New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-10
MINISTERIAL SUPPORT.


AND THE REV. PROF JACoBUs
The capacious Church of the Disciples, at the
corner OF Forty-hfthst and Madson-ave of which the
Rev. Geo H. Hepworth is pastor. was crowded last
evening at the meeting Of the third section the Evan
eelica Alliance. The interior OF the building half cir
cular and without galleries and its acoustic properties
are excellent
The general topic chosen for treatment was MINIS
teral Support" which included in che suo'eo'
OF Free Churches on the Continent Of Europe Among
tho prominent gentlemen on the stage were hI
Cummings OF Kentucky, the Hon. George ID. o'uSi' -
philadelphia, the Rev DIR. MoCosh the keV. 'On' nan
the Rev. Prof. j. +. Astie OF the Tbeoiogio'i 0o'
the Free Church. Lausanne. Switzeriahu Tue - :.
Ymon De1fast IRELAND. thc Rev. Prof. NJ w Jacobus,
ID. Allegheny Pa and the Rev. l. f. Berkeley Lur-
gan, Ireland.
The Chairman the Rev. George II Stuart opened the
meeting with the remark, I've must make inc eAe'-
oises short and spirited. Let US unite In singing the
HYMN & All nail the power OF Jesus name.'"
,ri hymn was followed by prayer offered by the Rev.
~, uIres Of this city, The Chairman called upon
the Rev Prof j. +. Aste who the author Of History
of the United States IN the French language His paper
treated The Free Churches the Continent OF Eu-
rope, and contained the following passages among
others:
MR.. AsTIEs PAPER.
The antacOnisms between the Established and the
FREQ Churches Of Europe though developed but slowly
springs nevertheless, from the great religious move
,nent OF the sixteenth century. The Reformation,
which in so many respects met the demands
Of the moment, could not at once realize
the conception OF truly spiritual Church.
number Of persons connected with the Free
Church Of the Continent may be estimated at 1l66OSS
In spite of the defects which, in many ptcuars have
attended the development OF these churches they have
nevertheless attained results Of considerable Importance
IN view OF the numerous dsappointmens that awaited
them the prophets OF evil confidently announced that
they would succeed in reaching position OF SELF
support IL was hoped that they would surrender
from faminel These natural apprehensions were
but too strongly justified by the considera-
ton adheTents of these churches everywhere
fewin numbers we're seldom drawn from among the
Weather classes aud that the habit of depending on
the public for the support Of religious worship
had grown with the lapse of centuries. Facts have sue
Ceeded In dispeng the fears OF friends add In over
throwing the hopes adversaries Of the order OF
things. The financial status of the Free Church Is
certainly not brilliant one; but after all, there are
found pastors willing TO work cOntentedly under the
salaries which the churches able TO Offer insufficient
as they are to meet the necessities of times. SO
much has already been accomplished, that
the opponents Of the principle, who are
certainly competent judges in the matter,
seem TO be more impressed with tho results already
reached than with the difficulties that still lie in the
way OF ultimate second objection fire.
quently raised at the outset this. Once seper-
ated from the State, IL predicted, the Free
Churches could not fail to go splitting into
countless fragments These prophecies we'll
have been fals1ed BY the event. broader
theological ecclesiastical has resulted from the
formation OF the Churches. Inasmuch the cOnfes
sons OF faith OF these churches bear upon egOus
than theological principles and imply more or less
desgnedly the fundamental distinctions between religion
and theology it follows that there sbe found in the
same churches, Lutherans and Zunglans, Armenians
and Calvnists Baptists aud Pedo-Baptists. Nay, ii
will happen that Of the srictest orthodoxy will
have to put up with the presence Of evangelical men
who in many respects differ widely from the historic
theology of the sixteenth century.
the conclusion Of Prof Ases paper the Rev. John
Hall was introduced by Mr.. Stuart and said
NEED OF LIBERAL sUPPoRT-BY DIR. JOHN HALL.
Ny dear Christian friends with permission from you,
shall keep for printing the paper prepared upon this
subject and eDdeavOr to give you IN brief terms and in
conversational the substance OF the paper, in
the hope that thereby may make clearer conveyance
your minds of what is proper to be said introduce
tory 10 the subject of ministerial support. And &C
knowledge feeling Of unwilngness 70 stand.
even for a short time between you and my brethren
who TO come after me, and whose voices can
not be heard so frequently my own in NewYOrk.
Why in the first place. should we talk OF this subject Of
ministerial supporti Not because of decay OF the
ministry any present decline in the popular interest
II that body but because the army is growing every
5ear in numbers; there is necessity TO look to
she cOmmssarlat and so that the supplies
DC adequate to the necessities OF this ever
increasing band Of Christian labOrers; not be
cause there is any special aud peculiar necessity
for discussing this at the present times such
necessity specially exists. That which saying
upon this matter has been said IN years that are
passed and there have been from time to time efforts
made with more or less Of system and organization to
supply deficiencies that have been felt to exist
in this direction. We propose, however. some-
what different pethOd OF proceeding in our time We
Hioo r.sffa a..
selves and TO 90 those who have responsibility In the
matter and who have the whole thing in their hands,
and instead Of originating auxiiaryagencies TO supple
nent deficient supplies, propose to increase the sup
plies themselves by nstructng the people, and creating
upon the subject q sound and healthy public opinion
lApplausel Thd difference between this policy
and the last you can easily realize for yourself
suDnose the reservoir in the Park sendiug
insufficient supplies Of water through the pipes IN the
city Various good men, at various points might SET
themselves with some pains and labor TO open pumps
in their yards and exc out the deficient supplies IN
The reservoir But the wiser policy would surely be TO
combine tese various private and individual energies
in such way as to bring enough into the reser-
voir 10 I'LL al the channels and supply all the wants
OF the city And upon this principle we propose
TO carry the discussion OF this thing 10
the people themselves We have evidence IN the
conscience Of Christian people, that when they I'M
derstand this matter they will supply that which IS
lacking In the premises. Nor In the third place, do We
talk of tins thing and here because there1s any
special necessity for discussing the topic In America as
distinct from those countries where the State takes
charge in whole OF in part, OF the maintenance
aud support OF the Church. There Is no
peculiar need 10 discuss this question In Amer
ca; need to discuss ii more than 70 discuss
&c in the countries where the Church and State are
closely allied through the bond Of maintenance from the
State TO the minister Word Having lived In such
countries, ana under this particular system am able
10 that the proportion Of supported ministers
those countries is, my Judgment quite great 40