Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-11-14

EDIToR REPUBLICANi Tho public cannot but
be astUnlshed by the action Of the late ministe.
as we'll as the sentiments expressed by a major.
ity u them at the meeting. As | have been a
pretty constant attendant upon the meetings Of
the association, and an somewhat familiar with
the work that II is doing In the city, feel con.
strained TO utter my simple protest to the uBuTpa.
toni can call II no less than that-OT power
exercised by those Christian churches repre-.
sentod at tho meetings recently held. These
churches, II | understand this question, demand
that souls shall be saved In legitimate man.
ner-that IL, done largely through the churches
The great complaint seems to DO that the Sun.
day evening exercises at Lincoln hall draw
away quite u large number Of church members
from their respective churches, This Is tho
great crime brought against these Sunday eve.
ming meetlngs Well, suppose they do. II only
establishes the TACT that the several pastors Of
these respective churches do not give their
hearers such sermons as please them that they
have not the power 10 draw them to their sew.
eral ehurohea The admission by the pastors
that the Sunday service 1T Lincoln half takes
away great many or some Of their church
members Is a confession that they cannot preach
Interesting sermOhs-thAt Is, sufficiently SO az 10
keep thelF church members at homo. This fact
belongs more to the officers Of the church To look
after than to the pastors, for II the church can
stand II, certainly the pastors ought not to
gTumble.
1t would DO much more to the point II these
pastors would meet to consider aud discuss the
question to make their sunday evening
exercises more interesting. by the report OF
the prOcee dlngs Of these several meetings, held
Dy the pastors OF the churches, but very little,
u anything, was said about the work done by
the Young Mems Christian Association; OF the
large number OF young men that have been
brought under Its influence. They did not even
inquire Into the work that was dene, or the 70.
suits that followed from the meetings hold by
the association.
Tho Rev. Dr. Rankin expressed his dissent to
ladies occupying the platform or pulpit, refer
ring especially to Miss Smiley, who occupied
the platform recently at LnoOlu hall. Now,
Dr. Rankin has the right to express his displeas
ure, but do not think a majority Ol his church
| or congregation Will agree with him. and his
opinion Is only that Of an individual. Whether
Miss smiley is out Of her sphere In occupying
the pulpit or not, 10 to be determined upon tho
results that follow her preaching. Suppose
somebody should say that he did not think Dr.
Rankin ought TO Oocupy tho pulpit-thHt he
lDr Ranking was out Of his sphere. Why, what
would tho Doctor sayl Now l assert this aud
DEFY successful contTadlctlOn-thAt II Mics Smi-
ley nccOmpllshes more good, saves more souls
leads more to higher Christian lite than Dr.
| the pulpit than he has.
DR., Butler says that there was an atmos.
pheTe around the meetings OF the association
that did not please him"
We'll, am sorry Tor the gentleman, but, 50
Tar as my observation extends, the clergymen Of
the city do not 20 70 tho meetings OF the asso.
and yet, l think DR.. Butler attends sometimes
| II they all attended OitonoT II might he Dene.
nclal. l cannot understand how these clergy.
men remain away from these meetings and then
tell the public about the atmosphere. | am
| sure great many will think that the atmus.
phere thbt was around the meeting Of the
| cleTgymeL was not altogether beneficial,
One word 10 regard to the demand made by
the Clergy men, that tho hour Of holding the
| meetings Of the association DO Changedi refer
to the Sunday evening meetings. would In
qulre whether the churches SUPPORT and control
the association / supposed Il was supported
largely by the public, and that rs work Was for
ne Interest Of tho public. Have not the RSsO:
citation Just as much authority to meet and
pass resolution asking the several churches
10 change their hour Oi meeting so as not to In
teriere with lta work. / ain very glad that on
clergyman out Of the many, DT, Sunderland,
took occasion to say that his sympathy was with
the association, and that he should hesitate to
10 anything cripple, In tho least, Its efficiency,
PRERTIss