The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-05-16

hwy uaNt NJ tttht tuf SftSus,
said Pastor Adam. They are close
TO life In It's last analysis"
And | want TO say TO you." he
continued. that had II not been for
the Y. NJ c. A.. the first contingent
that arrived on Salisbury Plains
would have lost It's morale altogeth-
er have been a preacher. and not
very much OF Y. NJ c. A. man In
the past. but want TO tell you that
am proud to be one now. Premier
Asqulth. In conversation. just before
| left England. said: You may 20
home and say for me that the Y. Nj.
c. A. Is the greatest thing we have
In Great Britain today And David
Iloy d-George came with me 10 the
boat that brought me home. and said
To me: You may write anything you
want TO in behalf OF the Y. NJ. c. A.
and its work for the British sol
diers and I will sign IL"
And then the Rev. Mr.. Adam be-
gan the favorite pas,ime of hack
ling the church. for he raised HIM
self TO full height on the platform,
with 5000 eager listeners straining
for his every word. and declared
with emphasis: And this Is because
the church has proved unequal TO
the task"
With complete and questioning
anietude the vast audience held it's
breath while this eloquent Scotch
preacher went on in his eloquence
10 voice the prophecy that the Y. NJ.
c. A. is the beginning OF the great
united church that is 10 be.
This Canadian pastor had been
prevailed upon by John r Mott, the
general secretary OF the information
al committee. TO remain on this side
Of the ocean few days longer than
he intended. 20 speak before this
great gathering OF the men OF Amer
ica. Mr.. Adam had come home on
the money-raising mission to get
Canadian money Ia help along the \.
NJ. c A. work In the British ranks.
And | am going back with more
than $500, 600 said he. while the
Grays' armory rang with applause.
He closed this address NJ near
midnight. with his 5000 listeners
crying go on and after he had
done. everyone In the hall stood up
10 do him honor, while handker-
chiefs waved throughout the big
building. For full FIVE minutes this
enthusiastic applause Kept mp. and
the little Canadian minister had 10
stand 10 acknowledge the plaudits
Of the audience.
That was the hrst instance OF the
"heckling OF the church that has
been done in the Y. NJ c. A. meet
ings OF the past two days. And u
hasn't been all heckling. either. For
the very first speech OF the set pro
gram was by the Rev. Or. Gilksy,
OF Chicago, who declared that the
Y. VI. c. A. is but part of the
great church universal. and could
lot set itself above the church A..
elf on any proper theory OF its ex-
tsnce His contention was thai
tbe church and the. Y. NJ. c. A. ought
to work in harmony.
But the very next morning the
convention quite unintentlonally got
into a debate about the evangelical
issue that has SO often caused trou
Die in these triennial gatherings. and
one side contended for certain Is
sues ard the other contended for a
more liberal construction, the while
he Rev. Mr. Adam sat quietly on
The stage listening 10 the debate.
" hiCh finally ended in a compromise
resolution that satisfied everybody
Then Secretary Mott asked that Mr.
Adam be heard once more for 10
minutes. "a he Was about 10 leave
the city on his way back 10 Canada
and thence to the training fields OF
Salisbury Plains.
And the way this man. who t.
dealing With life in its last analysis,
~ mere ulfH nave nv NIhi' w AhtN
RES or creeds or arguments--the
way he waded into the arguments OF
the IL minutes before that were
purely brought the entire
audience 20 It's feet again in hearty
Endorsement Of his 'heckling' OF the
Creeds
What do they natter" he cried.
What do the creeds mean to the
man facing the final issues OF lifey
What to him are the sacraments OF
the church, what 10 him II even
the resurrection itself? What to
him Is the matter OF his beliefs? He
has only time 10 deal with the things
that he knows.
Let's get rid OF all the creeds.
Let's all get together on a basis OF
church union and unity that viii
make us all brethren OF the same
faith. based on the things We know,
and not on what we have got to take
on the hasis OF belief"
Thus this eloquent preacher, CON
verted from the faiths TO the gospel
OF life, by contact with men by the
thousand facing the ultimate issues
Of life. has seen the folly OF demon
nations and creeds. and has had a
vision such az was described by the