THE OMAITA DAILY BRK : SATURDAY , .TUNE 9 , 1894-TWELVE PAGES.
CONGREGATIONAL MISSIONS
it ( Continued from Fifth Fuse. )
'Ah ' , brethren , there are sacrificial values
in these Plymouth walls that can never bo
'
put down upon paper. Ai "Little Round
tTop" will ever bo sacred to the nation's
) icart , because It was bought with blood ,
DO wo love the very stones ot our church
i because the oil of sacrifice has consecrated
them. Sacrificial service Is costly , but It
pays. The fruit of It Is love , joy , peace ,
' new power for service nnd a now under
standing of the heart of Christ. We have
made but n beginning. God litu helped us
to toy good foundations , Christ himself bo
ll Ing the chief corner stone. The church has
II splendid possibilities , and "Ho who has led
'
, wlll lead. "
FIFTY YEARS OF CHURCH BUILDING.
Dr. Ell Corwln of Chicago was next In
troduced , and spoke as follows : With glad
ness and gratitude wo now come , in this
uuccesslon of festivals , In this grand proccs-
tlon of jubilee anniversaries , to the taberna
cles. I am asked by the national and local
officers of the society I represent to talk to
you of fifty years of church building In the
Hut there was very little of Congregational
church building anywhere In these great In
terior states forty years ago. It had been
the habit of the Congregational lamb to ful
fill the ancient prophecy by meekly lying
dawn Inside of the capacious maw of the
Presbyterian lion. But somehow the west
ern variety of mutton was so very tough , or
the lamb was so wild and wooly that It did
not ngrcc with the lion's digestion , and BO It
happened that Jonah-like It was cast out ,
and It has managed to frisk about so lively
ever slnco that It scorns little likely ever
again to be taken In. ( laughter. )
Our church building society , founded In
1853 , Is hardly more than forty years old.
For the new Impulse was given to Congre
gationalism In the west at the celebrated
Albany convention In September of 1852. A
crisis In Congregationalism had conic ; and
it was felt that It would live In full force
and thrive In the west pnly as It should
assert Itself mere vigorously and adopt a
more aggressive policy.
Henry C. IJowen , who , at the head of a
Brent silk houcc In New York City , had been
threatened with that weapon of barbarism ,
the boycott , by the south because of his
anti-slavery sentiments , and who bravely
replied : "My silks are for bale , but not my
principles , " had sent a letter to the conven
tion In which he offered to give $10,000
toward a fund of $50,000 for building Congre
gational churches at the west If" $10,000
ehould be raised at the cast for that pur
pose. That offer , read at a critical point In
the deliberations , was the keynote to the
great march of Congregationalism across
the continent.
Mr. Uowen's offer kindled the greatest en
thusiasm. Dr. Leonard Ilacon rose In that
convention and while expressing some doubt
of their ability to raise so large a sum In
the required time was prudent enough to
niovo that If there should be any small sur
plus over and above the proposed $50,000 It
should be expended upon the needy fields of
New York. The result of the appeal to the
New England churches on the first Sunday
in January , 1853 , was over $ C2,000. The
surplusage of $12,000 was divided between
thirty churches at the east ; 12 In New
lYorlc , 10 In Maine , 3 In Vermont , 3 In Massa
chusetts and 2 In Now Hampshire , while the
150,000 was divided at the west , aiding In
. .Wisconsin churches , In Illinois 39 , In
Michigan 32 , In Iowa 31 and In Ohio 30.
and the remnant was divided between ten
or fifteen churches In other western states.
In all 225 churches were built and the aver-
ngo aid received by each was $275.
The report of the society up to the -close of
1S93 shows that from 1S53 to 1S93 there had
been 171 churches built In Nebraska at a
cost of $109,000 , and 55 parsonages built
in the state at a cost of $19,000 ,
and that In the entire coun
try there had been aid rendered In the
building of 2,500 churches and 500 parson
ages. If Instead of having our heads on
the right way and facing the future , our
beads were turned and we were looking
backward and building backward , this soci
ety has helped to build churches and parson
ages enough to make one a year from the
'dedication of Solomon's temple until now ,
and to have made a goncrous contribution to
that. Does any other Investment pay so
, well ? Doubtless a barn filled with God's
spirit and In which there Is a consecrated
preacher Is better than a temple , ever so
gorgeous , If the service Is only an empty
form. But what when the temple Is filled
.with God's glory and Is a power house for
the generating of the mightiest spiritual
forces ?
Civilization may survive for a llttlo In
the shack , the shanty or the dugout , If a
refined and cultured family Is dwelling there.
Cut tlieso discomforts are not aids and ac
cessories to civilization , but hindrances that
tend to barbarism. So , too , the semblance
of church llfo may bo maintained' a
while amid the most adverse surroundings ,
but these are always hindrances and never
real helps to Individual piety or to church
growth.
Happily this society has llttlo to fear from
ecclesiastical controversies. The conflicting
creeds of Christendom worry It far less than
the monstrous greeds of Christendom. It
is affected far less by loose notions than by
the tightness with which men hold on to
tholr money. They take care on business
principles that none but sound timber and
well burned brick shall go Into any struc
ture and that there shall bo no daubing with
untempered mortar. Every door Is ortho
dox that Is broad enough to let In the people
ple , and every window that lets In the light.
, Wns that a symbol of the limitations of the
old dispensation or was It defective church
architecture when Solomon made for the
house of the Lord windows of narrow lights ?
Who can overestimate the educating In
fluence of the well proportioned temple and
of these heavenward pointing spires , those
silent monitors of an unseen city ? . They
are eloquent reminders to a gainsaying and
gain-getting people that there are better
things to think of than the whirling wheels
of our manifold Industries and better In
vestments to bo made than In city corner
lots. Why , Mr. Moderator , there are so-
called Christian people over yonder who
would not bo nblo to repeat moro than a
single passage of scripture , and that only
with a misplaced punctuation "Romcm-
ber Lots , wife ! " ( Laughter ) .
Pre-eminently true was It of the evangeli
cal typo of religion which formalists In
derision called Puritan till Its adherents
shod such luster upon It as to rescue It from
all odium , that. It was constructive , Puri
tanism In Its stormy birth and Its turbulent
Infancy , rocked In the cradle of persecution ,
over the prldo and glory of these who sought
war upqn formalism , and with heroic forti
tude resisted oppression. Persecuted Into
pioneering. It pushed out over the border
lines of civilization that It might plant Its
standard In the wllderno's. nut It was
over the prldo and glory of those whosought
to restore In Its purity the primitive faith , to
bo reckoned among the working forces of
this world's mighty builders. Not restless ,
transient and nomadic. It aimed at per
manent results. It carried with It Institu
tions : the church with Its settled pastor ,
the school and the college , It organized
with reference to a long campaign. Wherc-
ever It planted a standard It was ready
to erect a fortress around It It looked well
to the outposts , but It aimed to maka them
the centers of aggression , Hover to bo re
taken by the enemy. It dreaded not to
I ; domicile the desert , If by spiritual culture
* ' It might bo made to blossom as the rose.
