, 1873-03-30

holiness ntimated. It clearly appears that q life
Of conformity to the vii Of God is the safe5t
peril.
The lesson for next Sunday is, 's1srael, the
new name" Gen. 32:243D. For the second
quarter, extending to July, the scope of investi-
CATION i'll this department will be confined mainly
to the history OF Joseph, which completes tho
book Of Genesis
The Presbyterian Ministerial Association OF
the city discussed, at its regular meeting last
Monday morning, the question suggested By a
Skinner, Of New York, to-wit: "Why are not
more persons converted under the preaching Of
the Gospel2" In this article, it would seem that
DIR. Skinner takes the ground that conversions
are about as numerous as could be e1-
peeted Gods plans and psa purposes ssr Ho. not
present. and that !he fault is, therefore, not
with ministers, ETC. Tie Chicago Association
wisely differed with the learned divine on this
point, contending that (a) the same thought an-
urs Rss P he a ease 81 to es S
occult laws; (c) that the divine record assumed
the convincing and conversion Of men; that the
minister ia evidently to continue the sowing IN
| the expectation of harvest, etc.
What, then, were the defects2 Hypothot-
ically ~ it might be. on the part Of the miliis-
ter, lack Of conviction in the truth; {2) lack OF
consecration in. lfo aad heart in tie groaI
worh (3) want OF the proper qualifications,
intellectually and otherwise; ~ lack OF preach-
ing to men a. they are to-day and presenting
truth SO as to edify. and that only.
This last WAS not considered L Defect Al it
was argued that certain class Of ministers
were qualified more especially for this, and yet
did great work and one that was Indispensable.
It il certainly true, that the number Of conyor-
sions is not in proportion that 30 graud sys-
tenn of truth as that OF the Gospel with its end
less heaven, allwiso aud merciful God. and its
potential agencies should warrant The ques-
ton, Why are not more persons converted under
the preaching of the word is most reasonable
inquiry. and its discussion by tho Chicago Mini
isterial Association is gladly announced. One
or two facts, however, in this connection, may
he noted: A largo number of tho converts
from tho Sunday School, where the efforts
put forth aro mainly on tho part
Of tho lay clement, and where the
work is direct, earnest, plain, practical, and
mingled with kindness and love. The Sunday
schools Of America, to-day. arc tho great
harvest t-fclds Of the Church. The gospel therein
preached is accomplishing marvellous results
And it would now, union system OF les
Sons has been so generally adopted, that this
agency is to gather new strength. Wla: it will
ultimately do no one can surmlse. Tho strong
presumption il that the rising generation, now
being so thoroughly jndoctrinated in the same
scriptural facts and truths, will, when it comes
on the stage Of action, give an a:tractyeness to
(not so visible today that will prove to tho
world the "good tidinGa OF great joy" are those
" which shall be to all people"
Another important fact in this connection is
that q great number Of the conversions in tie
churches too is in connection with reyivals tha.
are the result of special efforts, the minister in
almost every instance being assisted by promi-
nent erapyelists- It will probably 10 found
true that the elements OF success characteriziag
the Sunday School aud revival work arc the src-
cassfrrl a1emauf6 with which miDiAtarA tn
play more conspicuous part in converting tic
world.
SEVEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED
Seven thousand two hundred dol.sLs wero re-
allied last Sunday at the First Baptist Ch.lrc.
the annual collection for the work Of for1j5u
missions. OF this amount A1r. j. E. Burche11
gave, in real estate, at low valuation, S5,0d0.
This will DO sold aud the proceeds properly
invested, the interest Of which, annually, willbe
given to the Board Of Foreign Missions. This
Is good way OF making donation to good
cause mr. Burchen was the protector OF the
University Land Scheme, By which hundred
thousand dollars has been made f0C that lnBtltu-
ton since the FIRE.
He came to this city, from England, four yeaEs
ago, and began work at S8 per week.
THE FALL CITY BANK ROBBERY.
Letters to private parties in the city, state
thnr the loss to Centre College and Danvillo
Theological Seminary in the recent 100000
robbery Of the Falls City National Bank, ct
Louisville, ky., will reach $4,000. OF tho
amount, Centre College loses $4,000. At q
meeting Of the Board OF Trustees of the institu-
replace this loss. TheRev. Drs. Hayes, Worren,
and Mckee were appointed Committee to solicit
subscriptions throughout Kentucky and the
East. The President of the Bank, notwith6tanG-
ing his own loss, which exceeded $40 900,
headed the list OF subscriptions for the College
with $4,000. The citizens Of Danville cub
scribed an additional o,ooo. It is thought the
College will be able to replace it's loss, but it is
not known what steps will be taken by tho Semi
nary.
The many friends OF Miss Smiley, in the city.
will be glad to learn Of her hearty welcome and
wondrous work in Boston, whcro she is now
preaching. A prominent divine OF that city,
on recent Sunday evening, who had come to
hear Miss Smiley, in a letter in the last In
dependent says:
Nc are having rea1 sensation in Boston; and |
when shy real sensation I mean it. and yet i j.
well pray for for It has affected the heart, rather
than the head. Not that .fo,an should speak, for
that Boston is accustomed to; nor that & wonaan
should preach for that ia unllcard Of thing il
these parts but that woman steering entirely clear
Of IN pa or euTes and
then be cordially and enthuaastically invited and |
welcomed int tho Rup 9f two Of a The nc most Con-
Yniah Adams and Dr.. Wobbi), and gather around her
from night to night aud from day to day . larger
|
any of tie churches here the Lords Day. listen
to her simple uninpassionel but earnest and loving
message from God. is senAation in truth.
THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS.
According TO report mado recently to tho
Ladies' Education Society, by Mrs. Prof. Howe
there arc fifty theological students in the Uni
versity OF Chicago Forty-eight of these arc
Stud, .ng for tho Baptist ministry; one IS d
Methodist, and one Congregatonalist: Thoro
Is tho sanlo number in the Seminary, who, hav-
Ing finished their collegiate course, are now un-
aergoiug their theological training. The report
alds:
It will be seen that tho University is the great source
II Baptist supply to the Seminary. The fortyeight
Baptist students represent ten Of the Western States
,uo is from Bur1nah, and two from England. Tho
Northwestern Education Society is aiding tnrty-one.
which shows the necessity OF Hheralty on the part OF
he churches in that direction. Many Of tho students
aboring hard, in various es!ltngs, to help them
.c:ycs and ready to do anything, that they may
prepare Themselves for their future work. II the Ba
lists OF the Northwest could only realize the sacrifices
which these young men make, we are quite sure that
more of thei. abundant means would be choe1ullJ
to aid them.