After singing, the conference, jast Friday, was led in prayer by the Rey. G. 8. Chuen of the Presbyterian Church, Manchuria.
The business of the day was the very important one of a National Christian Council. The commission which has been specially considering this matter has been the filth which has been held under the Sparham of the L.M.S., Shanghai.
very clear language, Mr. Sparham laid before the conference certain considerations which must be borne in min ie d in the formation] of this Council. The first point brought forward was the necessity that the members of the Council must be formed of men who have the confidence of first, the Chinese Church, second, the missions. Pro. pliably the same men would have the confidence of both, but in our thinking of the matter they must po kept distinct. Secondly, the Council must be a body of advice and not a super-church over other churches, a super-mission above other missions, it must be to serve and not to rule. Thirdly, it must be entrusted with certain executive powers—still, powers of service and not of rule. Next, the Council must be one elected by this conference responsible to the next. The China Continuation Committee will be its example in some things which it will follow; in, others, in things which it will avoid.
Amongst the duties of the Council will be to watch the growth of the Church in_ self-government, self-support and self-propagation. Adjustments will have to be made, it will be the duty of the Council to watch, guide and counsel in all matters needing adjustment, and the second function is to make constant surveys of the whole field. The conference greeted with applause the reference made to the work of Mr. Stauffer and his colleagues in the Survey Volume. Excellent and up-to-date as the volume is, it is monthly bound to become out of date. It is necessary to have an organization to keep it up-to-date. Finally, it is necessary to have an organization which will keep the churches of China in touch with the churches of the world. A wise national Council must be wise in matters international.
Tas Mernop or ELscrion.
A few words are necessary as to the best method of electing such a council. The speaker stated that when he first confronted the propblem he favoured the idea of provincial or regional councils electing the members of a national council. But there is no such machinery. Next, the thought was that the churches and missions should elect representatives. But it was soon found that there would be some 200 separate organizations to elect less than 100 delegates. The plan proposed is for the present conference at some time to separate into great denominational groups; these will select. 60 members; the 60 in turn should ce-opt 30, and that a further 10 be added to these.
Mr. Hu, one of the secretaries of the National Y.M.C.A. next discussed the need of such a council, supporting the clear divisions of is exposition by a well written (Chinese) summary that was exhibited on the platform sheet by sheet.
Dr. Hodgkin conducted the devotional half hour using Whittier's hymn, "Dear Lord and Father of mankind" not only for singing, but for reading in the attitude of prayer.
After an explanation from Mr. Yui, the chairman of the business committee, we were launched on the open discussion with a speech by the Rev. R. Y. Lo of Kiukiang, the editor of the "China Christian Advocate." Mr. Lo spoke first in Chinese and then translated his own remarks. Mr. Lo stated that his experience at the time that there was a proposal for making Confucianism a state religion showed him the need of a national organism. The future is unknown, but there are possibilities of evil that show the duty of all keeping together.
he Rev. C. G. McDaniel read his observations on what he preferred should be called a standing committee of the conference. Amongst the rules the speaker would enact would be that, no powers of cooption should be given—a sentiment which received a very faint applause.
Tne Position or WoMEN.
Mr. N. T. Wen, representative of the Presbyterian Church, Siangtan, stated his entire approval of the plan of a National Church. He wished the members of the Council should be ordained preachers. A difficulty is found in regard to women. For the time being, women are not preachers, but he hoped women would soon be ordain-The Rev. Dr. Hayes, Presbyterian, agreed that it was necessary to have a council selected by the conference, but he hoped these members would retire as soon as properly elected members could be elected.
Mr. Pao, of the L.M.S. Peking, expressed his general agreement with the proposals of the Commission, but emphasized the temporary nature of the council until such time as there is a strong Chinese Church. Therefore, at the proper time, he would propose the insertion of the word "Provisional."
The Rev. A. Weir of the Presbyterian Church, Manchuria, asked the Business Committee to consider the possibility of having all the members of the Council Chinese.
Mr. Fan Jen, representative of the Chinese Independent Church, Pingyang, Chekiang, stated that it would be impossible for churches to become suddenly independent. The movement must be slow. In the future, the present independent churches wish to be part of any large unions. In the meantime some means is needed of getting representation of the, present independent churches.
Mr. Hoste, Director of the C.1.M., having spoken yesterday to the Business Committee, the Conference was advised to extend Mr. Hoste's time from the ordinary five to ten minutes." Mr, Hoste venture ed to criticize the present position of the Chinese Government which he believed to be due to the selection of members of the Government from merely educational circles to the exclusion of business men. Mr. Hoste, w] agreeing to the exclusion of doctrinal matters, hoped that in order to safeguard the Christian character of the council it should be limited to those who accepted three principles (1) the Divinity of our Lord (2) Atonement through our Lord's sacrifices (3) the authority of the whole Bible.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.