It would patiently and firmly lay the founda
tions wherever It might establish a city
whoso builder and maker Is God. Not con
tent to run hither and thither , scratching
over the surface and with shallow sowing
and the slightest culture , hoping for a vol
unteer crop. It takes up Its claim to fence
and to build upon It , to subsoil and thor
oughly cultivate the ground , that It may se
cure the largest and most lasting results.
When the Integrity of the. nation was at
stake , no man could call himself a patriot
who. refusing to Imperil his own life , was
indifferent to the needs of those who went
down to the front.
And how can men of wealth In our
churches claim either piety or patriotism
who care not for the struggles and the
suffering of those who as pioneers are In
the forefront of the battle to conquer this
whole land for Christ ? Wo may hasten the
dawn of the mlllenlal day If wo will , but
only when wo have honestly consecrated
ourselves and our substance to the Lord , and
IIAVO to count the wealth of the world as
the cUttcrlng diamond dust cut up
by the whirling chariot wheels ot our coming
King. ( Applause ) .
SICUIT.\UV CHOATK'H i'Ai'iit.
Homo Mmlom for the Snko of America
A lily 1'rcnoiitoil.
The paper of Ilev. Washington Choato ,
D.I ) , of Chicago was on "Homo Missions
for the Sake of America. " Ho said , In
substance : '
On the pages of the Home Missionary
Magazine , bearing date April , 1S5G , stands
this record :
"Another name has now been added to
the llct of states and territories occupied
by this society. The Homo Missionary
standard has been planted In Nebraska. At
Omaha City the banner of the cross Is
already unfurled , and other posts await the
advance of that peaceful army whoso tri
umphs are for freedom and for what inakoi
freedom good. One missionary has gone
to Nebraska. " Ilev. Reuben Gaylord had
entered Omaha. This First church , which
now welcomes Its mother and the mother
of moro than 4,000 others , In her first step
out Into the great field of her labors ; this
church , become strong with the Christian
llfo which It had gathered and trained ,
standing In the heart of a great city which
has grown up around It , with a 'Sisterhood
of nearly half a score In this metropolis
of an empire state this church this city
this state may not Inaptly ) > viewed In
their beginnings , growth , transformations
and development as type and Illustration
of the field and the labor and the fruitage
of Congregational Homo Missions for the
sake of America. If you seek a monument ,
look about you.
In July , 1851 , Omaha consisted of one log
house. Two score years Inter the outpost
settlement has become the city of 110,000
people , with every Institution that belongs
to our civilization commercial , Industrial ,
educational , benevolent , philanthropic , re
ligious.
Contrast in thought that frontier village
In Its temporary homes , Its Irregular , deep-
rutted roadn , the pralrlo tchooners crossing
yon river on the "lone tree" ferry , the
open vista In every quarter of the horizon
out upon the measureless plains , the newly
gathered congregation of our first mission
ary , meeting In the legislative building of
the territory where was organized the fir t
church In Nebraska of nine members ; con
trast all that with this edifice which adorns
a beautiful city , sanctuary of a church that
has become the mother of others and the
benefactor of many , the contracted vision
from these streets lined with massive
business block" , the almost Immeasurable
traffic moving east and west over the bridge'
spanned river and hold these contrasted
views In mind as typo of n transformation
that has taken place in form , If not In de
gree , nt more than 15,000 points between
the Hudson river and the Pacific since the
organization of the American Home Mis
sionary society sixty-eight years ago.
The hamlet has become .trie metropolis.
The territory has taken on statehood. The
one church , dependent on eastern sympathy
and benevolence , has become the group of
nearly half a score In this city , while In
the state are almost 200 of the pilgrim faith
where noble men have wrought , molding
the peoples gathering here Into a citizenship
worthy of the state and nation , shaping the
social and educational Institutions , opening
fountains ot Christian Influence and benefi
cence whence shall flow forth In all coming
time , and with augmenting force , streams
of Inspiration and benediction and ennoble
ment that shall bless the land , and through
It the world. Here Is a type tangible , visi
ble , almost measurable of the work that has
engaged this society since Its formation. It
has been laying foundations and rearing the
structure of a Christian civilization In city ,
town , and hamlet ; among the mines , on the
prairie and In the forests , on the mountain
side and In the valley , In all these now
great , prosperous , growing commonwealths.
This has been the labor and the reward of a
host of true , self-denying , heroic men and
women , living and tolling under the com
mission of this society.
Congregational Home Missions for the sake
of America have a significant and special
ized meaning today. Wo meet for the first
time under the name which we love and
honor for the history that clusters about It.
Wo meet at the almost central point of our
great national territory. The name declares
the form of llfo and organization that has
grown from the seed planted at Plymouth
275 years ago , and which we hold to bo In
closest accord with the genius of the nation.
We would Institute no Invidious comparisons
between ecclesiastical organizations that are
working together for the one end. But , in
the factor of a citizenship in the nation and
a membership in the church trained In each
Individual to highest Intelligence and largest
responsibility and truest self-direction , wo
discern an accord of spirit and genius that
constitutes 'a deep motive and Impulse to the
planting and upbuilding of the Church of the
Pilgrims east and west , north and south.
Congregationalism stands not alone , though
It does stand emphatically for a renewed , re
generated character a llfo within kindled by
the divine spirit ; but It stands , also , In being
true to Its Inheritance and loyal to Its own
nature , for a disciplined and developed man
hood and womanhood , with which self-gov
ernment can safely rest.
The Congregational Idea shaped the civili
zation of New England , and wherever that
Idea goes Its necessary effect Is to create
a higher , truer , stronger self-government In
men and women , which Idea Is also the
strength of our nation's life. Congrega
tionalism has thus a mighty motlvo to main
tain Itself In the older and rapidly-changing
states , and to repudiate itself throughout
this newer and growing part of the land ;
In the country and In the city ; among these
of American ancestry , and of European or
Asiatic ; among the descendants of the once
enslaved race and the sons of the aborig
ines because of the oneness of Its primal
Idea and that ot a democratic nation , whoso
very existence depends on what the Pilgrim
polity alms at self-governing people.
A true Congregational church Is a pure
democracy. It emphasizes supremely the In
dividual , and the force which works most
directly for the highest and stroiipcst per
sonal character In all Its qualities Intelli
gence , moral Integrity , purity ot purpose ,
spiritual aspiration Is that which Is most
mightily shaping the nation's civilization.
Continuing the speaker dwelt upon the
movement of the population of the country
from the rural districts Into the towns ,
which , he said , was the occasion of two
material perils the spiritual destitution of
the depleted rural region and the spiritual
destitution of the congested center. The
towns ho showed by statistics to bo feeding
the cities. The decadence of the town
means the deterioration of the social , educa
tional , religious opportunities. This Is In
cipient barbarism.
The Missionary Church , upheld by the
missionary love and sympathy and benevo
lence ot the nation , must continue to do Its
work for the scattered millions of agri
culturists and village dwellers , even though
It remain a missionary , dependent church ,
for many years. Wo are not to plant these
churches only which are to win the strength
of self-support In n brief time ; but also to'do
that missionary work of promoting the
Christian church , school , Sabbath and fam
ily among the 30,000,000 of the rural-and de
cadent regions.
