West-Jersey pioneer., 1873-03-21

proved.
Resolutions in recognition of the distin-
guished services of |. d. King, as Confer
ence Secretary, and i'll the publication of
the minutes fol several years; and also of
fering him the sympathy Of the Conference
in his retirement from the active work,
were read ann adopted, and committee
was appointed to call upon the members of
the Conference and secure some substantial
token of what is recognized in the Tesolu-
tions.
The committee on Education made their
report concerning Dickinson college, Drew
Theological Seminary, the Conference Edu-
cational Society, and Pennington Semina-
ry, all of which were adopted. The same
reported concerning Vineland
and DIR. g. F. Brown made tile
following explanatory remarks:-
''The committee has given due considera-
tion to the proposition of Mr.. Landis, of
Vineland Seminary, and find that they can
not concur, as it involves further debt
on the Seminary. The plan which we pro
pose in the report is the best that we can
do. $13, 200 is necessary; SO, 600 from the
clergy, and the same from the laity. This
amount will require about 10 per cent. on
the preachers salary. This can be reached
i'll the aggregate. The payment is to be
made quarterly, and no pledge is binding
until the whole is subscribed. We are able
to do this, and we may depend upon the
promise of God to help us through.
Some of the brethren expressed a desire
to hear Bishop Simpsons views in regard
to the report of the committee and the plan
proposed.
The Bishop said
feel deep interest in this Institution.
1t is needed in our work. While | have
all due respect for other denominations, we
do not want our children to go to their
schools.
We must educate our own children, and
we need the schools for so doing. Other
churches are doing more than we are do
ing, children will go to school, and they
ought to do SO unless we make provision
to educate them, others will do so. The
result will be that the wealthy will go from
us. Had you never begun the Institution
at Vineland the case would be different.
But YOU have already done much. You
have an extensive building, rooted and
enclosed. Perhaps you would have done
better had you not gone so far as to get
in debt. | feel sorry that there is a debt,
because it has tendency TO destroy conf
dence. still do not mean to find fault.
Youi debt is Sl3, 200; pay that and we
will have the confidence Of the people, and
receive their gifts.
It grieves me to see a subscription in the
conference, for know someteing Of the
sacrifices that it implies; but is 1t not the
best than can be done.
Often we have only the choice between
two evils. Let your Seminary go and you
lose the opportunity of educating the chill
dren of this section of the State for many
TDsl ~
who will have the courage to make another
attempt for a long while in the future
Confidence will be gore. Banks are ru-
ined by the loss Of confidence: confidence
is worth millions Of money. If it be once
lost it will cripple us for years to come. l
like the plan in this, none of you will be
held responsible for your subscriptions un-
til all is raised. You are not required to
risk your money where it would likely be
lost. You may say the people will not
raise their part. Suppose they do not the
responsibility will rest with them, and you
will stand well before the world as having
done what you could.
Will we not regret declining to do this, if
we let this opportunity so by? If it cannot
all be done at once it may not be a serious
matter Let US do something to start it,
and restore confidence. Time and patience
may be required to bring us out, but we
can succeed. Our Metropolitan Church W as
begun by the laying of the foundation.
Unfavorable times came upon us, and
there it stood without anything being done
for 13 years. Many were the kind insinu-
ations presented to me from time to time
about beginning and not being able to
finish But whs now would regret that we
began that Church.
What we have we should hold. The re-
treating army gets into a panic, but the ad-
vancing army is flushed with victory. When
we do what we can, we may realize the
smiles of Providence, and what we cannot
do, God will do.
Rev. J. B. Dobhins, d. D., read paper
to the Conference and said:-
Nv heart is deeply interested in this mat
ter. have lost sleep in consequence of il
since have been ar Conference. Method
ism, as has often been repeated, was born
in college, and the first college of our de-
nomination dates from the first year of the
history of the Church. This is true in re-
gard to both sides of the ocean.
There are colleges and schools all over
the country, and we cannot afford to be be-
hind, when God gives first position. To
fall behind is an intolerable reproach. Our
Baptist friends have two seminaries, and
our Presbyterian brethren three within the
bounds covered by our Conference. Can
we do otherwise than go forward?
FL. M. Brown said, he believed the breth-
rem by their speeches would injure the
cause. When the Bishop was done speak
ing he was ready to do his utmost to relieve
this Institution, but he did not feel SO en-
thusiastic now, and if speeches were to con
tinue it might all escape. He hoped the
brethren would desist.
J. Lewis then took the floor and said:
sBro. Brown has had his speech, and is
satisfied. I have not had mine, and am
not satisfied. When this Seminary was
started, we had just come out of the war,
and had whipped the rebels, and we thought
we could do anything-but We couldn't. |
am accustomed to look at things without a
margin. Some, however, must have wide
margin, so that they may have loss, at
least, if no profit. When we had the a.
ton at Salem, and took our large subscrip
ton, | had no faith in it, or l would have
subscribed. Some of our preachers could
not pay and they were like the man who
wanted to buy coal OIL stock, and borrowed
the money to do it. When the assessment
was made and presented to the Quarterly
Conference, it was urged that we accept.
as we we're not likely to be called upon to
pay the money. When there is true, sin
cere action, trying will not be behind.
S. Townsend thought that the fault had
been in the method of trying to raise the
funds heretofore. Quarterly Conferences
move slow. We must go directly to the
people, and will find that they will not be
behind.
J. B. Graw said: I am not going to make
a speech, but I will say that l am not will
ing to submit to subscription at the point
of the bayonet. Let us go TO the people
with an apportionment. and let us make
our subscriptions with them.
The report was then laid on the table, for
the time, to give an opportunity for the in
corporation of the .dea of j. B. Graw, into
the report of the committee.
The committee appointed to correspond
with Rev. A. Gilmore, reported their paper
which was adopted. The Secretary was
then authorized to transmit it.
The Conference Stewards distributed the
funds in their hands according TO the report
before presented, and the Secretary took
account of the same.