The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-12-02
NATIONS GREATEST
CHRISTIAN BODY
FEDERAL COUNCIL Or CHURCHES
REPRESENT 1z.OOo.ov0 CHRIS
TIANS IN AMERICA
DETAILS OF MEETING
REV. HOWARD u. GRosE Will I'RE-
SIDE OVER MEETING WHICH
GATHERS HERE ON DE-
GENDER o.
DETAILS OF MEETING

Meeting OF executive committee OF
Federal Council OF Churches of Christ
in America.
The executive committee of the Fed
eral Council of the Churches of Christ
In America will hold Its annual meet
ing In the auditorium of the Young
Mems Christian Association in the city
OF Richmond. beginning on Wednes-
day, December 9, at p. III. The chair
man designated to preside at the~meet-
ing 10 Rev. Howard B. Crosse. of the
Baptist Church, who is the viee-chair-
man of the executive committee.
The executive committe of the ccun-
ell consists of about one hundred OF
the leading representatives of the
churches which compose the council,
and meets yearly, whereas the coun
. ell Itself meets quadrennialiy.
The Federal Council Is the outgrowth
Of an Interchurch Conference on Fed
Grafton held in Carnegie Hall. New
York city. in 1905. which council was
composed OF Official delegates from
thirty denominations. That conference
adopted the constitution OF the Federal
Council and transmitted II to the va
rious denominations. with the under
standing that approval OF two thirds
Of II would give IL full effect. This
approval was secured early In 1908.
and the Federal Council held It's first
meeting in Philadelphia in the latter
part OF 1908.
Authority Of the Council.
The constitution of the council spe-
: cincally states: The Federal Council
shall have no authority over the con-
stituent bodies adhering to 1t: but its
province shall be limited 10 the ex
preston of its counsel and the recon-
mending of a course OF action in mat
tiers of common interest to the
churches. local councils. and individual
Christians. II has no authority to draw
ap common creed form of gov
eminent. or of worship. or In any way
TO limit the fun autorbmy of the
Christian bodies adhering to it,
This provision OF the constitution
specifically limits the authority of the
council so that It cannot in any way
infringe upon the rights of the con-
stgtuent bodies
BASIS of Union.
The basis of the union Is indicated
By the preamble TO the constitution,
which reads as follows; I'm the pro-
violence of God. the time has come when
II seems fitting more fully to manifest
the essential oneness OF the Christian
churches OF America in Jesus Christ as
their Divine Lord and Savior. and to
promote the spirit of fellowship. SER
vic. and cooperation among them
This platform In broad enough to
include all those who believe In the
essential divinity of Jesus Christ as
Lord and Savior.
Organisatisn Of Council.
The nrst president of the Federal
Council was Bishop Eugene r. Hen
dirk. Of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
South, The second president. elected
In 1914 TO serve for four years, In Pro-
lessor Smaller Mathews. of the Baptist
Church. president Of Chicago Univer
r. n, Sanford; recording secretary. DR..
Rivington n Lord; treasurer. Mr.. AL
fred r. Kimhail. The executive sec
rotary Of the council Is DIR. Charles
s. Mcfarland and the associate sec
rotary 10 DIR, Fl. X. Carroll.
The council itself meets euadren-
nialIy and consists of about four hum
dred qualified delegates officially
elected by the various denominattonai
assemblies or other constituted author
tiles The executive committee con
ssts OF about one hundred of these
delegates. and acts for the council
between its sessions. holding annual
meetings. The executive committee has
an administrative committee holding
regular monthly meetings.
ComMissiens of the Council.
The united work undertaken by tho
council IL carried on by the follow
ing comm issions: State and local fed
erations, foreign missions. home mis-
sions. religious education. social ser
vice. evangelism family life. Sunday OBJ
seryance. and peace and arbitration.
These various commissions have regu-
lar organization with chairmen. sec
rotary and executive committee. and
the members of the various commits
sons are the picked men of the coun-
try on the various subjects for which
they are chosen.
rMmnfafwnHt n~At>n
The constituent bodies OF the council
AT present are as follows: The Baptist
Churches. North: the National Baptist
Convention fcolored), the Free Baptist
Churches. the Christian Church. the
CONGREGATIONAL Churches. the Disciples
Of Christ. tho Friends. the German
Evangelical Synod. the Evangelical
Association. tho Evangelical Lutheran
Church. General Synod. tho Mennonite
Church, the Methodist Episcopal
Church. the Methodist Episcopal
Church. South. the African Methodist
Episcopal Church, the African Metho-
dist Episcopal Zion Church. the Colored
Methodist Episcopal Church in Amer
lea, the Methodist Protestant Church.
the MoraviAn Church. the Presbyterian
Church In the United States OF America,
the Presbyterian Church In the United
states, the Primitive Methodist Church.
the Protestant Episcopal Church fCom-
Service). the Reformed Church in
America. the Reformed Church In the
United States the Reformed Episcopal
Church. the Reformed Presbyterian
Church. General Synod. the Seventh
Day Baptist Church. the United Breth-
rem Church, the United Evangelical
Church. the United Presbyterian
Church, the Welsh Presbyterian Church
These bodies represent over one hun
lred thousand ministers. one hundred
and thirty eight thousand churches,
and seventeen million communicates.
Program. for the MeetinE
The work OF the committee will be
taken with hearing reports, the pre-
sentation and discussion of the re-
parts OF the various commissions
There will be great public meeting
held on either Wednesday or Thurs
day night. December 9 or 10, at which
addresses will be made by men Of ma
tional prominence
HeadquaFtePa.
The headquarters Of the committee
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