THE OPENING NIGHT, pp. 21-31.
• Prayer by W. T. Moore, p. 21.
• Remarks by J. H. Garrison, pp. 21-22.
• Remarks by T. W. Phillips, p. 22.
• "Centralization on Christ; or, Sovereignty of Jesus" by I. J. Spencer, pp. 22-24.
• "What is the Mission of the Disciples of Christ, and How May They Get It Done?"
  by George H. Combs, pp. 24-31.

      Two Parallel Sessions: Hall C, Carnegie Music Hall, J. H. Garrison, of St. Louis, presiding; Hall D, Luna Park, Thomas W. Phillips, of New Castle, Pa., presiding.

      Prayer, in Carnegie Hall, by W. T. Moore, of Indianapolis, Ind.:

      Great God of our fathers, we bless thee to-night for this occasion, for all the holy memories that crowd upon us as we look back over the past years, and as we measure up the past century in the fact with which we have become acquainted. Oh, help us, dear Father, to appropriate the lessons of this century that is gone, and grant that we may enter upon the new century with new courage, with the rich experience of the past, with the consciousness of thy helpfulness in every step of our religious movement. Oh, grant us, we pray thee, the consciousness to-night that thou hast not only been with our fathers in the past, but that thou art with us still, and that we owe better service, more consecrated lives, more earnestness in the future years, than in the past. Thou hast demonstrated to us thy presence with us in our efforts to build up the great cause of Christ in the world. And so we bow our hearts in thy presence to-night, and thank thee for all thy goodness. Let thy rich blessing rest upon this meeting, and upon the dear brother especially who is to address us. Help him, dear Father, to properly deserve the great things that have come to him in the history of the past, and in view of the oncoming years, he one of the middle-aged men, he with one hand on the past century and the other on the coming century, oh, help him to have a message that will honor the past and encourage the future.

      Bless us, we pray thee, in all that we say and do during this great occasion, this Centennial celebration. May we realize thy presence all the time, and may our hearts go out in the deepest gratitude to thee for thy wonderful care over us. Guide us to thy glory in everything, we ask, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

      Gracious addresses of welcome were made by City Solicitor Charles A. O'Brien on behalf of the mayor, who was unavoidably out of the city, and Wallace Tharp, minister of the First Christian Church, North Side, Pittsburg. Happy responses were voiced by H. P. Atkins, Richmond, Va.; A. M. Harvuot, Cincinnati, O., and A. C. Rankine, Adelaide, South Australia.

      Chairman Garrison, in Carnegie Hall, said:

      This is the hour to which we have been looking with longing and anxious eyes through the years of struggle, a hundred years of history big with destiny looking down upon us. This Convention is to furnish the keynote of the Disciples of Christ for the second century. And this meeting to-night will furnish the Convention its keynote. It is easy to anticipate what that keynote [21]

J. H. GARRISON.

is and must be. May I put it before you in a single sentence? It is the only sentence that I will ask you to remember or think of that I shall say. This is the key:

      Jesus Christ enthroned in the heart, in the intellect, in the conscience, in the life, as the bond of unity, the source of liberty, the standard of ethics, and the pledge of progress not only in the knowledge of God, but in an ever-widening measure of altruistic service for the redemption and elevation of mankind. [Applause.]

      Translate that keynote into the music of life, and the twentieth century will witness the greatest victory which this world has ever seen.

      Chairman Phillips, in Luna Park, said:

T. W. PHILLIPS.

      I am truly grateful to those who invited me to preside at this meeting on this great occasion. It was here in Washington County that a declaration of freedom from ecclesiasticism was made, one hundred years ago. In making this they put emphasis on the Bible, and stated that "Where the Bible speaks, we speak; where the Bible is silent, we are silent." Now, this great rule has become more and more appreciated as the years have advanced. We find now the Y. M. C. A. teaching nothing but the Bible. We find the teacher-training classes teaching the Bible. We find Bible classes in all the great congregations, and it is so taught and so understood that creeds and confessions of faith are practically ignored. They are not taught now by any of the international congregations or gatherings, and very little emphasized in any congregation in Christendom. It is, "Where the Bible speaks, we speak; where the Bible is silent, we shall be silent." Now, in regard to the other great propositions, that all shall be united in one, that the prayer of Christ may be fulfilled; that all may be united in one, that the world may believe. This great plea went out over the country and over the world, proclaiming unity upon the word of God as prayed for by Christ. The world will never believe until God's people are united. A divided church has never saved a county, a city or a State, and never can. Christ prayed that they might be one, that the world might believe, and they will not all believe until God's people are one. Now, in advocating this great plea, we do not claim to be the only Christians, but we do claim to be Christians only. We have no authority but the Bible; we wear no name but "Christians;" and we have no creed but Christ.

[CCR 21-22]