The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1913-06-26
CONVENTIONS Will
DRAW MANY WORKERS
OF CHURCH TOGETHER
Eight Great Religious Gather
lngs In Simultaneous Session
Make an Unusual Event.
BIG PROBLEMS UP WITH ALL
Lutheran, Southern Baptists, United
Brethren, Adventists and Y. NJ.
c. a. 70 Meet-Presby-
terians In Atlanta.
BIG PROBLEMS UP WITH ALL
From the Religious Rambler.

meetings, each the supreme court OF
Its body, will be in session on May 16.
All Of these are de~nominational ex-
cept the international convention OF
h Young Mems Christian association
In Cincinnati, May IL.
The United Brethren church opened
Its general conference at Decatur, Ill.,,
on May s. and is still in session. The
o~vershadowtng issue before 1t is the
question of organic union with the
Methodist Protestant church, and ia
vorable progress of the negotiations Is
expected. For several years the sub
ject OF the union Of these two bodies
with the Congregational denomination
was debated, but the negotiations fin
ally fell through.
The general synod of the Lutheran
church, the more progressive wing
sessions in Atchison, KAN, May IA.
The Seventh Day Adventists begin
their international conference one day
later, May Is, in Talsoma Park, D.. G.
The Southern Baptist convention.
Of the largest denominations in the
land, which has recently been greatly
stirred by foreign missions, %convenes
In st. Louis, May Ia. On the same
day the Baptist Woman's Missionary
union begins a simultaneous session in
the same place.
a Presbyterian get Together"
The most extraordinary of all these
important meetings is the pan-Presby-
terrain gathering in Atlanta, which
opens on May Is. Three Presbyterian
general Observation-Disclosures Presby-
terrain, Southern Presbyterian and
the same time, with al official COM
mission of the Associate Reformed
Presbyterian church sitting simultane-
ously, in recognition Of this unique oc-
casion in Presbyterian history.
Whether the split PSI as the va
rfous Presbyterian divisions have been
called. will eve get together in one
pod is the question that is now ex-
citing comment. h approaching joint
assemblies at Atlanta are simply a
get-acquainted move. There are some
who look for the reunion of the great
northern and southern churches, di-
vided by the civil war. No action in
this direction will be taken at Atlanta.
have agreed that even any talk Of
union during the Atlanta meetings will
be ill-advised. What these same lead
ers most fear fs that some impetuous
corning union that will create an awk-
ward situation. The present is dis
tinctly understood as only an occasion
for a better understanding.
Making Ono P. Out of Two P.,s.
The delicate situation which exists
between the North and Southern Pres
byterians does not extend to the South
ern and the United Presbyterians.
These two bodies have committees at
work. upon organic union, which are
expected to make favorable reports at
Atlanta. The merging of these two de-
nominations Is looked for at a com
paratively early period.
ology. Both are afraid Of the
liberal" views of the Northern
Northern Presbyterian and Cumberland
Presbyterian churches, with a large
body of the latter refusing to enter the
union, is now generally conceded to
have been premature, at least; and it
a beeI q factor In p~ostponing union
with the Southern church.
The part which laymen play in mod
ern church life is shown by the fact
tina both the Southern Presbyterian
church and the United Presbyterian
church, are notable for the fact that
their laymen's missionary work leads
that of all the denominations. Practi-
cal efficiency in service n in giving
on the party Of the laity Is even q
stronger tie than doctrinal affinity.
There may be significance In the fact
that these two denominations which
are the most conservative in theology,
are at the same time the most progress
sive In mission work.
A. Presbyterian Fracas.
The sensation" of the Northern as
sembly's meeting is the attack which
e~S DSSAA AhS1AS oPolI llC oOdlo " IIOIIl6 q
Missions in New York. A certain dis
affected minister In Colorado has filed
charges to the effect that the board
uses 65 per cent of it's income for adj
m~in1strative expenses. To this the
boaFd-makes piquant reply that If these
statements are SO it is not a commits
zion Of inquiry that is needed. but q
lunacy commission. Then it praceeds
to make reply that these figures are
secured by charging up to .~.administra-
tive expenses all the work done 8by the
social service. rural church and emf
grafton departments, which are now
the major part of the boards work.
me frontier having disappeared.
opposed to social service" has taken
up the attack on the Home board. and
mas ade common cause against it, and
against the Union Theological semi
now seeks to be restored to relations
ship with the assembly. The New
York presbytery showed Its faith ia
h Home board by electing eight Of its
mempers commissioners to the assem-
bly,; whereupon the conservative organ
charges that there is q plot on the part
OF New York presbytery, the Home
mission board and Union Theological
seminary to control the assembly and
elect Its moderator.
The two foremost candidates for tha
moderatorship are Rev. DR.. Maitland
of Pittsburgh. and Rev. Dr.
samuel Palmer. Of golumbus,f Ohio. Be-
cause Of the present acute feeling, aid
also of the attempt to identity these
men with certain parties, q dark
morse" is uncomrnonly likely.
Alter all. though, the real work Of
stnese various great gatherings is not
tGc~aeslastical politics, but the construc-
1--WE concerns OF religion.
Serious Omission.
The new millionaire's banquet table
spread and the guests were about
70 ne summoned.
Are yoE sure there are no renorterr