come into touch with the
council.
One .of tha fp,nortant meetings to he