Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-06

p~ortance cannot be over estimated. Reg
ular family worship, morning and night,
accompanied with the consecutive read
ing OF the Scriptures, is so morally fit,
reasonable and salutary, that TO US it seems
strange that the heads of Christian fami-
lies can feel guiltless in neglecting it.
While we rejoice In the greatly increased
interest exhibited in behalf of Sunday
schools, we are sure that there can be no
substitute for religious training in the
family. The impress, whether for good
or evil, made by family instruction and
example is indelible. In the home-circle
is found q domestic and patriarchal
church; the training-schOol of the king
dom of Christ the pledge and foretaste
Of the bliss of the kingdom above.
Indulgence in worldly and fashionable
diversions is another great enemy OF
earnest piety which is invading the
church, and threatening to ~estrange our
children from US. Dancing, in particular,
whatever plausible excuses may be
pleaded for it, is destructive to the
growth, not to say the very existence Of
spiritual religion in those who delight to
indulge in it. Generally, it is a species of
" r%eyelingH condemned and forbidden by
the word of God; and its tendency is evil
only.
In immediate connection with the spir-
ituaI welfare of the church, the great and
only effectuaI remedy for most IL not all
our deficiencies as a Christian people, is
an increase of inward, genuine, scriptural
holiness. We fear that the doctrine OF
perfect love, which casts out fear and pu-
rifles the heart, and is the measure of
the stature OF the ~fullness of Christ as
taught in the Bible and explained and
enforced in our standards, as a distinct
and practicable attainment, is too much
overlooked and neglected. This was a
prominent theme in the discourses of our
I -. .-1 alba IN thar nrfrafa nnn-
versations as in their public ministra-
tions, they urged religious people to "go
on to his perfection" of sanctifying love.
The revivals which followed their minis
try were not superficial or ephemeral.
Their genuineness and power were
proved by the holy lives and triumphant
| deaths of the converts. III we would be
like them in power and usefulness, we
must resemble them in holy consecra
ton, Nothing is so much needed at the
present time, throughout all these lands,
as a general and powerfulreviva of scrip
tural holiness.
We regret that we have MT been able
to extent our foreign missionary work,
since your body assembled last, owing TO
the want of funds. Indeed, after all the
| efforts which have been made, we have
| not Inundated in full the old debt con-
tracted during the late war. There is,
/ however, a strong probability that this
very desirable result will be accomplished
before long. Our domestic missions have
multiplied, and with increasing useful
ness. Your attention Is particularly in
vited to the great and effeetual do0r nOw
open in the West. From the mouth of
the Kansas river to the Golden Gate, and
from the Rio Grande to Puget's Sound,
there is a field becoming poPulous more
rapidly than any in which our fathers Ia
bored in their day. No louder call has
aver fallen on the ear of the~ministry than
that which comes to US from this vast re-
gion. Other forms of religion, some of
them corrupt. are pressing their missions
with astonishing vigOr. All along the
line of the Union and Pacific Railroad
they have secured real estate; and at
many places they already have church
offices on commanding sites. They Law
lsh money in gaining a foothold there,
where, in the course of a few years, as
| they fOresee, there Will be populous and
enterprising communities. Much of this
population will be from u " country,
and in sympathy with us; yet, up to this
moment, we have done nothing towards
the occupancy of the country. Your
Bishops are receiving repeated and most
urgent calls for men. But in the very
nature of the case, we can send no men
unless the Church at home will send
money to meet the first expenses incur
red. This is all properly missionary
ground al present. luCluQlHR Or8EOu anu
Southern California. In Central CalifOr-
MIA the work is, for the most part, self
sustaining-and, indeed, prepared to aid
the common enterprises of the church..
We feel we'll assured that money expend-
ed on this great field will yield as rich a
harvest as has ever been gathered from
such sowing.
The subject of education is one of gem
eral interest and prime importance, and
no intelligent philanthropist, patriot or
Christian can feel indifferent TO 1t.
Viewed either in its intellectual, moral or
religious aspects, it rises into grand pro-
portions and is invested with pOwerfulS
influence. The impolicy of multiplying
colleges under the patronage of he An
nual Conferences, must be evident to
those who are acquainted with the pres
ent condition of many of those already in
existence. In welding Alright this great
ageney, there must be more foresight and
concentration of effort and IibeTality. Let
those institutions to which we are already
committed DO encouraged with increased
effort to sustain and endOw them. Let a
higher grade OF scholarship be established
in them and the most earnest spirit of
religion be cultivated by officers and stu
dents. If there be those which cannot
sustain the rank of collegiate establish
ments, they must be content with a lower
position.
Inc proper training OF young ministers
Is a matter of high and acknowledged i'm
p%Ortanee. How this may be best and
Soonest accomplished will claim your
most thoughtful consideration. We COM
mend the subject TO your earnest atten-
ton.
The inadequate support furnished, in
many parts of the Connection, to fa1
preachers regularly engaged in the pc
tOral work, and the consequences which
must foIlowi if this evil be not remedied,
will not fail to be noticed by you. We
must perpetuate In itinerant ministry,
separated to the holy Office, and conse-
Grated to the care of souls; with all of
time and thought and energy devoted to
their sole and appropriate work But to
enable them to do this the church must
make provision for a prOpe supply of
their wants. While il affords us pleasure
to say that in most of our wide field of
operations there has been witnessed a de-
clded improvement, yet there is no doubt
of the fact that in some sections there Is
still a great deal of negligence in raising
the means of support, and of consequent
privation INT suffering among preachers.
Do not the members of the church need
to be specially instructed and trained in
this class of religious obligations?
Gu attention has been, of late years,
arrested by the Inadequate supply of
young men offering themselves to the
work of the ministry, either for the home
or the foreign missionary work. Nav we
not assume that Christ, the Redeemer of
all men, the intercessor for all, does call
men to the holy office, In numbers suffi-
to the demands of His cause in the
wOrld2 The fault must be with US. How
soon would an increase OF piety and zeal
in the church supply the remedy for this
deficiency? What can be done TO arouse
our whole communion to united, ferveut
prayer to " tho Lord of the harvest that
He will e forth laborers into His vine
You will consider, of course, with great
care, the whole Sunday school interest,
which we are happy to say, has assumed a
magnitude and Importance never before
known in the history of the Southern
Methodist Church. We think you may
find it practicable to adopt measures that
will secure a uniform scheme of instruc-
ton, with texts furnished at our own
publishing house; together with the en-
largement of the Sunday School PisitOr,
and possibly, in addition to that pa
per, the publication d a monthly
adapted to teachers and
the older classes of pupils. 1t is very de-
that there should be an improve
ment both in the character and price of
the books prepared for the use of Sunday
libraries. We recommend the APP
pointment of a suitable person to be spe-
intrusted with the oversight OF
these vital interests
The literature of the church will not be
overlooked by you. We cannot consent
10 surrender to others the vast power and
Influence welded by the press; no church
can safely do so. In proportion to the po-
-ency of this influence is the solemn obli-
t'tion resting on us to guard n guide
0 press. It must maintain a high re-
\ iOus tone-neither subsidized by wealth
power, nor perverted by ambition to
and political purposes. 1t should
steadily at conserving the eonnee- {