Over against the spiritual destitution of
the country stands the perennial problem
the spiritual , destitution of the congested
centers.
The facts of peril from the massed and
corrupt and practically heathen llfo In our
cities ore altogether too well known to need
recounting. Here Is urban heathenism chal
lenging rural barbarism as a fee to national
prosperity.
Side by side with the spiritual destitution
of the country and of the city , intermingling
with each and complicating both. Is the
third factor of our great problem the Inflow
of llfo from beyond the seas , No thought
of Homo Mlsalons for the sake of America
can leave this factor unnoticed.
So long as the fountains of this Inflowing
stream are predominantly southern and
eastern Europe , races subject to centuries of
absolutism or despotism , Ignorance and su
perstition , so long must the note of watch ,
fulness bo sounded and the call to an ever-
Increased effort to reach and goupellzo them
bo sent forth ; for bo It remembered that
"civilization means civilized persons : the
civilized Indlvldual-tho civilized many. "
So comprehensive a view of our respon
sibilities seems pertinent to the tlmo and
Placeof our gathering. From this central
point , the magnitude of our national domain
a constant factor of the problem Is pressed
upon us anew. Tim homo of the colossal
nation that U forming here opens before
us In Its territorial extent as never before.
This factor of a vast natural basis for de
velopment Is central In the problem. It
underlies all the KoaslblllUes of the future ;
It conditions all the certainties. With a de
clared agricultural basis for n nation of
1,000,000,000 ; with n. growth that has carried
u from a little less than 4,000,000 In 1700
to 02,500,000 In 1890 , an average ratio of In
crease through the century of 32 per cent
for every decade we are moving on toward
the 100,000,000 ot the twentieth century , to
bo doubled , doubtless , ere the mid-point of
that century Is turned , Hut such n growth
cannot como to us without n greater test
and strain to the national fabric than the
past has presented. In 1860 our population
was 31,000,000. Then the wave of westward
moving llfo had but just entered the trans-
mlssouri states.vOno half of our great terri
tory was practically unoccupied , Between
I860 and 1890 another 31,000,000 waa Idcd
to us. But thus to double a population when
the country possessed a Vast arable territory
for the expanding llfo to ( low out over , to
enter upon for homes and occupy as farms ,
with mineral resources almost untouched ,
was a condition to which adjustment was
easily made. But In the years before us , to
odd CO.000,000 to 60,000,000 of population ,
when our once great public domain has passed
largely Into private ownership , when the be
ginning of the end ot the greatest agri
cultural movement known to history Is
noted , such a. duplication , and that again re
peated , as Is confidently pro.llctod , within
the measure ot a lifetime , must subject our
social and political Institutions to a test
wholly unimaginable. Ours Is n new world
problem. If so vast a task as that of perme
ating this llfo with the gospel spirit bo not
effected as the decades pass , it can never bo
overtaken ; the work will fall of Its ac
complishment. Hero Is the urgency ot the
"now" In homo missions. It cannot be de
ferred to the future , for our task and duty
are to make and shape that future. In our
self-congratulations upon the greatness ot
our nation , there Is peril lest the fact bo
lost sight ot that wo arc yet In the process
"nation-making. . " Though wo have out
stripped every European race save the Hus-
slan , wo arc still building the nation that Is
to be. The America that Christian thought
forecasts , hopes for , prays for , labors for , Is
to be reared out of the materials which the
coming years shall furnish. Only founda
tions have thus far been laid. But these
have been laid In prayer , consecration , Belt-
sacrifice , deep devotion , and faith In a
mighty purpose and plan of God ; Interwoven
In this nation's llfo , discerned In Its ligln-
nlng , traced through Its history , rcveabd In
It.s crises and deliverances , and Inspiring
the confidence that , with fidelity , zal , and
unsparing toll , there shall be reared hero
a national structure that shall bo to His
honor and glory. Such will be the task of
generations , doubtless of centuries. Our call
Is to occupy this land In the name and for
the sake of Jesus Christ ; to pl'Uit that or
ganizing force which Christianity Imparts to
the social llfo and the civil state In every
city , town , village the living church , em
bodiment and instrument ot the living
Christ. In the great enterprise of Christian
missions , which looks to the conquest of
the world for Christ , homo missions for the
sake of America must have thu highest
place In the evident fact that Christianized
America Is to be God's mightiest Instrument
In bringing the great realm of earth's
heathenism Into the. sphere of His re-
demptlvo process. Christ's great command ,
"Go preach , " Is Indeed broad as the world ,
wldo as humanity , but an American Chris
tian's obedience to It begins ami continues
till the universal aim bo accomplished In
that service which finds Its field In his own
land , and Its greatest incentive in Christian
patriotism.
GENERAL HOWAP.D'S ENCOURAGEMENT
President Howard In referring to Dr.
Choate's paper said :
In listening to the very able paper of
Brother Choate , I was thinking that this Is
a very largo problem. But our Savior 1ms
said , "Let not your heart bo troubled ; let
It not bo afraid. " Our great consolation Is
that wo have Him with us all the time , and
that ho will help us.
I think It was Horace Greeley who used
to say when ho was young that ho thought
ho could do everything , but after u while
he said he found out that ho could do
scarcely anything. It seems to mo that wo
want to como to this phllosopny : I will do
just what I can. It Isn't much , but I will
do what I can. If we can make somebody
happier and better every day because wo
have lived In it , that Is something.
I had a beautiful letter given mo while I
was on the way hero by an old soldier. There
were four soldiers who went out In the war ,
and two ot.them were killed while absent.
Ono ot them was a Christian and ono when
ho went out was not , but the ono that was
not became a Christian because of the ex
ample that ho saw of the other two Chris
tians , trying to live after Christ.
Llttlo things are never little , and with
God behind them two men can convert the
world , when It Is the will of the Almighty.
Now wo have a good brother who Is to
follow up this beautiful paper , Rev. James
S. Alnslle of Fort Wayne.
WORK OF THE LOCAL CHURCH.
Rev. Alnslle spoke as follows : The noble
address to which wo have listened has surely
freshened In all our minds our conception of
the splendor and comprehensiveness of this
homo missionary work. This society with
Its 2,000 commissioned agents and its annual
expenditure of nearly $700,000 Is engaged
not only In the work of soul saving. It Is
not so busy saving "souls" that It has no
tlmo to save men and women. It Is , rather ,
an enterprise of man-redeeming and society-
transforming. It affects the whole person
ality of man , and extends Its influence to
all his Interests and occupations , and while
Its aim Is to reach and to save all of the man ,
It also endeavors to reach all of the men.
