Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-11-19
RELIGIOUS TOPICS.

tELlGIOUS IOFtCH.
"A call has been issued by very large
number of the ministers and members o.
evangelical churches in all parts of the coun-
try for National Christian Convention, tc
meet in the Reformed Protestant Dutch
Church, corner Of Fifth Avenue and
Twenty-ninth street, New York, on Tuesday,
November 18th, at 10 o'clock, A. M. The
call for the Convention says:-
"The increasing influence of material in
terests in our land, so rapidly growing In
population, wealth and commercial activity;
the ignorance of the multitudes and their in
difference to the claims of the Gospel the
extensive introduction of irreligious and
anti-religious styles of thought and life from
abroad; the organized forms of attack upon
the authority of Gods word the fascina-
tions of a shrewd system of superstition,
Of an infidel philosophy, reared upon the
foundation of universal skepticism, alike de-
mand peculiar vigilance on the part Of the
disciples of the Son of God, lest the high
vantage-ground God has 30 graciously given
His people in this country be stolen from
them. Extraordinary efforts must be put
forth to meet the crisis, and to fight the
| spiritual battle to which Providence sum-
mons us. Cooperation among evangelical
| churches, and the hearty union of all sincere
| Christians in sympathy, conference. prayer,
| and activity, are imperatively required by
the times All differences should be sunk
| in the harmony of one faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ, our atoning Saviour and His
| pure Gospel must be proclaimed by the
united voice of His redeemed people. All
avenues for the propagation of His truth
must be sought and diligently used, and
every Christian heart be awakened to its re-
sponsibility; in other words, it is the Church's
work in its broadest meaning that must be
| done; that by the Church (true to her Head)
| the manifold wisdom of God may be made
| known TO the principalities and powers who,
| beyond the sphere of sense, are interested
either in her glory or her shame.
In view of these considerations and the
| high duties they imply, we respectfully issue
| this invitation to the people of God, that
| they may by such convocation, not only
| cheer and comfort, but instruct and edify the
body Of Christ, to the successful resistance
and over throw of the powers of evil, now so
boisterous and so boastful. All which we
propose in humble dependence upon Him
who has promised to be present in the as
semblies Of His people and to guide them by
His Holy Spirit
Among the names appended to the call we
notice those of Rev. Alfred Goodman, of
this city, Rev. WIN. A. Newbold, of Chris
tiana Hid. and Rev. Vaughn Smith, of Sea-
ford, Sussex county. A regular programme
of topics for discussion has been arranged,
which we give below; accompanying each
topic with the name of the gentleman ap-
pointed 10 open the discussion when any as
signment has been made B.
Hpu pan tha IN ri tiyitioo pf tba
entire membership of any particular Church
be best organized and developed? Rev.
Stephen IL Tying, Jr 9. Why do SO many
Churches fail to reach the poor? Rev. Cy-
rus d. Foss B. The right relation between
the Churches and Voluntary Christian AS
sociation. Rev. Walter Clarke, ID. d. 4.
How to make the weekday meetings of the
Churches effective for spiritual purposes.
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. 3. Woman's
Work in the Church. 6. How can the in
| fence of Christian homes be increased2 T.
BY what means can the homes of the poor
be improved? 2. r. Brockway, ESQ. s.
INV % 'nsr % Hsgs.d a oass5y, G .iS"Ds' D. %. ast'
How and by whom can open air services
by held most profitably? 10. The organiza-
| tion and work of City Missions. Rev. Geo.
j. Mingns. II. How can the people in
rural districts be reached by Gospel intlu-
ences? H. What is the work of Young
Mems Christian Associations? Cephas Brat
nard, Esq. IL. How can better observ-
ance of the Sabbath be secured? Rev. Phil.
| Schaff, d. d. II. How can the personal
| and social study of Gods Word be made
| The best method of conducting Sabbath
Schools. Ralph Wells, Esq. l6. How is
an unconverted person to be approached
Henry F. Durant, Esq. II. By what means
can we reach those who do not come to our
Churches? d. L. Moody, Esq. Is. The
| possibility of evangelizing the whole world
within the present century.
The Germans in the United States, ac-
| cording to the Lutheran Observer, may be
divided religiously, into Catholics, Ration
ais, Lutherans, German and Dutch Reform
ed and number of small denominations
and sects The Romanists number more
than one third of the Germans and their re-
lative strength has been steadily increasing.
In l71G there was one Catholic emigrant to
one hundred Protestants. In 1850 one
Catholic to fifteen Protestants; at present
there is probably one Catholic to twelve
Protestanis, and among the Germans three
Catholics to two Protestants.
DIR. Buchsel. an earnest German minis
ter, tells us: " I once preached on the sub
ject of family prayer, and after the sermon
an old man, who had the habit of calling
every one thou, came up to me and said,
Thou art quite right; SO long as thereis no
family prayer, and no saying of grace, no
good is done. Thou must repeat thy sermon
till folk begin. took his sdvice, and, give
ing his words as MY reason for doing it,
preached that sermon five times with but
few alterations. And after that the old man
came again and said, Now thou mayesi
leave of; five families have begun"
The Vermont Bible Society at its late
meeting issued an appeal to the Christian
people Of Vermont, and especially to the
Young Mems Christian Association, to ait
them in putting copy of the Scriptures in
every household in the State, and in promot
ing attendance upon all those means ofgrac,
where its principles are inculcated.
AT the last stated meeting OF the Ameri
can Bible Society, eight new auxiliaries wert
recognized and large number of book!
granted, besides $500 to auxiliaries at the
South IS, ,ii0 were appropriated for print
ing Arabic scriptures in Beyrout, for worl
in Italy, and for printing Nicrovesian scrip
lures at Honolulu.
There are twelve New York city cler
gymen receiving over ten thousand dollar
a year for their clerical services, and hun
dred ministers in the same city who do no
receive over onc-tenth that amount each.
One hundred and seventy-five ladies o
and organzs a Young Women's Christian
Association.
| F-
The Next Senate.
The following table gives the names of tn
Init Fx.I~