New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-26
THE METHODIST CHURCH.
STATE CONVENTION AT SYRACUSE.


OPERATIONS CHURCHES -MEMBERs-Epu
cATIOy-ConPARIsON WITH OTHER DENOMi-
NATIONS. .
SyPACUsE, Feb. 22.-Your telegraphc dIs-
matches will inform you Of the opening aud organization
Of the First Methodist Convention ever held Tor this en-
tire State more detailed statement from one VINO mas
the inside view of the event may not be undesired.
Fr,t IL must be understood by the nonMethodIs public
that conventions are not part OF the official machinery
OF etbodis They are outside OF It's ecclesiastical or
ganzaton and have legislative authority In lact
they are novelty. They were at first boston houon
The New Methodsts representing the SIX states
concluded to come together last year. to shake hands and
compare notes. Then those of Massachusetts, tried the
first State Convention which followed by another
I'm Connecticut Laymen. who have as yet no place In
the official conferences Of the Church. were Invited ana
elected in equal numbers with the clergy 10 the CODyen
lions History and statistics we'll the Hoy Spirit
were invoked and the results found to DO highly
valuable to the Church.
The Methodists of the Empire State where Methodism
began in this country namely. in Johnst., New-York
l7C thought they would try the motion Which worked
so well "down East" SO the call sent through oil
tho Conferences and ministers and ten laymen
elected from each Presiding Elders District enough in
all to make o Convention Of about 1000 members. And
here they arc about half Of them present making
an assembly OF great numerical and moral power
The President elected to preside over the gathering Is
the venerable but ever youthful Rev. Dr. Jesse Peck
who "feels his lIttleness" at 800 pounds. We should
think he would He has been the Ajax OF Central New
York Methodism for half century, ana was never more
genial or powerful than now He well deserves the
honor accorded him with cheers by bis brethren, and
presides with fOrco and fire. not unmlDSled with fun
which so oils the wheels o. routine. The first tem on
the programme is the report Of the Committee on the
STATISTICS AND DEVELOPMENT or METHoDIsa ~ THIS
STATE.
Tho report is presented by It's author the Rev. VIM H.
Dc Puy A. NJ Associate Editor Of The Christian Adro-
cate mt NewYork and an accomplished secretary and
stastcian. can only give condensed synopsis. which
! have been permitted to prepare from tho document
itself
numbers resident bishop and l,457 travelling ana
SIT local ministers-total. 2.2l5; OF whom - are
editors, 33l supernumeTary or sup rlnhuhte1, ce.
Including al supplies, as no Methodist Chaten ~
churches. Tho total lay nbership Is deports OF 1862
9jj Ij377 OF whom IN full membership, all contain
ed IN O2 pastoral charges averaging l6I members eac
Tie local church oiciary trustees Stewards classeh
are stimcd A. 81 90 beside the great army Of sunday
school teachers On this point during the debate Judge
Ogden well remarked that this did show that the
The Church property shows 1902 church ednccs valued
Mt siO2O595 averaging SO29 each and $50 parsonages,
valued at Ssl59OO, 2,isO each the highest valued
being ST. Pauls. NewYork, $4,000, with several othe
nearly .obs the same e The Sces and eacSeT s
scholars, s5li2s volumes IN Libraries; expense;
school a. The benevolent contributions for 1869 were for
ters. 5000; American Bible Society. S23265; NJ +.
Church Extension Society. 5000; n: T., >. D. Gnl9n,
S52sI Tract Circulation. tlJli > 5 Expenses sooSi
total benevolent calls. $9io9 THESE cures 30 NOT IN
clude heavy collections for the fIeeuinens
Aid Society, local missionaries, educational con,
trbutlons and many other items. among which
are tho New-York City N. T.. S. 9. and Missionary
Society whose funds $1,000 and local Metho-
dist Benevolent Society there, $4,000 last year The
item ministerial support shows saaFes ~ pas oon
tons estimated az nearly S2Ooooo The highest salary
il 5000 the highest ayenge being that the ~ y. +.