The motto of the Now York Sunday School
association Is , "Tho blblo Is the hand of the
living teacher to every child In the state. "
The motto of this society , If I may frame It ,
Is , "Tho gospel by the voice of tlio living
teacher to every Individual of this nation. "
And In carrying the gospel the preacher car
ries the church with him. The Master said ,
"Seek yo first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness , and all tlieso things shall bo
added unto you. "
Long years ago this society discovered that
If It could find the missionary and got the
means to send him out he would carry with
him , as Secretary Choato has just said ,
"that organizing force which Christianity
Imparts to the social and civil life of every
community , the living church , embodiment
and Instrument of the living Christ. "
In the few minutes allotted to mo I want
to focus your attention upon the local church
as the chief Instrument or this society In
doing Its national work. I mean by the
local church , the group of men , women and
children who are gathered together In one
place In the name of Christ. You remember
the servant girl said to Peter. "Thou also
art one of them. " You are ono of that llttlo
group round the person of Christ. They
form a compact social nucleus. They meet
In the spirit of love and loyalty to Christ ,
singing his praises and trying to become like
him. in the spirit of love and loyalty to ono
another , helping one another , and encourag
ing each other , and In the spirit of love and
loyalty for the highest Interests of the com
munity In which they live , In order that
there may bo a light there that shall not
bo extinguished by business , nor by politics ,
nor by pleasure , nor by anything else , and
shall bo a perpetual testimony of the living
Christ , who can succor and save.
Now Mr. President , this llttlo Homo Mis
sionary church is. In Itselt , a wonderful
Institution. The "Institutional church" has
been referred to In the previous address. I
believe In It. Our now edifice , Just
completed In Fort Wayne , Ind. , was built
with n view to the adoption of certain
features of the Institutional church. But ,
on the whole , let us remember that the
great , commanding work of this society Is
being done through the average Homo Mis
sionary church , which Is no trilling matteru-
tlon. The minister preaches the gospel of
Christ , and thereby the humblest tiller of
the soil Is exalted and becomes a' child of
the Father nnd a servant of Almighty God.
In the frontier nottlomont , when the service
Is held on the Lord's day , the miners throw
down tholr apadSs and the lumbermen rest
from their logging to hear the story of the
Savior. U Is a wonderful thing to carry
the Institution of the Christian Sabbath to a
careless , Godless community. The minister
preaches of personal purity and thus estab
lishes a socliil purity organization a wing
of the White Cross army. The subject of
temperance comes up for discussion , and by
reasoning and moral suasion the missionary
ondeavorti to keep the men from the drink.
Ho also speaks to the corporate conscience
ot the community , and by local option and
prohibition tries to keep the drink from the
man. Bo the church ls the best possible
tcirperance society. In times ot Industrial
disturbance and lawlessness the preacher
Is again at the front with a message
counselling pence and respect for law ; so
the church becomes a law nnd order league.
Through Its numerous social gatherings It
becomes a mutual Improvement society. By
Us Sunday school U promotes bible study ,
It hn * n messngo f < .r tlio c'l ' > . -in at th
ballot box , when It iirelnr Unit "riHUt OUP
ness exalts a nntlun i/'hllo sin is a r < - prunti
to any people ; " anj to the church bfcomes
an organization for She advancement of
good government. In its observance of the
great festival dayslAJTtho Christian year It
becomes a society for tjic promotion ot good
cheer. In Its cffdru to evangelize the
nation and the world It becomes a patriotic
missionary society \nilklng every church n
mission station nn'd ( Very member n mis
sionary. _ _ _ _
I believe our Hard" , meant thla .church
should contain In Msclf the euro of every
social III. There | , ( s-an latent power for
evangelization In our churches that needs to
bo-called forth. Great as Is the work that has
been done It Is not Wh'at it should be. U'lillo
rejoicing In the splendid achievements ot the
past wo must notnforHCt the sad fact tr\ (
there arc multitude ! who drift within the In
fluence of the churchr and of the gospel who
are not held and mdldcd Into good citizen
ship. A few years ago I heard from the
lips of a representative pastor of Albany ,
N. Y. , the statement that every poor girl
coming to the house of shelter ( a house for
the profligate nnd abandoned 'In that city ) ,
had sometime been a member of n Sunday
school. And the records ot the penitentiary
bora testimony to the fact that 80 per cent
of our native born American criminals had
been Identified with Christian congregations.
This decs not prove that Christianity Is a
failure , but It docs Indicate that the mem
bership of our churches are not awake to
their duties. The minister cannot bo levcn
for the whole community. If our country
Is to bo evangelized every Sunday school
teacher , every Christian Endcavorer mil
every member must become a consecrated
worker , a faithful soldier of Jesus Christ.
But the rank and file of our churches arc
not here , and the present methods ot com
municating missionary Ideas nf not ade
quate to reach the majority of our members
and train them Into a largo sense of personal
responsibility. Wo have Women's Home
Missionary societies and Women's Foreign
Missionary societies and various juvenile so
cieties. Wo reach the young people some
what through the Christian Endeavor and the
children somewhat through the Sunday
school ; but , alas , for any systematic plan
for teaching and training the men. It
seems to be taken for granted that men can
not be Interested In missions , except as
they will make an occasional offering , In
response to an occasional call from the pul
pit. Yet It Is the men , chiefly , who have
the money ; and It is the men largely that
wo must look to for the resources to carry
on this great work ; lot , therefore , the men
In the local church bo organized Into ac
tivity. In a majority of our churches
where the membership does not exceed 300
let there be one grand missionary society
Including men , women and children , letting
it meet once a month , taking the hour of
the mid-week prayer meeting. Let the
brightest and best possible program be ar
ranged , with many taking part. Let every
member be thus schooled nnd solicited and
trained until his thought and prayer and
purse are links to the mighty enterprise of
saving America to save the world. And In
less than three years the Congregational
churches of our land will march to the tune
of $1,000,000 for the cause of home missions.
OMAHA'S FIRST CONGREGATIONALISM
Dr. Duryea : I remember of being deeply
Impressed at ono time at reading of Goethe
that ho took alarm when he noticed that ho
was beginning to be unmindful of his bene
factors. He was conscious of the Intensest
selfishness when ho found that he had drawn
on others' energy and appropriated others'
services more than he had given in return.
Ho wrote out a calendar and appropriated
one day In the yearto the memory of some
one who had been 40 him a source of help ,
and on that day hq tieit that person before
his soul by an excrtfon of the power of
his will. v , r t
You have heard of'\he \ ; Mormons over hero
at Council Bluffs ; they are all gone. They
went up north of us to Florence and stopped
there , and you can [ so Oil t there and see their
houses there yet , some of them , where they
lived. However , many , pi these houses were
put on wheels nndiJprtycd to Omaha for the
early settlers In this town. You can go out
on the Military roa"d .also and see how the
Mormons constructed their houses. If you
had como a llttlo lateY * we could show you
how they had Imprudently planted sun
flowers here all along he road. They can
be traced out to Cheyenne , I think. There
was no steamboat on thb river In those days ,
and If you wa.nted to- cross It was needful to
take a row boatf "ii . ' * . . . * j . , .
Rev. Q. OV Rlce > . | f > I am nol mistaken ,
Is hero present.'rno knew how to row
across the river by taking a diagonal line
and aiming up a good deal higher than ho
meant to go. It was ho who brought
Reuben Gaylord to this shore. If he will
come up hero on the platform and show us
his arm we will hold out our arms to him
with our hands at the ends of them.
Rev. G. G. Rico was Introduced and said :
We rowed over In a canoe with paddles.
