The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-25

favor of it The principal opposition
came from the members OF the mis-
sionary societies which are affected Dy
the changed constitution providing for
the appointment of a commission on
missions with power that will result
ultimately in the uniting under the
national councils jurisdiction of the
societies.
w. r. Campbell of Boston, president
of the Educational society, spoke
against the plan of uniting the socie-
- ties.
Answering the charge of the societies
that the national council was taking
away their power, ]. A. Adams of Chi
cago said that the national council had
a right to do so.
Kansas City. Oct. 25.-Congregation-
alists throughout the nation, seven
hundred and fifty thousand strong
awaited the action of the national
council of congregational churches
which today was to decide whether it
should accept new constitution pro-
gressive in detail, containing a new
statement of doctrine, and providing
other radical changes, or should re-
ject the new document and confine it
self to the staid rock-ribbed, conser-
vative constitution adopted at the for
nation of the council, forty-two years
ago.
would accept the new instrument, but
a few of the delegates who have op-
posed it predicted a number
churches would later reject the docu-
ment and pretended to see in it's
adoption tempestuous times for the
church.
Among those who have stood out
resolutely against the adoption of the
new constitution is Governor Simeon
E. Baldwin of Connecticut, who has
Cd f11o 7ctT-r
tutional, and who has insisted there
should be a referendum by the
churches of the country before it is
adopted. In one of the public hear
ings, Governor Baldwin warned the
commission there were only two ways
of settling the question of the new con-
stitution-by revolution or referen-
dunn.
In Mexico" he said, they prefer
the revolution; L prefer the referen-
dunn"
The commission of nineteen that
framed the document is composed of
the leading lights of the Congregation
al church in America. Rev. Frank
Sanders, president of Washburn col
lege, Topeka, Kan, is chairman of the
commission and DR.. Nehemiah Boyn-
ton of Brooklyn, n. Y, retiring moder-
ator, is a member. The commission
was appointed three years ago at the
session of the national council in Bos-
ton. Since then it has labored un-
swervingly holding scores of public
meetings, getting advice from societies
and members of the church everv-
where. DIR. Sanders expressed the SEN
timent of the commission today when
he said
DIR. Sandcrs'S Views.
I'VE have tried to give the Congre-
gationalists the best document we could
frame and we believe it represents the
wishes of the great church throughout
the nation The provision of the new
constitution that has caused the most
discussion and some opposition is the
appointment of a general secretary to
serve the churches of the country in
an advisory capacity His duties are
similar to those of a bishop He will
visit the various churches and confer
with the missionary societies, and if
has been charged his influence will he
greater than that of the moderator
The appointment of a commission of
missions, to govern the missionary CO.
cieties of the church, with the ultimate
object of merging the eight oreaniza-