Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-11-18

year TO lFeeumcAt RnSOS-AOiOA-
of the Christian press. Of elementary
and religious books, bound, there were
5.127 volumes To the army they have
donated 24O4S pages envelope tracts.
OF other tracts, 224,52l pages Of
bound volumes, 1913. OF the Christian
Press, lO4, 100 copies. To colporteurs,
destitute Sabbath schools, and other mis-
sionary work - Sabbath Missionary,
1875 copies monthly; tracts in pack
ages, 22,9l2 pages; other tracts,
lsO975; bound volumes, 2,072; Of the
Christian Press, 1896 copies.
The District Ministerial Association.
On Monday last we were favored with
an opportunity of visiting our pleasant
little neighbor, Princeton, to attend
meeting Of the Methodist Ministers Of
the Evansville District. These meet
ings are called Ministerial Associations,
and are designed for the spiritual and
mental Improvement Of those participa.
ting in their exercises, as also 10 culti-
vate growth of grace on the part of
those who atten1 as mere hearers or
spectators. We regret that the attend
ance Of Ministers at the Association in
Princeton was not larger. We fear that
many staid away who might have made
their arrangements to be present, and
whose presence would no doubt have
added interest to the proceedings. But,
as it was, the Association was pleas.
ant one, and ell who enjoyed it realized
the proftableness of now aud then
turning aside from the corroding cares
of daily business, to talk and hear of
things spiritual-a wise use of which
make for our eternal peace.
The opening sermon of the Association
was preached by the Rev. c. N. Sims, Of
this city, on the text, "Wby stand ye
here all the day idle2p The sermon vas
an earnest appeal to the Church to be
up and doing; to shake off the lethargy
that had crept over it, and to be more
alive to the salvation of souls. 1t was,
also, faithful warning to those who
were walking in the slippery paths of
a. sin and folly, to turn from the error of
their ways. They were standing in idle
ness in matters spiritual, and to them
was the appeal solemnly and earnestly
made, why stand ye all the day idle2"
Tuesday morning the Association met
at 81 o'clock, and, after religious exer-
cises, was organized by electing Rev. B.
E. Rawlins President and c. N. Sims
Secretary A Business Committee was
appointed to suggest the order of exer-
cises and topics for discussion, which
reported at once and the Association
went to work. The morning session was
spent almost entirely in the discussion
of the question, What are the obstacles
in the way of "a general revival Of rei-
gion in our respective charges2"
The question was one in which all
present felt lively interest, and it was
debated with candor, freedom, and
earnestness unusual in discussions of
s that character Each minister confined
himself to speaking Of the difficulties
that seemed to exist, in his own
immediate work, and prevented gen
eral revival of religion; but all an
glorious outpouring of Gods Spirit was
about to descend upon the church to
renew and refresh the souls of believers
convict and concert sinners, and add to
the church hundreds who would be saved
with an everlasting salvation Few
present failed to participate in the salts.
faction and JOY, the ministers appeared to
experience in the anticipation of SO
glorious demonstration
In the afternoon essays were read by
Revs. Mr.. Warning, Turner, and Sims.
These essays were criticised in sharp
) bat good natured manner The crit.
cisms were for the purpose of correcting
mistakes, and otherwise improving the
essayists in the use of the English
language. Pronunciation, Grammar
and Rhetoric, were criticised in turn
and no doubt suggestions were made
who received them in a proper spirit and
will endeavor to profit by them in future
efforts of the kind
Following the Essays, was a Sabbath
School discussion, on the question,
'Are our Sabbath Schools accomplish
q ing all the good reasonably expected of
them If not, how can they be i'm
proved p This question naturally
called out a statement of the condition
of the various Schools in the District,
which was not in any degree calculated
to fill the hearts of the true friends Of
the cause with satisfaction or Joy.
Generally the schools were ported to
be in languishing condition. Within
few weeks some of them were giving
evidence of returning animation, but
all agreed that none of the schools
were accomplishing the good reasona
bly, expected of them. As to how they
might be improved, there were different
suggestions, most of which contained
merit, and might be adopted by Super
intendents withpro6t to their Schools
Quite an animated discussion, though
short was held as to the proportion Of
adults in the Schools; some the mem.
bers of the Association maintaining that
the great defect of Sabbath Schools was
the scarcity OF adults, while Rev. Mr.
Sims stoutly contended that, so far as
his knowledge extended, the proper
proportion of adults to the children
would be found in all the Schools BE
urged upon the members Of the Associ-
alton to take pains to ascertain the facts
Isl in the case, by carefully compiling the
statistics of their different Schools. He
was confident the result would sustain
his view of the matter