The New York herald., 1873-11-25
THE METHODIST MINISTERS.
How To Get and Keep RevivaIs-
Affairs and Anxious Seats Modern gu-


ventions-Palestfne Explorations.
Notwithstanding the inclement weather yestcr.
day goodly number OF preachers OF New York ana
Brooklyn gathered in the Mission Room, according
to programme, to listen to a discussion OF the
causes OF decline or advance OF Methodism, by Drs
Curry and Vincent who had been previously In.
vited to speak ON this subject. As however. tne
meeting was not as large as usual, these gentlemen
were excused from delivering themselves yester-
day, but they are expected to be In readiness to
speak on the second Monday IN December.
Reports OF Church work having been called for.
Rev. Mr. Thomas gave an interesting sketch Of the
great religious movement in Mr.. Talmage's congre.
cations, both in the Lay College building and In
the Academy or Music, Brooklyn. where hundreds
are represented as inGnlrng the way or salvation
Mr.. Thomas also spoke about the awakening In
Fleet street Methodist Episcopal church, Brooklyn.
PLAN Foa REvIvALs
Rev. Or. STEELE, or Beekman Hill church, re-
ported plan OF his own Tor creating ana c0ntinu-
Ing religious revivals which is substantially to
keep all his members at work and always at work.
He proposes to discard the usual invitations to
seekers OF religion to manifest their desires by
going to the altar or by standing up their places
In the meetings, but intends. on the other hand
to have more personal contact OF his members
with the unconverted. He gave sketch OF the
In the Interior OF the State, where his plan was
tested and also OF its success in Harlem when he
pastor there
in his church, washington square, since Septem-
ber without extra meetings. The classes are full
every meeting night, ana at Q recent communion
$50 odt OF the 400 members participated in tho
service. Still there Is no break, nor what he would
call religious awakening tin the ranks OF the un-
godly.
Or. CURRY spoke about the recent missionary
appropriations tor 1874 which are very large, and
ha fa fhn nnfh hA nh ~ r. M
TO them as 1t should Yet he did not see very well
how the necessities OF the could accept OF
every minister and member to do wnat he can 20
meet the expectations OF the Missionary Commit
the advance or decline Of Msthodism the Doctor
said that the foreman OF the printing department.
OF the Concern told him last week that after re-
view OF the statistics OF the Church he had djscev
cred decline or 29, 600 members in TWO years, SO
that the Church is to-day exactly where II was in
1871 The Doctor referred to the changes that have
taken place in Methodism and expressed his be-
lief that
SEASIDE CAMP MEETINGS,
church camp meetings, praise meetings and tina
ike are not conducive to spiritual health in the
Church He would not say much about Young
Mems Christian Associations because some of
these are doing good work. The preaching OF the
Gospel pure and simple he believed Is the only
thing to bring salvation to the people.
DR.. STEELE partly accounted for the loss OF mem,
bersmp above. gwen by saying that many OF the
Mon with the Methodist Episcopal Church, have
seeded and gone to coored Methodist organizat
tions In one section he believed 300 churches had
Dr. SrRArToN OF Yonkers, gave an account Of
MISS Smiley preaching for him lately, and reported:
his church as in good condition, spiritually.
Rev. Mr.. BRAY OF the Central Methodist Epis-
ropal church, Williamsburg, reported good in
terest In his charge and about 40 conversions. He
endorsed the plan Of Dr. Steele for revival work In
the church. lie mad tried and proved it himself
SHOT AT CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS.
DR.. OsBoN said that calling people to the altar
was a modern invention. 1t was not in vogue at
all in his early days, 30 or 40 wears ago He gave
pcid fG 1 n.
what success the opposite plan, or that now pro-
posed by DR.. Steele, was worked He strongly OPP
posed Young Mems Christian Associations AZ being
inimica to Methodist Church interests. They
never work with the churches OF any denomination
they confined themselves to social matters ne
would not object. But while they profess and call
make men Christians. but TO keep them out OF dram
shops and gambling saloons ana TO PROVIDE amusc-
PALESTINE EXPLORATIONS.
Dr. STRONG OF Drew Theological seminary, was
invited to address the meeting next Monday on
expedition, which is to sail from this port aOout
the middle OF December. Being present he was
also invited TO speak yesterday. He expressed his
desire to lift his expedition out denominati0nal-
ism and to enlist others besides Methodists IN its
antagonism 10 the other expeditions already at
work there; but realizing that the great BIBLICAL
81 I'm de gay IS caa map 81 anS aGr
that the other expeditions cannot or Will not give
the world such map within .s 20 or % years he Se
engineer OF the Brooklyn Bridge Company expects
to accompany him, or to follow him very shortly.
and he proposes to spend month in Egypt. an
other month in the desert and three months In
Palestine, traverslng that country in three lines
In this way he thinks he may get o passaby relta-
BILE map OF the Holy Land.
4 committee, consisting OF Messrs w. McAister,
J. Parker, G. l.. Taylor and J. Williams, was ap-
pointed to issue invitations to ministers and lite
rary aud scientific gentlemen In New YORK and
BROOKLYN and vicinity to attend the preachers
meeting next Monday to hear Dr. StrOng's pro
gramme explained BY himself ALI such will there
fore be welcomed.