In the winter or In the summer of 1851 the
secretary of the Omaha Land company pro
posed that If I would como over and select
two lots for the church they would donate
'hem. There was then not n house In
Omaha , but they were preparing for some
buildings , and ono of the members of the
land company pointed out what they Intended
to have , 'and where they were to have the
principal business streets , and myself and
my wife came over and wo went with him
and selected two lots , and on one of those'
lots the first church 'was built. I held the
deed In trust until Brother Gaylord came
over and they organized a society , and then
the lot was deeded over to this society.
I would mention one other thing. In the
winter of 1855 the legislature met here and
by Invitation I came over ono Saturday and
spent the Sabbath , and I was directed to a
house where they kept boarders , members of
the legislature. The house sat upon
blocks , built after the ground was frozen ,
so It couldn't be banked up , and it was built
of green lumber , sided up with only ono
thickness of boards. The floor was of un
seasoned lumber , which had shrunk , and the
thermometer was below zero. There I spent
the Sabbath , and at night It was necessary
to put on my overcoat and button It up to
keep out the cold. I walked over then on
a natural bridge , for the river was frozen
over. The next summer Brother Gaylord
visited the place and the next winter ho com
menced his labors hero. ( Applause ) .
DR. HOPKINS' ADDRESS.
Rev. Dr. Henry Hopkins of Kansas City
was Introduced and said In part :
Our confidence In the statement that Jesus
Christ Is to bo king of nations , as he Is
king of saints , Is the reason for our being In
Omaha. Wo are hero as a company of pro
fessed I had almost said professional op
timists ; that Is a part of our calling as
Christian men and women. Wo cannot
help It. Our Almighty God is almighty
goodness , nnd wo are still holding onto the
first recorded promise and expecting that the
seed of the woman will bruise the serpent's
head. We are Indeed able to sustain all
the weary weight of this unintelligible
world In the personal and In the corporate
life only becaujo wo ballovo that truth Is
stronger than error , virtue than vice , Christ
than Belial , love than hate , and that God
nnd Christ and truth and virtue and love
must by and by triumph.
The Homo Missionary society finds the
reason for Its existence dn Its firm faith that
It Is sent to help to bring in the kingdom
of-God between the two'oceans. ' This char
acteristic of homo 'missionary people makes
It necessary for the Bake of America that
homo mission should. , * Through light and
darkness , marching" and fighting , long waitIng -
Ing , deadening lmltfcrcnco | and Ignoble
peace , and there muster ' the safety of the
republic , bo these who'never fear , nor flee ,
nor sleep , nor doubt'tno coming of the morn
ing. The paper of Secretary Choato IB on
Inspiring statement of'our past , and rings
with a note of hlgty 'expectancy , but It has
also startled us , if wo" have ears to hear ,
with Its notes ot warning , and In that ho Is
also true to the genius , if I may so speak ,
of the Christian faith. For the true Chris
tian , though an optimist , | j not a sontl-
mcntalltt , not a lotuseater. . He always
dares , with holy coxrage ) , to look facts In the
face , and , If need be , to drag them , hate
ful and hideous , Into the light. He pays
the homage of his understanding only to
facts ; his confidence Is barn not of Indo
lence and Ignorance , but of faith In God
and In himself , helped of God. Wo cannot
forgot that no true soul ever lived In this
world wltjiout having at times the great
Indignations of MJ nature stirred , and the
more Chrlstllko a man ho Is , the more
certain It 1s that ho can neither bo Indiffer
ent nor silent In the presence of the shames
and wrongs of his fellow men. Ho , our
Lord , was angry , angry with the duplicity
and hypocracy ot his time. The hottest In-
vectlvo and the most scathing denunciation
on record he spoke. Wo do well not to
forget the seourgo of small cords with
which ho drove out these who profaned his
father's house , The apostle Paul has left
for us In the first chapter of Romans a
picture of HIP uimpcaknb'o degradation ot
j humanity without God In his day , which ,
like the last judgment 11 n mightier Angeto ,
hangs In the world' * sky Every prophet
of God and every child of God , small or
great , having anything of the prophet iplrlt ,
lias seen and hated , exposed and denounced
ovll , whether Savonarola , or Luther , or
IIiiss , cr Knox , cr Lincoln , or Lowell , or
Harriet Ilcccher Stowu. Thin Christian at
titude toward sin and all evil Is the second
reason why we need home missions for the
sake of Amerlcai Ccnsclou ncs > of wrong ,
Indignation against It nnd opprsltlon to It
cannot be spared from the national lite ,
Secretory Choato presented In powerful lines
porno ot the dangers which threaten the
republic. The debused foreigners' menace ,
the municipal menace , the startling nnd In
creasing danger of spiritual destitution In
the country district' , but of other facts In
dicating eminent nnd deadly peril ho could
not speak nor have t time so much as to
enumerate them. It Is Impassible also to
even mention certain causes and tendencies
In our political , Industrial , social nnd re
ligious life which menace , nut only pence ,
but the stability ot our Institutions. But
for one , after deliberate survey. I am ready
to say that , looking at the visible and most
apparent trend of events , nnd otter study
ing causes nnd tendencies In the light of
much of our modern thinking , the outlook
of our country seems to be an exceedingly
dark one. Nay , I am ready to freely ac
knowledge that except for the presence of
the Indwelling and outworking spirit of Jesus
Christ , an unseen spirit which political
economy takes no account ot and the man of
the world despises , a spirit which Is other
than truth , abstract moro than commercial ,
honesty , the spirit which Is revealed only In
his cross , the spirit of love In solf-sacrlllco ;
except for this , despite our sciences anil 1 t-
cratures , our schools and commerce and law * ,
the case would be hopeless. And 'It Is at
least an open question whether unless there
bo n vast Increase of the manifestation of
this spirit It Is not hopeless already. My
personal belief Is that , In order to save the
republic , there has got to bo n great awaken
ing , n new energizing and a now directing
of the followers of Jesus Christ. tint I be
lieve we have promise that It Is on the way ;
that It Is here waiting to bo apprehended.
Meantime wo may stay ourselves on the old
fundamental truths In which all the saints
have trusted. We may stay ourselves on
God. God Is nnd man Is. God has a part
In the history of the world , the materialists
to the contrary notwithstanding , and person
ality Is n m'ghty transforming forcj In his
tory , If n fatalistic philosophy has demon
strated the folly of trying to make the world
over.
over.We must keep alive here In the center of
the continent the great traditions that
started yonder by the sea and help preserve
strongly marked , In our time and place , these
heaven-born characteristics of Congregational
life. To evangelize and to teach Is not our
whole task. To Christianize Is moro than ths. |
It Is teaching them to observe nil things
whatsoever I have commanded you. A
Christianized society Is the aim of all our
efforts an embodied Christianity. This
would bo the Kingdom of God set up In the
world. To this task the generation In which
wo live , the providence of God and the lead
ership of Jesus Christ , through His mighty
spirit , are calling us. Let us not bo deaf to
this call. The church Is a means of saving
men and of saving society. Those days are
critical ; along the nation's horizon He clouds
dark with portent , and lightened and streaked
by the play of forces that may be either let
loose for destruction or harnessed for benefi
cence. There Is need of applied Christianity.
