Madras, Dec. 13, The breakdown in solemn agreements and established order in the world was deplored by Dr. John R. Mott, Chairman of the International Missionary Council, in a speech at the opening of the World Missionary Conference here yesterday.
No less than 475 delegates from 64 countries were present, including Chinese, Japanese, Africans, Indians, Jews and Arabs from Palestine, a delegation from the German Evangeheal Church, and one archbishop and eleven bishops.
The gathering presented a colourful picture, many of the delegates wearing the picturesque costumes of their countries, The Conference is noteworthy as being the first in which the churches of the East and West are represented in parity.
Dr. Nott declared that the delegates had assembled at one of thè most fateful moments in -the life of mankind. He referred to the widespread disintegration of moral ideas and authority, making it necessary to fight the battle for religious freedom over again,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.