The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-10-23
The Editors Mail Bag
10 The Editor of The Forum:

To The Editor Of The Forum:
Sir:-The report Of the National
Council Of Congregational churches
recently held at Columbus, o., and
given by Pastor r. A. Beard. D. D.,
at the First Congregational church
Sunday morning, was particularly
interesting to the writer because of
the fact that certain changes adopt
ed were the elimination Of the
transition from too much independ-
ence and self government" in the
past, towards what some of the
speakers termed "Presbyterianized
ongregationaIism" The results ac-
scompIished were largely brought
about by the councils held in Boston
in 1910. and Kansas City, No. in
1913 when the abbreviated state
ment Of Doctrine" was adopted. The
writer was a member of these two
councils, and having been trained m
early life in 'Presbyterianism", of
course welcomed the change. DR..
Beard found great satisfaction in
visiting the Council city because it
was the scene of his early business
life as a lawyer AZ years ago. He
was interested in noting the changes
that time had wrought. 1t also gave
him the privilege Of visiting his boy
hood home, Sparta, O., where HIS
father formerly conducted an acad-
envy and where in his youthful days
DR.. Beard had attended and taught
the district school. He accepted On
invitation to preach on Sunday ami
was greeted by congregations that
overlooked the capacity Of the viii
lage church, making it necessary for
him to repeat the sermon at the even
ing service. The greetings Of former
schoolmates were hearty ard revived
pleasant memories Of years previous
to the Civil war. DR.. Beard repre-
sented North Dakota as a member
of the Business Committee" Of the
Council, and as such, was prevented
from attending many Of the sessions
and meetings of the various mission
airy societies, but from such as he
attended he CLEANED the following
for the information Of his congrega-
ton:
Whereas formerly. the American
Board Of Foreign Missions and the
six other national societies had been
organized by individuals and were
administered independent Of and
held their annual meetings at a diff
ferent time and place from the Ma
tional council. now, they are ad-
ministered by representatives Of the
bers Of that centralized body and
hold their annual meetings at the
same time and place, thus securing
a larger representation from their
constituency. In this particular es-
pecially, independently" is giving
way to Fellowship" in service and
consequently greater efficiency.
| The address of the retiring mod
orator, Hon. H. NJ. BeardsIey Of Kan
| sas City on Testing the Gospel in
| the Twentieth Century struck the
| Keynote of the council, and IS
published in full in The Advance,
Chicago.
The Council sermon was preached
| by Rev. Charles S. Mills, d. D., Of
MontcIair, n J.. the president of the
| Home Missionary society. DIR. Mills,
now one of the big men of Congre-
gationalism" was in 1888 a student
missionary at Melville and Pingree
and in 1889 at Cando. N. D., where
| he hauled the first load of stone some
five miles or more for the foundation
| of the church.
| DIR. Beard spoke of the extension of
1.-THE work of the American Mission
ary Association" in the southern
| states and referred to its treasurer,
| Irving c, Gaylord. as having been
/ one of the first members OF this
church in Fargo. Recently a petit
| ton has been received from Pastor
Edmands of an Independent Pres
byterian church, for the organiza-
| ton Of q Congregational church,
which the petitions styled as For
ward Looking People, DR.. Beard
sees in the standardized Greed of
| ongregationalism" a means Of pro-
ducing a better understanding and
| closer fellowship in state confer
ences, local associations and indi-
vidual churches. in six essential
features.
Fargo, Oct. %.
Eben E. Saunders