There Is need of conscience , of truth , of jus
tice , of purity , In business , social and polit
ical life , but , above nil , of love In sacrifice ,
which Is Christianity. Those wo must have
or perish. Our churches exist not for the
rearing and training of these who shall make
real and actual this Christian Ideal ; they ex
ist for the lifting up of Christ on the cross ,
not only In tireless proclamation , but also In
the dally living of Its members ' , always and
everywhere , that Ho may dra'w all men to
Himself. There are signs that our churches
are awake to this call and are trying to meet
this demand. They are learning to believe
moro In the church and also In the kingdom.
If wo have an "understanding of the times"
wo may be called of God to lead In n now
movement , as we were called to lead In bu-
half of liberty , of missions and of Christian
education.
Dr. Clark announced that arrangements
had been made with The Omaha Bee to print
an olght-pago supplement next week to con
tain the proceedings of the convention In
full.
full.Tho
The meeting adjourned after prayer by Rev.
Mr. Ellis of Neligh , Neb.
TIJUKSUAY EVKNING.
Feeling Itefcrcnco to u Stricken Hrollicr
I'lipers Head.
Rov. William Klncald , D. D. , who was
down for the first paper at the Thursday
night meeting , was detained at home by
sickness In his family , and Rev. J. D. Kings-
bury road his paper. He said :
"Our beloved brother has written this
paper at the bedside of his dying son , and I
read It because I know that In his deep af
fliction his heart has been moro and moro
In his work and "Tn tills missionary cause ,
and there Is , therefore , , a peculiar meaning
In these words which have come out of his
heart In this tlmo of sorrow. "
The paper , entitled "Home Missions for the
Sake of the World , " was as follows :
Our beloved brother.Rev. M. W. Mont
gomery , whose familiar figure vrf shall
never again behold upon this platform , but
who being dead yet speakcth , began his ad
dress at Saratoga last year with these
words : "We ought never to lose sight of
the fact that In all the problems concerning
the future of the United States we are plan
ning not only for the Interests of the United
States , but also for the interests of the
whole world. The United States of today Is
the mountain top ot hopes of many nations ;
and the mornlnir beams which shine upon
our hills and upon our temples glvo great
joy to millions of people In many lands. "
Let these words ot our departed co-worker
be our'motto for this evening. Let us pray
that American home missionary" enterprise
may never become provincial. The truest
nnd most effective patriotism Is that which
carries the world upon Its heart. That love
of fatherland which loves the fatherland
alone may servo the politician , but nothing
less than the whole great world for which
the Savior died can adequately Inspire the
missionary of the cross.
"The firm patriot there ,
AVho made the welfare of mankind Ms care
Shall know lie conquered. "
Let us consider , then , what Is the bearing
of this American homo missionary work In
which we are engaged upon the future des
tiny of earth. Is It true , as Mr. Mont
gomery said , that "tho United States of
today Is the mountain top of the hopes of
many nations ? " Is this simply a poetic
fancy , or IS It true ? Is It true , as Prof.
Austin Phelps declared , that "wo should
look on these United States as' first and
foremost the chosen seat of enterprise for
the world's conversion ; " that , "forecasting
the future of Christianity , as statesmen fore
cast the destiny of nations , wo must bollcvo
that as goes America so goes the world ? "
Is It true , ns Dr. Joslah Strong nlfirms ,
that "ho does most to Christianize the world
and to hasten the coming of the kingdom
who does most to make thoroughly Christian
the United States ? " It Is our conviction
that these utterances express the simple ,
sober truth , truth that should glvo shape
and color to every plan that American
Christians adopt for bringing the world to
Christ , truth upon which wo should
meditate and pray until our whole being Is
fused Into ono glowing aspiration and pur
pose to save this pivotal nation upon which
the destiny of the world shall turn.
OUR RELATIVE POSITION.
What Is the relative position of America
among the nations of the earth ? Prof. Brlco
afllrmH that she "murks the highest level ,
not only of material well-being , but of In
telligence and happiness , which the race has
yet attained. " This In not an Idle Yankee
boast , but the conclusion of a distinguished
English scholar and statesman after pro
found personal btudy of our country and Its
Institutions. The eminence thus asserted of
America appears In the land Itself , Its situ
ation , Its extent , Its resources ; In the char
acter of Its people , of sifted Anglo-Saxon
stock , the race upon which , In the opinion
of the ablest modern thinkers , the future of
mankind depends ; and In the fact that It
Is the most favored homo of the resourceful
English tongue , of late wonderfully prev
alent , and destined , In the view of many ,
to become the common language of the world.
This eminence characterizes the religion of
our land. All modern progresi U linked with
the reformation , but In this country , as Ed
mund Burke pointed out , "we have the ills-
sldence ct dissent , and the protestantism of
the Protestant religion. " There are other
countries that are deeply religious , others
tlmt nro highly Intellectual , but there Is
probably no other country where th ro Is
such deep religious feeling In combination
with inch high Intellectuality as here. The
American type ot piety dominates the mind
as well ns the heart.
The eminence ot America Is seen , too , In
her Christian legislation. Bho Is not only
the home of liberty , but ot liberty embodied
In law. A century and n quarter ngo Gen
eral Gage explained to the English govern
ment tlmt nil Americans nrc lawyers or
xmattercrs In law , nnd that , even then ,
nearly us tinny copies of BlacUitono's "Com
mentaries" were sold In this country as In
England ; nnd Mr. Gladstone has given It as
his deliberate Judgment that the American
constitution Is "the most wonderful work
ever struck off at n given tlmo by the bniln
nnd purpose of man. " It has come , there
fore , to bo the recognized mission of this
country to develop n legislative system which
shall express , more perfectly than any human
system yet has done , the Idea ot human
brotherhood nnd nn equality ot human rights.
In addition , the eminence ot America ap
pears In the diffusion of knowledge among
her common people ; In her philanthropise : ;
In the extent and rapidly Improving quality
of her literature ; In her progress In art and
science ; and , especially , In her Inventive
skill , In which , by the sober judgment uf
Intelligent men , oho leads mankind.
And these advantages she Is In the way
to use for the benefit of the race. She oc
cupies n conspicuous position , exerts n pecu
liar fascination , nnd exorcises exceptional
Influence among nil people. That glowing
passage of the ancient prophet , which prob
ably suggested to Mr. Montgomery his fig
ure of the mountain top , may be applied , al
most literally , to this favored land. "Her
mountain Is established In the top of the
mountains , and exalted above the hills , and
nil nations flow unto It. Many people xny
lot us go up to the mountain and America
shall leach us her ways nnd wo will walk
In her paths , for out of America shall go
forth the law , and the word of the Lord
from the United States. " From the first
discovery and early settlement of this con
tinent , and especially slneo our war for In
dependence nnd the adoption of our federal
constitution- gaze of the world has been
riveted upon this country. AH a result all
nations flow toward us , and , what Is of spe
cial significance In these recent years , tht-ru
Is also a useful refluent tide. Ocean travel
has become so cheap that Immigrants can
afford to revisit their native lands. Amor-
lean tourists observe that the steerages nro
full In going as well ns coming ;
laborers , domestic servants , small farm
ers , petty tradesmen , having tarried
here awhile and learned our ways , are re
turning to spread throughout Europe the
knowledge tlut they have gained and the
spirit they have breathed In .thla free nnd
enlightened land. Among the Italians landIng -
Ing here In n recent year there were 57,917
males to 12,829 females , Indicating that the
great majority do not como with the Inten
tion of settling here , bin to accumulate
money and return to their country to enjoy
It. Hut , then , we do not wait for the world
to come to us , we go to the world. We are
not a hermit nation , wo go much abroad.
