The New York herald., 1871-12-12
THE METHODIST PREACHERS.


No More Legislative Sectarian Appropria-
tions-The Progress Of Christianity and the
Relative Growth Of Pr0lesta antism and
Catholicism In Heather Countries.
At the late State Convention of Methodsts held
In Syracuse strong and determined opposition
was made to any future legislative grants for
sectarian purposes, and, as o first fruits OF this
purpose, q committee OF ministers was appointed
yesterday by the Preachers Association to devise
means to provide the Old Ladies' Home in West
Forty-second street. with an income equal to the
annual grant OF the Legislature OF 900 to that
institution. The lady managers OF the Home held
meeting q few days ago, when q letter received
from a couple of gentlemen, enclosing two
$40 subscriptions, was read, and the suggestion
was made that a number OF subscriptions in
this amount be raised annually BY the friends OF the
Home, 80 as to place it beyond the influence OF The
sectarian appropriations The ladies thereupOn de-
cided to bring the matter before the Preachers Asso
ciaton, and Rev. Drs. King, Curry and Willis and
Messrs @. c. North and G. J. Hamilton were ap.
pointed the committee to devise aud mature plan
to bring the subject prominently before the Metho-
dist churches OF this city. The Legislature will soon
meet, and the usual appropriations will be looked
for, and viii De given unless they are opposed from
tho outset And many members OF the incoming
Legislature are already pledged against voting for
one dollar for sectarian purposes. The committee
VIII report ltS HCIOu W tle preachers meetnG next
week.
Tne Rev. Dr. CURRY delivered an admirable ad-
dress before the preachers on The present outlook
OF the world as being favorable to Christianity. lie
held most decided opinions in favor of tho present
age being better tnan any that preceded IT, That
pOically socially, morally and religiously the geo.
pie OF the world are far in advance OF and much
better on than any preceding age From his tracing
OF the Church's history, the Protestant Reforma-
tiOn Of the sixteenth century not reformation
at ALL but development OF principles which had
been at work within the Catholic fold for thousand
years. And the present scnisms In the Church OF
Rome are but q continuation OF this development
process, from which ne hoped great result probably
twOf0d-a separation OF the '.od Cathollcsp from
the modern and reform and remodelllng OF the
latter on a more liberal basis.
Rev. DR.. BUTLER, late Superintendent OF Methodist
Missions India, presented some interesting sas-
tics Of the progress OF Christianity, both OF the
Catholic and Protestant types In heather countries
and from them took q very hopeful view Of the fu-
ture. He finds that the Catholic Church, basng Its
converts OF all ages upon Its baptsms has over six
million OF neathen adherents, while the various
forms OF Professionalism have liGte less than three
Christ. But the Catholic Church has had its missions
among the heathen for $50 years. while the Protest
ants have been engaged thus but seventy years. He
expected Of course soon to see the latter greatly
strip former In members as 1t does now in every
other interest. The missionary collections OF the
Catholic Church for heather missions are in round
numbers annually $900,00o while those OF the Pro-
testant denominations reach nearly seven millions
of dollars.
This subject continued over for further discus
sion next week.