The New York herald., 1872-11-18
TRINITY METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

sion and Mission WOrk-Addrcsses by
Bishop Foster and General Fisk, or St.
Louis.
meeting in behalf Of the New York City Church
Extension and Missionary Society of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, Of which John q. Cornell is
President, was held in the Trinity Methodist
church, Thirty fourth street, last evening The
large edi6ce was filed to overnowing indicating
the interest of the Church in the labors OF the
Society, which for the purpose of carrying the
Gospel to those in our city who from cause and
another, never attend upon the ministry Of the
word at any OF the various churches
The meeting was conducted by Bishop James
one Of the oldest superintendents of that persua
sion. After the usual religious exercises, consist
ing OF singing and prayer, the Bishop arose and
said:-"We are assembled here as worshippers In
THE SPIRIT OF WORSHIP, :
and though there is something OF specially in our
meeting, 1t Is purely religious in its character
We represent here the aggressive agency OF our
Church; our object Is the propagation OF
the Gospel among multitudes who are per.
ishing for the want thereoEn He then intro.
duced Bishop Foster, former pastor and now
one OF the superintendents OF the church. In open
ing he said he agreed with Bishop James that the
meeting was profoundly religious in its character
He then referred to the spirit OF selshness as the
besetting sin OF humanity. 1t is, he said. the very
III,
1t from which the heart is purged 1t is seeming
anomaly that even those Christians which have
the highest work Of grace within them are tine
tured with 1t, and this leads Christians to fail to
realize what their real duty is, though when once
Thoroughly convinced wherein 1t lies they are
swift and energetic in its accomplishment He
then referred to the
OBJECT OF THE SOCIETY
and proceeded to demonstrate the need OF It's
labors. He showed how the churches of the city
were inadequate to the accommodation OF all, and
II they were, there were thousands who could not
be prevailed upon to attend them and who must
therefore, be reached In another way The need
must the society be sustained In its laborsS Mani
testify by the Church. and by its members who con-
stiuted that Church. The responsibility Is upon us
and we cannot shirk 1t; the mandate to preach
the Gospel to all nations Is obligatory upon all.
To carry out the labOrs OF the society money Is
required-not simply thousands, but hundreds OF
the Church. Those to whom we go will not pay;
Christ does not expect 1t OF them but OF his chill
dren. He represented the wealth OF the member
ship Of the Church In the city from twenty mil
lion OF dollars down to absolute poverty, and ar
gued that in the proper performance OF their du.
ties every one should contribute according to his
means; He closed with fervent appeal to God to
open the hearts OF Lis people.
Bishop James then announced General Fisk, OF
st. Louis. This gentleman has long been inte.
THE WORK OF EvANGELIZATION
In the larger cities, and his appeals for help to
carry on the labors OF the society earnest and
eloquent. he said the census showed that nearly
one-fourth of our population in the large cities
In 134 OF these cities there were 100000 of
inhabitants. In New York there were 200, 900 Irish
ideas and traditions Of the Old World. He urged
the necessity OF carrying the Gospel to those who
would not attend the churches, and OF contributing
The presiding officer then announced that col
lection would be taken up. and those who were not
prepared to contribute as much as they desired
would find slips OF paper in their pews upon which
they could SuDsCrbe.