S C R I B N E R ' S M A G A Z I N E Important ... - Rparchives.org

August t 1913.
A FAMILY PAPER.
T H E
CONFERENCE.
P O R T L A N D
Friday afternoon at the stadium, the conditions
in the Ottoman empire were discussed:
"The forces that are working for Christianity
in the Asiatic possessions of the Ottoman empire
are missionaries, Protestant educational institutions
and the Christian press," said Rev. A. H.
s Haigazian, president of the Apostolic Institute
at Konia, Asia Minor, in his address.
B "Another Christian force worth mentioning, is
the Young Men's Christian Associations. AU
these Christian forces, separately or unitedly,
i-lave one purpose, one aim, one motto: 'The
Levant for Christ,' and I believe the day will
come when, in that land, where now cruelty,
strife, crime, injustice, and the fanaticism are
dominant, peace and brotherly love will prevail,
and the whole Levant will recognize Christ as
•tBeir Lord and Saviour."
in the evening, Dr. Merle d'Aubigne spoke on
the conditions in France. He said:
"One is hound to note that the moral development
of the nation has not kept pace with
Its material prosperity. The consumption of alcoholic
drinks has increased, in past years, in an
alarming degree; licentiousness, with its natural
consequences of divorces, infanticides and crimes
of abortion, is a growing evil, and the constant
lowering of the birth rate is a cause of anxiety to
all those who believe that France has still a part,
and an important part, to play In the concert
ol the world's nations."
"Among literary men, Pruntiere, Bourget, Parres,
there is a growing tendency to recognize
the necessity of a strong religious faith to counteract
the evil forces which are constantly at
work in all the ranks of society, and even among
the leaders of the advanced political parties—^^Socialists,
Revolutionaries—thitherto bitterly opposed
to religion—one is able to note a somewhat
more favorable attitude towards the tenets of
Christianity. Last, but not least, a new generation
is rising, decided, those who have observed
them say, to break with the enervating Intellectualism
and scepticism with which the preceding
one was saturated, a youth thirsting for action
and passionately devoted to the fatherland and
to the common good. All these signs, as well as
the way in which the churches retrieved from the
crisis of disestablishment, and the increased activity
put forth by them in the social and religious
spheres, point to a change in the moral
atmosphere in Prance."
On Saturday morning, Intemperance was discussed
at the White Temple. No other formal
sectional meeting was held. The Commission reported.
"A number of addresses were made and a report
of a local committee, consisting of the following
clergymen—C. C. Poling, J. H. Leiper and
Benjamin Young—indorsing the national movement
for -world wide temperance agitation and
declaring for an amendment to the Federal constitution
testablishingnational prohibition was
adopted and referred to the business committee
o{ the conference."
"Mr. Chew said that drunkenness was not a national
vice among Chinese and that the only
Chinese drunkards were the highly Americanized
Chinese."
The stadium meetings were held both afternoon
and evenfng. In the afternoon. Rev. Dr. R.
C. Wylie discussed Religious Fundamentals in
the Common Law. He said:
"The firstreligious fundamental found in the
"ital constitution of a nation and expressea in
*l>e common law is the truth that there is a God
of nations. Evolution will account for the
changes taking place, but not for the existence oi
authority that may even take away life for crime.
Political society is clothed with political sovereignty
by the God of nations. It follows that
His law is the rule of national life. These two
fundamental religious principles are the fundamental,
vital, unwritten law of every nation.
Where Christianity is introduced and prevails a
third fundamental becomes the part of the nation's
unwritten law. A missionary who has labored
many years in China stated recently that
converted Chinamen not only hold that God gives
existence to nations, authority and law but they
also readily grasp the idea that Jesus Christ is
ruler of nations. Any other nation would be to
their minds illogical. Why Christian people in
this country ever lost sight of this truth is an astonishing
fact. It can only be accounted for by
the fact that it has been misinterpreted and misapplied.
When a mere man or hierarchy is set
up as Christ's representative on earth to whom
nations are to be subject, or when civil
rulers are regardless as Christ's representatives
as head of the church, oppression and persecution
usally follow. This has resulted in the
swinging of the pendulum to the extreme of national
atheism.
"What practical use can be made of these religious
fundamentals? Written constitutions should
be transcripts of the unwritten. It follows that
our national written constitution should embody
these religious fundamentals."
In the evening, the editor of the Toronto Globe,
J. A. McDonald, spoke on War. Other addresses
were made on the same subject.
For the Sabbath, .Tuly 6, the announcement was
made in Saturday's papers.
"Tomorrow forenoon the various pulpits of the
city will be fllled by visiting delegates. In the
afternoon and evening the concluding sessions of
the conference will be held at the stadium. There
will be no services in most of the local churches
tomorrow night on account of the conference
meeting at the stadium."
