The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-04-18

them will PROBABLY Onite with the African NJ. e.
Church while OF aepS S w,snstand,nS r1
S,i ,orno, ] 1h nd misrepresentation Of our Churcn
et us b content TO leave to Providence to vind-
tate IN Que time our scllptural relation TO the in
1ittes' ef che coored people. For those who remain
e. a Ms the Church should provide generously every
'aipg important to their religious culture. Con-
Vinced that your body takes the deepest interest In
this subject, will give it your special attention.
we deem It only neednl to speak OF it IN this gem
elal and suggestive form; and especially as the
Bishops in their pastoral address last August
brought the subject prominently to the notice of
In respect to the separate and distinct organiza
on Of our Church. no rea ons have appeared 70 alter
views, as expressed in August last. No proposal
OF maternal relations has come to us from Others
neither do we regard ourselves as IN anyWse respon
sibe for hostility evinced towards us While the
attempt TO take forcble possession OF property,
and to dislntegTate our Church, declare the mind
that would destroy us let it be ours to show the
mind that was in CHRIST.
In conscious integrity we should calmly await
the inevitable hour when, IN the providence OF God
an enlightened pubic opinion VIII vindlcate our
claims as church OF God and true " pc of Method
ISM Let us not be impatient Tor our vndlcaton
before the world TIE great future is before u, and
the great Head of the Church smiles upon us. Our
fidelity to cd will most perfectly reply to the voice
In this connection il is with pleasure that we refer
20 the fact that many Christians in the North, and
especially IN the Northwest, sincerely sympathiz
| WI u.s. and this sympathy, we have reason to be-
heye Is daily assuming more tangible aud impress
form. That there have, at the same time, been
| some deectlOns IN the Church we care not to dis
| puse. very lew OF the whites nave gone from u.s.
This was, perhaps, 10 have been expected. Our re-
| gret is rather Tor them than Tor ourselves. But
| while we speak OF small defechons we may refer
| also to most gratifying accessioDs. The Baltimore
Animal Conference is now represented by dele
cation in this body In February last Bishop Early
formally received into our ecc esastIcal connection
this Conference consisting OF one hundred and four
ministers, and a membership of twelve thousand.
| II Is a grateful duty to welcome these brethren
| among Us, and 10 commend them to the confidence
and affection of people, This is large accession
| to our members and territory 1t is also testimony
|
| former position and long elaboration upon the
| SUBJECT as W eli as their known intelligence will en-.
title II to special respect. In heart elcome
| them, and cordially extend to them the right hand
| OF fellowship.
| future influence, we may state that IN the city of
Bait more there have been organized several nrsh-
| ing churches UPON an independent basis composed
| of Methodists, whose warm sympathies are with u.s.
| and whose liberal kindness la, already contributed
under obliga tons by their love and good works.
| Our educational interests have been greatly dam
| aged by the war, and nearly ali oi our male nsutu.
tmae institutions have been kept IN operation, and
are sul dispensing tue blessings OF sanchfed educa-
! hOD TO the daughters OF our land. Everything in
our power shon be done to revive, as speedily as
possible, the ma institutions under the patronage
| of our Church.
| In this connection we specially bring to your
attention the importance OF an institution for the
proper training OF young preachers. That should
| make some proper arrangements for the more
| thorough training OF our young men before lheY
are received into the Conferences and sent forth TO
| minister IN the Church of Christ. appears to to
be SO obvious as to need no argument TO prove it.
1t behooves US to take this matter INTO serious and
| immediate consideration, and secure to the Church
the invaluable advantages the provision we suggest
| only can supply.
and the interest of our Sabbath School system can
not be too highly appreciated by you Your body
Christ and lambs of his flock by the practical va ue
OF your action in theiI behalf We think 1T unneces-
10 I Sm POM o. a Is
only by taking care or the children that we can ia ke
care of the future prosperity of the Church.
Ii we are to judge from the tone of the religious
press, and the action of many of our conferences,
great is iet respecC to certain changes in
| our economy. IL is obviously unbecomng IN us, as
BISHOPS, to occupy any other than impartial rea-
tiOn to those matters. But take the occasion to
urge upon you the importance of giving these sub.
jects your sober and prayer1ul consideration.
From our extensive observation OF the state and
wants of the Church. we hesitate not to say that
some improvement of our economy may be wisely
undertaken at this time. Well tor US If we can hap
plly avoid extremes and do neither too little nor toe
much. Let us remember that while innovations are
not necessarily improvements, wisdom may demand
in the department of ecclesiastical expedlency new
applications and developments OF fundamental prin
The efficiency of Methodsm finds its first condition
in the prevalence of deep spirit ual lire and alera
tions in our economy are valuable as they coincide
with this condition, calamitous when they ignore IT.
On only one of the points suggested 90 we regard !
becoming posi ION to speak directly, and that Ii
spect to the increase OF the number OF Bishops
For such an increase as will give the Church 8
more efficient episcopacy, we thlnk these IS ur
necessity. The nfilmites OF age press heavily
upon some of us and dmlnith ovr ability to answer
the nemands of the work tor generanepiscOpal visit
alton,
The great and increasing extent OF our territory
should be considered We should bv all means have
bishop for obvious reasons, residing on the Pacific
coast. And while we do not recommend Bishop
for every State Conference are fully persuaded
that the number OF Bishops should be so increased
enable them TO be Pastors of the people as well
Chairmen of Conferences and Pastors OF the
preachers. If we would carry out the invaluable
pan OF our iinerant general superintendeney, we
must have an addition of number OF vigorous
active, and piOus men to our present College o.
Bishops.
And now, dear brethren in conclusion, allow Us
affeciionatt ly remind you of the solemn responsi
the affairs of our be owed Zion. We have only sug
gested in outline sOmO of the work before 1t Ii
your province TO go fully and thoroughly into the
particular consideration of the subjects within your
jurisdiction, avoiding all partisan feeling discharg
ing from our minds all prejudces that would cloud
our judgments, rising above all private and selfish
impulses, humblY invoking that wisdom that ls non
abeVe, which is pure and peaceaole and Rentlej IN
honor pretening one anOtherj in Drotherly kind
ness and charity, and with eye single to the glory
OF God; let us endeavOr 10 do our duty here as min
listers OF the Lord Jesus Christ, praying God thai
NAV have grace to ediiY the Church. that We
may rejoice that we have not labored IN vain IN the
Lord. }, o. ANDREWS,
| II, PAINE,
| j. EARLY,
| II. II KAV AEAUGH.
Bishops j. soule aud G. f. Pierce we're absent.
The "Pilgrim's Progress" is translated into