Americans are renowned as travelers and
are found In every clime , mingling , accordIng -
Ing to their democratic notions , with all
classes of people , observing , Investigating
and appropriating on the one hand , and , on
the other , stimulating , suggesting and Im
parting. Wo discover and report what Is
going on even In the dark corners of the
earth Turkish outrage ? In Bulgaria , Rus
sian barbarities In Siberia , English Immoral
ities in India and Spanish abuses In Micro
nesia. By the recent lamented death of a
distinguished man attention has been turned
to what a single American family has ac
complished In these directions. Through
David Dudley Field , as the English Lord
Sherbrooke has said , America has led man
kind In thu art of Jurisprudence and In the
pacification of the race. His five revised
codes , in which Christian legislation Is sim
plified and made effective , have won their
way , not only In this country , but through
England nnd the British colonies , even to
Hong Kong and Singapore ; and to him , more
than to any other man , belongs the honor of
Introducing the gospel of arbitration ay n
practical and successful expedient Into
the statesmanship of the world. His
"Outlines of an International Code , " provid
ing for a peaceful settlement of differences ,
has been translated into French , Italian and
Chinese. An eminent chancellor of England
once said : "Mr. Dudley Field of New York
has done moro for the reform of laws than
any other man living. " Out of America
shall go forth the law. His brother , Cyrus
W. Field , through American scientific enter
prise , linked the nations by menas of the
Atlantic cable , sending , as the first message ,
"Peace on earth , good will toward men. "
Another brother , Stephen J. , has Illustrated ,
since Abraham Lincoln's time , American
Christian jurisprudence on the supreme bench
of the United States. Still a fourth , Henry
M. , has been called "tho unspeakable trav
eler. " Welcomed , In all his Journeys to
the most distinguished hospitalities of the
world , ho has made enlightened American
Ideas the table talk not only of renowned
statesmen , but also of princes and kings.
A sister of this remarkable family was a
missionary of the American Board to Asia
Minor , and her son , who now sits beside his
uncle In the national supreme court , advo
cated In a striking address the cause ot
home missions b3fore the recent anniversary
of this society In the city of Washington.
These nre notable , but not solitary. In
stances. Who , for example , can estimate
the Influence of three such American trav
elers as President Julius Seelyo , Rov. Joseph
Cook and Dr. George F. Pentecost , ns they
elucidated the profounder aspects of Chris
tian truth before the 1,000 Hindoos who
speak the English language ? Such are
simply the spontaneous and undersigned ef
fects of American llfo and thought upon the
destiny of the world. If , besides , we take
Into account our vast organized efforts ,
through literature and missions and gov
ernment agencies , to exert n wholesome In
fluence abroad , wo shall gain some appre
hension of America's Impress on the world.
An ancient philosopher asked for n pou sto ,
a standing place , and ho would ilft the
earth. Wo have found It , O Archimedes !
America Is the divinely provided fulcrum ,
upon which placing the gospel lever wo are
moving the world.
METHODS EMPLOYED.
Now let us make no mistake ns to the
means by which this work has hitherto been
done nnd must bo done In the future. A
short tlmo slnco , to one riding through thu
country town of lladdam , Conn. , was pointed
out a humble residence by the wayside as
"the house where David Dudley Field was
born. " These four eminent men , whose
work has Just been described , with their
missionary sister , were the children ot n
Congregational minister , who labored for a
time under n homo missionary's commission
In the wilds of western Now York , anil who
probably never received a salary In excess of
the average annual stipend of the missionaries
of this society. The Haddnm parsonage
itself reminds ono of many homo missionary
homes at the west. This world-wide work
lias been done by men who were born Into
a missionary household , educated In a mis
sionary college , nnd are burled , ono by ono
ns they are called away , In the old mission
ary graveyard at Stockbrldge , Mass. , the
scene of the missionary tolls of John Sar-
gent , Timothy Woodbrldgo. Jonathan Ed
wards nnd David llralnord. It Is from
such parentage and amid such environments
that the American manhood Is produced
upon which wo must rely to revolutionize
the world. The history of Hnddnm nnd
Stockbrldgo nnd of the missionary college
at Willlamstown has been repented over
nnd over again In the Interior and nt the
west , and with Ilko wonderful results. The
great men of this nation , nnd multitudes
not known as great , but who nevertheless
have left tholr Impress for good upon the
times nnd upon the world , have been
brought forth under similar Influences. The
regeneration of Individual souls through the
gospel , the truth announced by the Savior
to Nlcodcmus when ho said , "Yo must bo
born again , " this Is the fundamental agency
In securing the salvation of mankind. It
Is well for us to discuss "now methods ; "
there must bo new methods. But let us
not neglect the ono Indispensable method
which Clulst prescribes and experience com
mends. It IB well to consider the Introduc
tion of "a new social order" and "tho com
ing of the kingdom. " But let us not lose
ourselves In generalities and overlook the
only possible agency by which a now order
can bo Introduced and the kingdom ushered
In. Men are to be rescued , one by one , from
the power of sin , organized Into local brother
hoods of Christian believers , for their devel
opment In character and sanctlflcatlon
through the truth , and then sent forth to
take , each his part , under the guidance of
the Spirit , In the regeneration of the world.
The ethical philosopher , Dr. Felix Adler ,
who , as the son of a Jewish rabbi , brings
an unprejudiced mind to the question , re
cently drew a contrast between the ancient
Israrlitish prophets and Christ "Th
prophets of Israel , " ha unid , ' were Inter
ested In the rwncrntion of society , Jcsua
was interested primarily in the regeneration
of the Individual. The Iden of the prophets
was n political Idcn ; that of Jesus and of
the early Christians was nntl-polltlcnl , or
at least nonpolltlcnl. The aim of the
prophets wan to establish on earth n perfect ,
model commonwealth. The Individual na
such was to be snved In the salvation of the
people. But Jesus mid : 'The kingdom of
Clod Is within you. ' " NO\V our primary
task ns homo missionary workers Is to pro
duce men who have taken the king
dom of God within thrm. Wo need
not fear that they wilt not find a
place and a way to make their
Influence felt li < the salvation of the world.
AM General Sherman * nld nt Atlanta. "Go
In anywhere , general. There Is lovely fight
ing nil nlong the line. " And we nro not
training our homo ml-slotmry guns at so
long n range that wo cannot see the shot
strike. Our now work among the SIvnka /
In Johnstown , Pa , , was reported for the
llrst time Juat a your ngo ; but , said Dr.