This was the program:
STADIUM—AFTERNOON.
2.20—Grand Conference chorus.
2.30—"Practical Patriotism," Dr. James S. Mc­
Gaw, Pittsburgh, Pa.
3.00—"Church Cooperation in Public Charities,"
Dr. Hugh B. McCauley, Philadelphia, Pa., U. S. A.
3.30—Music.
3.40—"Democracy and Christianity the Foundation
of American Education,'' President P. L.
Campbell, Eugene, Or.
STADIUM—EVENING.
7.30—Grand conference chorus.
7.45—Farewell platform addresses.
The following we take from the contribution
to our issue by iMiss O'Neill for July 23. It did
not a.ppear in the journal report:
"Dr. R. C. Wylie, of Pittsburgh, made the following
motion: 'The coming of the kingdom of
Jesus Christ involves the Christianizing both of
laws and the very frame-work of civil government.
This is done not by the union of Church and
State but by the State recognizing and discharging
its own functions as a part of the kingdom.
The formal organization of civil government will
differ in different countries, but they all sustain
the same relation to God as the source of all
authority, to Jesus Christ as the Ruler of nations,
and to His revealed will as of supreme authority
in the realm of national life. These truths
should enter in some definite form into the organic
law of every nation.' After unanimously adopting
this, it was moved that the same be sent to
the proper officials in China, for their consideration
in the forming of their new constitution."
The Journal of Monday, July 7, said:
"The conference was brought to a close last
night in one of the greatest religious gatherings
ever held in Portland. It was what might be termed
a popular night in the way of addresses. There
were no set speeches, but the religious emotions of
15,000 people assembled on the Multnomah club
stadium were fired by the impassioned words of
three of the orators who had won popular favor
during the sessions of the conference. It was a
most inspiring moment when the vast audience
arose and sang 'God Be With You TiU We Meet
Again.'
"Another dramatic moment was the introduction
of three men, who 50 years ago had been
present at the birth of the National Reform Association
at Xenia, Ohio, and Sparta, 111. Tnese
three men were Dr. H. H. George of Beaver Falls,
Pa., aged 81; W. A. Campbell of New Wilmington,
Pa., aged 85, and R. N. Redpath, of Olathe, Kan.,
aged 71."
The Monday leader of the Oregon Daily Journal
was:
"The second world's citizenship conference Is
history. If it was disappointing in the number of
delegates in attendance, it was not in the character
of the addresses. The huge audience at the
stadium last night is an all powerful testimonial
to the mental refreshment and mental nourishment
the week of the conference afforded. There
is no way to estimate the great value of such a
gathering to Portland. Even those who differ with
some of the statements paade and some of the conclusions
reached will not minimize the power and
splendor of many of the addresses. It is only those
who heard that are in position to pass opinion. The
single discussion of war, by Editor McDonald
of Toronto, or the analysis of marriage and
divorce by Dr. Delk of Philadelphia, stirs Into
action forces that will never cease to move. The
address of Dr. Coyle on 'I Am for Men,' sounded
a dominant note in the conference that will reverberate
around the world. Portland ought to
have such a gathering every year. The sum that
the conference cost this city is but ' a pittance
in comparison with the fruits that
have been gathered. Almost every address was
the accumulated wisdom of a lifetime and by men
of the highest attainment. The speakers were
gathered from every corner of the earth, yet all
came with testimony strangely in unison and
with viewpoints wonderfully harmonious on the
great subject of what is true citizenship. The
joint effect of the messages they brought in radiating
exalted ideals and in nourishing the spiritual
and mental life of men and women is of
incomparable beneflt to Portland and the world.
It was a gatnering whose benefits cannot be mea
sured in terms of money."
"Summing up the results of the conference
just closed. Dr. James S. Martin of Pittsburgh,
Pa., general superintendent of the National Reform
Association, under whose auspices and direction
tha conference was held, said: 'The conference
far exceeded our expectations. It was
much greater, from the point of interest and attendance,
than the firstconference held at Philadelphia
two years ago. There were representatives
from 15 foreign countries and from every
State and populous city in the Union. All the
moral and Christian reform associations had a
representation. There was 'a harmonious cooperation
in every respect.'"
Outlining the future. Dr. Martin continued: "Encouraged
by the great interest developed, we will
now go after specific results. Our field workers
will be increased and we will endeavor to crystallize
into legislation the objects we are working
for. These include the placing of the Bible in the
public schools, the adoption of amendments to our
national constitution prohibiting the sale and man -
ufacture of intoxicating liquors, and the practise of
polygamy. Other objects sought will be a supression
of the white slave traffic, a better family life.