St. Louis, 1903. It was voted, That there be appointed by this Council a committee of five members on a Congregational exhibit at the World's Fair to be held in St. Louis, Mo., in 1903, celebrating the Centennial of the Louisiana Territorial Purchase; that they be empowered to make such a display of Congregational memorabilia, methods, and work as may seem best, and also to provide for Congregational headquarters at said exposition. Later the committee was appointed as follows: Rev. Cornelius H. Patton, of Missouri; Rev. Morton Dexter, of Massachusetts; Rev. Charles M. Sheldon, of Kansas; Lucien C. Warner, of New York; Rev. William A. Waterman, of Indiana. Lawlessness. Rev. George W. Henderson, of Louisiana, offered a resolution on lawlessness, which was adopted: The National Council of the Congregational Churches now hold ing its eleventh session, Portland, Me., viewing with deep solicitude the growing spirit of anarchy, the prevalence of mob violence, and the disposition of unauthorized and illegal bodies of men to inflict punishment without due process of law, not infrequently confounding the innocent with the guilty, and adjudging the death penalty to light as well as to serious offences, and realizing that these evils have become so great as to constitute a serious menace to orderly government and a reproach to our Christian civilization, declare: 1. That this spirit of lawlessness, with its grave consequences, is no longer local but, in a greater or less degree, is manifesting itself in all parts of the country; that the crime of lynching is not a question of race but of humanity, and is, therefore, the concern of the whole country. 2. That we especially commend the spirit of the law of Ohio, which makes communities wherein life has been sacrificed by the action of mobs liable for damages, and the clause in the constitution now before the people of Alabama for ratification, which holds sheriffs to a stricter accountability for the protection of their prisoners; and that the courageous and noble conduct of Gov. Lougino, of Mississippi, and of Gov. Candler, of Georgia, in their efforts to suppress the crime of lynching, commands our heartiest admiration and profoundest respect. 3. That we earnestly appeal to the press and the pulpit and the bar, and to law-abiding citizens everywhere, North and South, East and West, to aid actively and vigorously in creating and sustaining a public sentiment which shall brand lynching as a crime, and hold up lynchers to social scorn and ostracism and to public reprobation. It was Voted, That a committee, of which Rev. Philip S. Moxom, of Massachusetts, be the chairman, be appointed to express to Dr. Peter Paul Waldenstrom the regret of the Council that it could not hear him, and our greetings to Ambassador W. W. Thomas and the Swedish churches. Later the committee was completed by the appointment of William H. Strong, of Michigan, and Rev. Frank N. White, of Iowa, who reported as follows: The National Council receives with gratification the greetings of the Swedish churches conveyed by Rev. Dr. Waldenstrom, and deeply regrets that circumstances prevented his personal presentation of these greetings. The Council also accepts with pleasure the greetings of the Hon. W. W. Thomas, United States Ambassador at the Court of Swedena native of this city—and hereby instructs the Moderator and Secretary of the Council to express both to Mr. Thomas and to the Swedish churches represented by Dr. Waldenstrom its hearty goodwill. Enrichment of Worship. A minute on the enrichment of worship was approved and referred to a committee, who were later appointed as follows: Rev. George R. Merrill, of Minnesota, J. W. Platner, of Massachusetts, Rev. Joseph H. Chandler, of Wisconsin, Waldo S. Pratt, of Connecticut, Rev. William B. Chamberlain, of Illinois. At a meeting of about fifty, who were interested in the subject of the enrichment of the public worship of our Congregational churches, it was moved and carried, that a provisional committee be appointed to consider this matter further, and to request the business committee of the National Council for a place for this subject at our next National Council, and also for the appointment of a committee on the subject. EDWIN W. BIshop, Secretary of the Meeting. Year-Book. The committee on Year-Book made a report, which was adopted. Report on the Massachusetts Memorial. The Committee to which was referred the memorial from the General Convention of Massachusetts, having carefully considered its requests, begs leave to report,— (1) That in its judgment the names of Sunday-school superintendents should not be dropped from the Year-Book, but a place be found for them in a list