Srhnufilcr In n recent letter , "You will bo
pleased to know that n Slovnk converted at
Johnstown , Imvlng returned to Hung.iry , U
working directly in his own homo there , t
have n very Interesting letter from him In
whloh ho tells uf the opposition nnd the sua-
oo s , souls having nlrondy bivn. ns he be
lieves , converted. 1 firmly bclkvo that the
work o nro doing fcr Slovaks nnd Magyars
In this country Is going to have n great rollex
Influence In Hungary , which Is ns kplrltually
dead ns any country which has thu word of
God can be. "
In the sprhg of 1SS2 a missionary was
punt by the society to n llttlo struggling
church 'In Dallas , Tox. , consisting of cloven
women and one man. Twelve years have
pabsed. That struggling church has become
the mother of n group of Texas home mis
sionary churches , and these churches main
tain at the present llmo. at their own
charges , n lulsslonary and nine caworkora
In India and three entire missionary fam
ilies. Including ten commissioned laborers
In central Africa. A consecrated young
lady does n llttlo porsonnl home missionary
work In the city of New York , and to her
great joy n Cuban refugee , Alberto J. Diaz ,
Is converted. Within half a dozen years
that refugee Is preaching the gospel In Cuba
to nudlonces soniftlmes of 3,000 people , nnd
six Protestant churches , with n membership
ot 1.000 , and seventeen missionary out sta
tions are organized. Such Instances could bo
Indefinitely multiplied. These are but spec
imen results.
CONGREGATIO.VAL HERITAGE.
I must not omit to mention , too , that our
heritage ns Congregationalism Imposes nn
obligation which , perhaps , wo we too slow
to recognize. If. as wo have seen , It Is the
mission df America to furnish Heals In civil
government , why is It not cquailj her mis
sion to suggest the Ideal system of ec
clesiastical control ? The two things , the
spiritual and the civil order , were elaborated
by the fathers Mdu by side and cannot bo
separated either In thought or fact. A frco
church Implies n free state , and a free ntato
u free church. The truth Is tlmt the Almighty
gathered together upon these shorea from the
persecutions ot thu old' world a picked
company , nnd set thorn at work , under un
precedented conditions of religious Inspira
tion and civil freedom , to evolve a perfect
polity , both for churcli nnd state. America ,
then , owes It to the world to give forth the
results thus far attained , both In the civil
nnd ecclesiastical realms. In the provi
dence of God wo meet for the first tlmo
this year ns the Congregational Home Mis
sionary society. This aspect of our work
has not been pressed with unseemly haste.
On the contrary wo have yielded gradually
and , in a sense reluctantly , to our destiny.
Our preference was for organic co-opcratlon
In homo nnd foreign missions with Chris
tians of every name. God has ordered It
otherwise , and are wo not to accept thla
ordering as nn Indication of the course Ho
would have us pursue In seeking that unifi
cation of Christendom upon which all our
hearts have been set ? What wo have
failed to bring about by denominational con
cession and sclf-nbnegatlon wo must now
seek to attain by n firm and loving Inslst-
ancc upon the polity through which alone
unification can come. Richard Baxter's
scheme of comprehension , "In essen
tials unity , In noncsaentlnls liberty , In
all things charity , " Is Illustrated
In CongrgationallKin ns In no other Christian
order. We hold nothing as essential which
Is not admitted to be e sentlnl by every ovnn-
gellcal denomination. Thus the blumcnts 6f
division and repulsion nre reduced among
CongregJtlonnllsts to the lowest conceivable
terms. It Is the genius of CongregationalIsm -
Ism to let down every possible bar to fellow
ship. If , therefore , Chrlstlnu ? are kept out
of our communion it must be by the com
plaint that there not bars enough , which Is
the same as saying that one cannot enter
the household of faith because so many doors
are open. Let this suffice as to faith. Now
as to polity , cur theory of the complete
autonomy of the local church makes fellow
ship possible with every body of believers
under the sun. Wo are not n national but
n world wide church , nnd nre thus specially
fitted nnd prepared to conduct our homo
missionary enterprise , not for the sake of
America alone , but for the sake of the world.
The logical nnd Irresistible conclusion to
this train of thought I' , that the planting
and nurturing of Congregational churches In
America Is our first nnd best work for the
world. Our first wcrk , bec.iuso nil our
other Christian activities flow forth from
and depend on this. Our best
work , because In no other plnce on
earth can we obtain so mighty a purchase
for the elevation of mankind. It was the
keen perception of those facts that led the
late Judge Currier of St. Louis , In the words
of hlsi biographer , "to mass his giving
largely on the Homo Mission society , " because -
cause , having "a sense of the overwhelming
Importance of converting America to Christ"
and believing that "tho true way to help all
benevolent causes is to help the local
church , " ho held that "upon the Home Mis
sionary society depends the existence of
every benevolent society -wo have. " It be
comes us no't only to give liberally , but to
give wisely. It Is believed that there Is
among slncero ChrlstlaiiB very little. If any ,
ot that "telescopic philanthropy" which
Dickens describes as caring moro for the na
tives of llorrloboola Ghn than for the perish
ing at our door , but It Is likely that thera
Is n vast amount of fatal miscalculation as to
where our gifts and efforts will do the most
good. The moro wo study the problem In
all Its numerous relations , Immediate and
remote , the moro shall wo feel the su
perlative Importance of maintaining Amer
ican Congregational homo missions for the
sake of the world.
DR. SCHAUFFLKR'S ADDRESS ,
Rov. II. A. Shaulller. D.D. , followed him.
Brothers nnd Friends of the Homo Mis
sionary Society : When I heard my brother.
Dr. Clark , ami my brother , Dr. Frnser , who
is In Ohio , tell this morning the most Im
portant parts ot the news from the Bo
hemian Jk-M I felt relieved because I was
very sure that I should not bo called upon
to tell you any old story tonight , which I
am always very much nfrald to do , but
when I heard Dr. Klncald's paper hero to
night , I declare , I don't know but I htivo
ndoptcd that version of the verso in the
psalm which the llttlo fellow did In my
wife's class In Bcthlohom Bohemian Sunday
school , when ho wns being taught the verso . .
In which occurred the following words : '
"Forglvoth all thy Iniquities , " ho rendered
It , "Who forglveth all thlno antiquities , "
and If I am guilty of any antiquities , pleasa
forglvo mo.
Joking osldo what moro noble thcina
could wo hove than that which bus been
read before us this evening , the climax ot
the deliberations nnd of the considerations
of the great truths that have been brought
before us up to this point In this glorloim
meeting , "Homo MlHslonu for the Hake of
the World ? " America not for us , but
America for all other nations of the earth
that It can reach with the gospel of Jesus
ChrlBt ns God has committed that gospel
to It nnd allowed It to Interpret It by His
own people and by His own favored Christian
Institution : ! to the admiring nations of the
world.
It Is n wonderful thing , It Is an Inspiring
thing as well as a delightful thing to bo per
mitted to accomplish two distinct results In
the pursuit. In the direct pursuit of but
one to bo permitted to accomplish ulti
mately the results whllo wo are doing some
thing that Is right before us here. Now
that Is Just exactly what every ono who
Is praying and giving and working for the
Cbrlstlnnlzatlon. the complete Chrlslanlza-
tlon , of our land Is doing. Ho Is doing Just
what Joseph did when ho saved Egypt , for
ho not only In that hour saved his poor old
father's llfo. but ho carried out nn Impor
tant part of God's great plan for the salva
tion of the whole world. That Is what
( Continued ou Seventh