Conference Sl,2Ji, and the lowest IN wyoming Con
ference. 1907. The highest amount allowed TO any Dehe
neary minister SAIL and the highest 10 any pastors
widow sioj, both In the n u Conference. IA, 90,
Tho growth Of Methodism. "a compared with ITSELF
since 1850. In years, has been, members 1906.
over 10 per cent; churches. 2 over % per cent par
cent; IS s. teachers SC3i Is per cent? scholars
l7Gi over per cent; value OF church edces goiO!
total growth Of churches and garsonages 22I over
ii3 per cent. The growth OF Methodlsm as eompareo
o read and the Convention too modest to coll Tor ana "
was only glanced at although surely the Methodss eea
not be- ashamed OF their showing, and II IL exhlDits
more rapid growth than the churches Of their brethre
they TO be blamed for It, ana cannot DC expected
miea to exTsc, the following table from Mt De Puys
paper referring 70 the principal denominations Oh 'Ao
state 10 ''p''''D P.h,se. Clergy Member.
rro..,i.n, Episcopal REPORTS !'t7l... g, 90 S9GI
g! lssi i ilss5
In view OF this grand showing OF results, for church
AZ
parlonaba that at the suggestion OF tAe
Rev Geo L. Taylor OF NewiorH. The whole convention
arose In grateful rapture, and amid many Methodist
"ui'H' sans Pr,,.. Cot nom Who's .nbls.sl-s, sov,"
and sang n with will The Rev D. d. Love, ID. d.: the
Rev o. J.. Taylor; the Hon. ID. A. Ogden the Rev w ii
onn D. D. aud several others spoke enthnS asealy on
tho report which adopted unanimously with thank,
To s author and ordered 10 DO printed at large III the
proceedings OF the Convention.
tou forwarded In your dispatches was finally adopted
as whole by rising and unan NOUS vote wi n great
emphasis 10 shows tho ncIible decision OF the disciples
OF John Wesley night out this next great battle Of ouI
country Ia victorious ISSUE
SECOND DAY-THE DUTIES or CHRISTIAN cITI-
ZRSs-A GREAT PAPER-GRAND EDUCA-
TIoSAL NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SUBSCRlP-
TON FOR A NEW UNIVERSITY.
SYRACUSE, Feb. 23.-Few Conventions have
ever witnessed such sessions in day those OF
this morning afternoon. The theme OF the morning
was Our Rights and Duties as Christian CtiZens" The
Chairman OF tho Convention. DR.. Peck, ms Chairman OF
the Committee in charge Of the topic, presented the
port, OF which he is the author Your dispatches have
already forwarded It In proof when DIR. Pecks paper
was read the audience cheered every sentence from end
20 end. and DIR. Vim. H. Goodwin. Chancellor Of
tho University OF the State significantly pronounced
IL the paper OF the age" DR.. Vim. Butler Secretary Of
tho American and Foreign Christian Union, supported
the paper with o mastery exhibit OF how Austrias
"Concordat" by which the education OF her children
was given over TO the Romsh priests, the Of
her failure at sadowa. aud that the first step OF Francis
Joseph toward restoring his country to power tc
break the yoke from the minds OF her youth by annullg
the Concordat DR.. Pecks report was adopted with q
moral emphasis OF tremendous significance FOR the part
Methodsm will play In tho anticipated struggles OF our
counrys future 10 marks an epoch In the utterances OF
the age for liberty OF education and conscience.
The Educational meeting OF the afternoon was even
moro wonderful than that OF the morning The Rev Or
King the immensely successful Principal or Fort EdwAr"
Collegiate Institute introduced the order OF the
Education IT'S present condition In our church, and Us
future demands by reading the statistics OF Meh0dst
Institutions nourishing In the state OF which the o9
aipa