arranged alphabetically by States at the end of the returns. (2) That inasmuch as the Secretary of the Council has a plan for presenting the benevolence of the churches which covers the request contained in the memorial, the committee needs only to suggest that the working out of that plan in its details be left to him. (3) That the proposal to secure reports from the treasurers of our various societies being experimental in its character, the future alone can determine its value, and that the registrars of the associations of the different States be therefore advised to employ such measures in obtaining their reports as in their judgment may seem wise and necessary. Respectfully submitted, The committee on polygamy offered a resolution, which was adopted : Resolved, That this Council urges upon the Congress of the United states careful consideration of the question of the submission to the various state legislatures of an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, declaring polygamy a crime against the national government. Resolved, That the moderator and secretary of this Council be a committee whose duty it shall be to communicate the previous resolution to the Congress of the United States, and to endeavor to secure action thereon. CHAS. A. HULL. F. E. BIGELOW. A. H. PLUMB. W. H. THRALL. John Robinson Memorial Church. The committee on the John Robinson Memorial Church reported as follows: We recommend that this Council be represented by a delegate at the ter-centenary celebration of the church in Gainesborough in 1902, and in view of the fact that a debt of one thousand pounds is still resting on the church, that we renew the indorsement of this church with a request for aid from the American churches. Later Rev. George R. W. Scott, of Massachusetts, was appointed. Rev. Leavitt H. Hallock, of Minnesota, discussed the topic, The Child and the Church. Papers. 2 Rev. Henry A. Schauffler, of Ohio, read a paper on Foreign Elements in American Civilization; and Rev. J. C. Armstrong, of Illinois, on City Evangelization. 3 Congregational Home Missionary Society. 4 Rev. John D. Kingsbury, of Massachusetts, spoke for the Congregational Home Missionary Society. merican Missionary Association. 5 Rev. Frank P. Woodbury, of New York, spoke for the American Missionary Association. Manual. Rev. Thomas Chalmers, of New Hampshire, continued the discussion of the topic, The Child and the Church, and introduced the following resolution, which was adopted: Whereas, a large section of the church appears to feel the need of some recognized manual for the use of pastors or parents in the Christ an instruction of our youth, Resolved, That a committee be appointed, a majority of whom 1 2 3 Page 293. 4 Page 374. 5 Page 378. shall be pastors, whose duty it shall be to prepare such a manual for the consideration of this Council at its next meeting. Later there were appointed Rev. Williston Walker, of Connecticut, Rev. Nehemiah Boynton, of Michigan, and Rev. Frank L. Goodspeed, of Massachusetts. Congregational Church Building Society.1 Rev. Levi H. Cobb, of New York, spoke for the Congregational Church Building Society. Amendments.a Two amendments to the Constitution, proposed in 1898, were adopted : Ist. That Section II., Article 4, be amended by striking out the words "such representatives having the right of discussion only." 2d. That in Section III., Article 1, there be added, "The moderator is expected to open the Council immediately following the one at which he is elected with an address on a subject to be selected by himself." Memorial. 3 The committee to prepare a memorial of Rev. Henry A. Hazen made a report, which was adopted. Comity, Federation, Un ty.4 The committee on comity, federation, and unity made a report, which was accepted, and the following recommendation was adopted: That the propositions approved by the Council of 1898, on Federation of Churches, be again referred to a committee, the members of which shall be chosen with a view to their being able to give time and attention to carry out those plans, as far as may now be found practicable; and that such committee be requested to provide that proposals for federation, such as has proved so advantageous in Great Britain, be made to other Christian denominations in this country, either through their own initiative, or through the National Federation of Churches and Christian Workers, or such other agency as may seem available to accomplish this object. The committee was appointed later, as follows: Rev. William Ward Hayes, of New York; R. E. Jenkins, of Illinois; Rev. Elias B. Sanford, of New York; Rev. William H. Warren, of Michigan; Page 406. 3 Page 148. Page 149. Page 383 |
