The sun., 1873-04-05
METH0DISTS IN COUNCIL.
THE THORNY PATH TO THE TEN
PIE OF KNOWLEDGE
The Trials Of Candidates for The Miui.try-
whole Libraries TO be Nastcred-Teu
Students Admitted to the Clerical Body.


whole Libraries TO be Nastcred-Teu
Stndents Admitted to the Clerical Body.
Yesterday the twenty-1fth session of the
New York East Annual Conference Of the Meth
odst Church was resumed. The opening PRAYER
was offered up 10y the Rev. DR.. Z. f. Grlswold
The Examining Committee presented their re-
port on the examination Of Deacons Brother
A. II. Smart had not pleased the committee. He
was college graduate, and as such should have
passed much more creditable examna-
tion, instead Of which, he had been only
Just passablc. The Chairman Of the committee
thought men who had distinguished them
selves at the universities were too much
In the habit Of resting upon their laurcls. An
elder wished To know whether the brother had
passed. The Chairman replied that he had
done so, though far from satisfactorily. After
debate he was admitted. Brother Joseph H..
Beale had also passed very poor examination,
hut he was said to be n very estimable young
experience in the army. DIR. Ewing, editor Of
the thitNtdn 1drocdtc, thought such recon-
menda'ions failed To- qualify him for the min
istry. In the cases Of two candidates the cori-
ntttce had squeezed out the word pas-able :
something more than this was required. He
thought II peculiarly bad that men who had the
ADVANTAGE of college education in the Wes-
leyan University, and In some instances In the
Concord Theological Institute, should he barely
able tn pass here. An elder thought the brother
had better be made an example Of Morally
however, he was found all that could be desired,
ana permitted To pass
THE NEW MINISTERS
TIE successful candidates were then called
before Bishop Merrill for ordination. Their
names are Jonathan r. Richards, VIM. 2.
". :. Stlll Orrin G. Lane. w. r. Pray, John Rip
per- and J 5. ,D'oray. Brother Ripper Lad un-
Eccountahly dtsap1 cared. and could nowhere he
found. Ills friends were frightened. and the
bishop omnously expressed "a nope that his ex-
traordinar, absence at the most momentous pc
rod ni his lle might no' iujure his PROSPECTS.
Dr. woodruff seized his hat, and requesting
leave OF absence from the Conference, went out
In search of the absentee.
The Rev CHARLES Fletcher offered nm a prayer,
and the following questions were then put to
the candidates for the ministry
Have you faith In Christ? Are you going on 10 r,r.
fcc!n3 ioy you expect to b. madc pcrftct in oye ia
t,is ~ Ar you go ming after i AZ you rc;
10 YOU know the rules VI sucicy? DO you kccp them
r,3 IN e .5' Se 1S'S0' "S 1 'yc % c ySn
ieim TO II Lave y9n ccnsidgred The rules o. .
you Keen ti'n Tor conscience sake ? Ar you deter.
m'ted TO employ all YOUR time IN the wors %; cod
VII lpn lirsenilY instruct the chdren -,erv pltc
Luiplc' Are you IN debt?
riIr WEIGHT or prsroNsIBiLrrY.
These questions were satisfactorily answered.
ordiu 4tion address, Dr. Woodruff cred Lead
Ing brother iupicr almost faintlng Barred In
The time to pas by unnoticed, and ~ he entered
b" heard the last qlestipn pr'pounded to his
brother candidates. lie thought he wus ton Lite
e. he ordained. And his naturally yale and ema
Ctttcd coun'cnancc assumed an expression OF
concentrated agony The bishop, without awurd
uf reprout, hadc the NOunP n an take his pl co
beside TIE othcr~, and the que.tiun- were re-
p"atcd for hi~ li.iiuul replies. TIe Bishop
then addressed the young preachers At the
close of the address ihn newly ord ned minis
terS retired. The committee reported uUun the
case of Broth n sherman, who wps very defrc-
N In
N the other SuhJr' =, ahI who Ma believe J h,f
10 re fuiy htted for mius''sih work. \ disc
Cussiou aruse ~ - his egi ility, and "a motion
10 discontinue h!m Was tihl"d. resolution
was ncNt offered to instruct the committee In
fulure 10 report on the ryp!io Is given by candi-
date. ~ TO whe her they hal read certain thcp-
lntIcal works wuch werc recommended for
their their ZERO a.; The motion, however, was st9uily
knJwlcd;e Of thc'e works necessary.
BROTHER BuCKLErs LITTLE Enron.
Tho Rev. James buckley found himself for
the Hrst une IN mis- life In tne position of an op-
punent To hlch STANDARD ol theological study
In the Methodiat Church. The candidates had
already sufficiently ditii' ult course to- ran with
out any addition being made to ii. He would
read a list of tine works they were required t.
study. and the brothers coud judge whether or
not they were lndispen.ibl". lie then read a
long oAtIn OF formidable theological works,
ana w"uld Ii"hthiy have continued for some
time lunser hal not the Bisnop assured him
thai he WIS reading tho wrong list; these were
not the work the rhnGi latr- were required to
study The announcement II tile error was re-
c"iv-d with shouts of LAUGHTER. and the brother
procured tie correct iiHt, and in "a tone some
what tut dorAted re- al IL To- the end. such re-
quiremcujs, he std, made the youny men hypu-
critics. iof when they were asked wlether they
bad peiusrd such aud such work they replied
in ia. anirW tive. knowing that although they
had read II with their eyes they had nos mas
tered q, sense.
Dr. Woodruff lad vet to learn that their young
IN, w"uli he gully of stating what they knew
tu be incorrect.
Dr. Curry thought the works were no more
than any young man should read who was Cx-
lCCtcd to be good theolotian.
Dr. Roche said that forcing the candidates TO
read these works was placing upon their necks
yoke which neither they, the elders, nor their
cOurse of study Necessary before ordination In
the Methodist Church already more difficult
than that Of any other Church on earth.
After a long debate the motion requiring the
ENami ning Committee To report on the candi-
dates knowledge, was carried, and an elder con-
gratuIaJed the Conference on having sustained
a high standard OF theological study in the
Church.
Elder Gram. Chairman Of the Book Concern,
made his customary announcement that he
would remain during the afternoon IN the COM
mittee rooms, where he would be pleased u re-
cel,e visits from such brothers as were indebted
TO the Concern. The Cont erence then ad journed
until o clock this morning.
In the evening, at the anniversary OF the
Church Exteusi u Society, addresses were de-
hvered by the Rev. 4. ). Willis and l.. :. Weed.