The Washington herald., 1913-10-26

gregatonaI Council. now in session IL
Kansas City, include the Rev. ]. w.
FrizzeH. Phi. D.; Norton N. Little. and
J. II. BIodgett.
The Rev. DIR. ]. B. Clayton will preach
at the Ingram Memorial Church ON Sun
day morning. taking as his subject "The
other Little Ships On sunday might
at o'clock the Rev. Mr.. Pennyman,
I OF Beloit Wis, will preach.
The gymnasium classes at Ingram
Memorial Church have opened with
great interest and unusual attendance.
| At the First Congregational Church
the second evening with the choir" viii
be given Sunday, with the following pro-
gram: Organ prelude, "Fantasie in F''
CIV. T. Best); chorus, Unfold Ye Por.
tails tGounod); trio, soprano, alto, and
tenor, Protect Us Through the Coming
Night tNieolaO). Mrs. Smart, Miss
Smith, Mr.. Ogden; chorus. Far from
My Heavenly Home" CHouseley); So
prano solo and chorus, infamatus from
the stabat Mater RossinD, offertory;
organ solo. Mr.. Taber, Romance
N.Y. Sodr' (Houseley); bass solo. Mr.
Humphrey. MY Task" ashford
chorus. And the Glory Of the Lord
tHandeD; organ postlude, ''Torchlight
March" (GuiImant.
At the morning service the musical
numbers win include professional by
chauvet, anthems. Gloria" from the
twelfth mass tMozarD; and offertory,
The Lord Is My Rock" (wooduanD:
quartet Mrs. Smart. Miss Smith. Mr.
Ogden, Mr.. Humphrey Lead Kindly
Light OHouseleyl; organ prelude By
Guilmant
The Rev. Lewis E. Perdum, assistant
pastor. will preach at the morning serv-
ice. his subject being Feeding the
Hungry"
The National Council of the Congrega.
tional Churches in the United States, now
in session at Kansas City, Mo-, has
before 1t questions Of administration,
organization and policy which have an
important bearing upon the denomina-
tons future The report OF the commit
tee OF nineteen on new constitution and
a new creed will be presented. and the
whole proposition involves the adoption OF
a more central form of government in
stead of the very loose form now held.
The questions OF general executive OFF,
Ger with larger powers and of yestins
-the president OF the council with greater
authority will be settled.
The national council has only an ad.
visory function and its authority is a
moral one, as it cannot lay on the
churches il represents any obligatory
duties But for some time the tendency
toward the Capitalization of administra-
tive and supervisory functions in the ma
ltional council has been quite noticeable.
Although Congregationaifsm dates from
the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers at
Plymouth, Mass, in Is20, it was not until
1865 that Congregational churches began
-. SrNL-
local church independency had been SO
strong as to preclude any thought of de-
veloping bond OF organized union. Al
some point in every century since the
beginning at Plymouth an effort has beer
made to get together the churches In
some form of mutual control and direc-
tion, but with little success. In the early
part of the eighteenth century a move
ment was started in Massachusetts, assi
tion of ''co-associations'' that still sur
-rivc Uufy IN the latter SIaJe-
But in 1855 the national council was or
canized at Boston. Each council since
then has done something to create a new
atmosphere and to develop a larger
consciousness of responsibility in the de-
nomination. But again in Boston in 1915
a definite attempt was made at reorgani-
zation and to secure combined meeting
of the council and the various societies
A commission of nineteen was appointed
TO prepare a constitution and revise the
creed.
Questions of Importance to come before
the national council include larger and
more uniform salaries for ministers, bet
ter provision for aged and retired min
listers and widows Of ministers, the social
and industrial problems of the day. tenn
perance and the observance of the Sab
bath, immigration and Christian itera-
ture, and a more compact and eo-opera-
tive union among all Congregational
churches
The greatest interest will center in the
proposed constitution and creed. There
is a division of opinion whether the
council can do more than to receive the
report of the commission Of nineteen.
discuss ii. modify the constitution, and
then direct the local churches to do so.
In some quarters the request is being
made for a referendum. on the ground
that authority should come from the
churches. and that each local church
should act on the constitution and pass
its decision up TO the national council
The new creed to be approved Is not
like the strictly doctrinal statements of
churches of the Episcopal and Presby-
teriaI orders. There are no theological
dennitiOnS IN H. IL Is set forth as
practical adequate expression of Chris
tian faith as held by the Congregation
alists IL is a simple statement of faith
in God, in Christ. and in the Holy Spirit,
and in the mission of the church.
Congregational churches are more in
than those of other names.
But the new constitution is to put some
emphasis on collectivism by its refer
ences to fellowship of the churches ex-
pressed through district, State. and ma
tionaI organization. However, the con-
stitution declares allegiance TO the
autonomy Of the local church and assures
its freedom from ecclesiastical control
This denomination has long since passed
in its growth beyond the boundaries OF
New England 1t has made rapid growth
In the West, where some of the strong
est churches and finest church buildings
are of this denomination of the Ply
mouth. Pilgrims. The first foreign mis-
sionary organization ~of America came
from this body. 1t has under its control
six theological seminaries and over a
score Of colleges Ten auxiliary organiza-
tons, three Of them composed of women,
care for the varied worldwide and coun-
try-wide interests of the denomination.