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July 23, 1913,
A FAMILY PAPER.
T H E
CONFERENCE.
P O R T L A N D
The program of the Conference from Sabbath,
une 29, to the close of Sabbath, July 6, was caried
out. The conspicuous absentee was Presilent
Woodrow Wilson, who sent a letter which
pas read on Sabbath afternoon at Multnomah
ladium. ItMs as follows:
"The White House,
Washington, D. C, June 12, 1913.
My hope is that with vision and liberty combiu-
>i the Second World's Christian Citizenship Conierence
may help the country think out the applijation
of true Christianity to the problems of
sitizenship. It is certainly one of my deepest confictions
that there can be no inspiration in the
performance of public duty without the quickening
ot Christian principles.
President Woodrow Wilson."
The following was the program for Sabbath,
June 29th.
Sermons in various pulpits, morning and evening,
by conference ministers.
,- STADIUM, AFTiBRNOON.
12.30—Music: Grand Conference chorus—religious
and patriotic songs.
!! 2.40—Addresses of welcome: Hon. Oswald West,
Governor of Oregon; Hon. Charles B. Wolverton,
Judge of the United States District Court, District
oJ Oregon; Hon. T. J. Cleeton, County and Probate
Judge of Multnomah County Court; Hon. H.
E. Albee, Mayor-elect of Portland. Responses by
Iresiding officer, Dr. James S. Martin, Pittsburg,
Pa,
3.10—Music: Double quartet of church soloists.
3.20—"I Am for Men," Rev. Robert F. Coyle, D.
1)., Denver, Colo.
. 4.10—"Government of the People, by the People,
and for the People," Rev. James T. McCrory, D.
i., Pittsburgh, Pa.
. The Conference met Sabbath afternoon. We
are in debt to the Oregon Journal for the following
reports:
• "Dr. Minton, who will preside over all sessions,
was introduced by Rev. James S. Martin of the
National Reform Association. Dr. Martin said
that everywhere throughout the world workers
will be waiting to hear the expressions of the conference,
desiring to fitthe interpretations of conditions
to situations they confront, desiring to ap-
P'y the suggested solutions to their own problems.
"Let us remember," responded Dr. Minton, after
'he applause that greeted the appearance of the
famous preacher and jorganizer (had subsided,
"that this is no parliament to legislate. This is
10 convention to map out political policies and
parties. Our purpose is broader and we believe
;better, We are here to consider conditions, to
exchange ideas, to mark out a program not of
hy-laws but ot principles. This is the very thing
that makes Christianity a world power and Jesus
% warrant is in the fact that its authority is
foil's authority, and this warrant is null and void by no sordid motives—by no mean and mis­
erable thought of commercial exploitation."
Scotland was represented Monday night by the
Rev. John Lamond of Edinburgh. Mr. Lamond,
in speaking of Scotland, said that every nation
had its own ideals. In some they had succeeded;
in others they had failed. The outstanding trait
in the Scotsman's character, he added, was his
love for independence, combined with a certain
tenacity of purpose which is known as "doutness."
This love of independence is apparent in
all religious life, and rings in all their poetry. The
deep regard for the Christian faith has createcT
a high ideal of Christian citizenship. It was a
great fact, said he, that in every city, town, village
and parish there was as a rule not merely
one church, but several churches, with earnest,
devoted ministers, working for the good of
the community, that had its own effect upon the
national life. There was likewise the influence
of the Sabbath, which is more reverently kept
than in any other land. In addition to this religious
influence there was also a high standard
of education. This was due to John Knox,
who planted the church and school side by side.
"But there was another side to the picture,'' concluded
Dr. Lamond. "The conditions of Scottish
life have entirely changed during the last century.
Formerly about 70 per cent of the people lived in
the country, now that is entirely reversed. There
is the gradual depopulation of the rural districts
and the crowding together of the people into cities
that have been unwisely built, with their terrible
slums and consequent degradation." He did not
regard the slum problem as insoluble, and instanced
Greenside as an example of how slums could
be transformed into a respectable working class
residential district. But they had to fight the
slum, said he—fight it at every point, for it was
the source of many evils that afiEected city life.
"The land question was also a serious difliculty,
and there was the modern cry of 'Back to the
land.' In the drink question, the slum question,
the land question and the emigration question
they had serious problems to consider.
"But they had the descendants of the great menwho
had made Scotland, and a spirit for all that
was representative of the Christian church. Andthey
hailed this congress in Portland as a sign of
that happier era when the people of Christ on
earth would grapple with these social problems
and find some adequate solution for them."
On Tuesday, July 1, 1913, the Morning Sectional
Conferences began, the afternoon and evening
meetings of the Conference being held in the
Stadium. The Dhily Journal in the Monday issue
said of the week's program under the heading,
A Wonderful Week:
"The power and breadth of the addresses of
yesterday are proof of a wonderful week of mental
nourishment now open to the people of Portland.
It is to be a week of reveling in the best
thought of the best thinkers, and along lines full
of inspiration and optimism for the future or
mankind. There were addresses yesterday overflowing
with expressions of conscience and character
that are reverberating around the world,
and that are moving peoples and inspiring nations
under every sun. The exhilarating and ennobling
thought stimulus to be derived from the
sessions of the conference will make Portland a
wonderland of Philosophy and glorious truth a
whole week through. It will be a long time before
the people of the city have another such an
opportunity for mental refreshment."
The rush of emigrants from Scotland to Canada
is unprecedented. Last Saturday over 4,000
persons left the Clyde, which brings the total for
this season to 36,000. The shipping companies
report that the vessels are booked up for wee'.s
ahead.—The Times, London, May 30.