The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-10-26

country charge, though there were several
OF the city churches that wanted him. II
was at one time thought that be would be
to the Ada street church; and
a strong party in Centenary THE church
Rev. DR.. J. D. Peck left for Baltimore,
some time ago., also wanted him. DR..
Thomas may grow more orthodox in the
country, but then, too, thoughts, are apt
to run wild in exile.
PRAYER MEETING NANMBY.PAMBYIsN.
Now that the season grows favorable
for the weekly prayermeetings, certain
very sensible lessons which Thomas K.
Beecher has drawn from farmers club
for the benefit Of his own church's meet
ings, come into usefulness. The farmers,
he says, have something definite to talk
about. II farmers lever undertake to
support a conference meeting at which
they will talk in a general way about
farming, their meetings will become as
,tupid as church meetings at which
church members talk about religion in a
general way. On the other hand, if the
men in our churches ever have any defn-
tie Christian work on hand, about which
they are busyiug themselves, to-day, and
will come together to talk about It, the
church conference meeting will be Us en-.
pertaining and profitable a. the farmers
club" Moreover, the farmers talk ex'
perience, not theory; and experiences truly
told always fascinats and profit. "But
these farmers do not agree in their ex'
periences. They contradict each other
Now and then they give and take sharp
cuts; we think We detect some passion al
times. Yet the meetings go on. That
will be q blessed year in any church when
the members come together in conference
meeting to talk out exactly what
they think-nO two agreeing; some
times running into controversy, end
ed only by the watch; and going
away from the meeting quiCkeRed by col
lisions as we'll as by arguments. In either
case-Club or churchill the members
degenerate into hatreds because Of their
experimental disagreements, evil comes
Of it, But il they only be stimulated by
their disagreements, the result will prob
ably be that both sides will find them
selves to have been partly in the wrong
This il the true and only profit OF contrO
versy." But plainly Mr., Beecher did moi
mean by Experiences" the lackadaisaca
expressions about enjoying religion, and
being miserable sinners, and being glad tC
testify for Jesus, and other cut and dried
cant. Those he does not consider "expe
riences." But he would like to hear such
topics discussed as running in debit wive:
as business partners; the best way Of
praying in family; should children &c
10 school the year round? shall the boy
be put to trades shall we always collect
interest on loans? should poor people b
encouraged to join the church do poll
tics help piety? how to work of ole
stock in our stores honestly; what mer
can we really trust2 what is the reason
women seem more piOus than men 7 CT
CARS and beer-are they ever useful
What singular prayer and conference
meeting such live themes would make, in
deed What city church will try 1t, thi!
winter?
A STIRRING UP AMONG UNIvERsALIsTs
The outspoken admonitions Of Rev, DR.
Ryder, Of Chicago, to the universalist'
at meeting during their General Con
vention at Lynn last week were not ade
quately represented by n former para
graph IN the ISTELLIGENCER. lie wa
describing what hindraaceS are in thu
way Of the denominations progress, ant
declared that the most sOrrOwful and i'm
portant one is that "the average Univer
salist does not expect to be spiritually
renewed. lie believes in morality, re
spects piety, believes in the Bible ant
will defend it, but he does not consider
because he attends a Universalist meet
ing that therefore he ought to be Chris
tan" In this respect the denomination
is weak in comparison with some others
The second and kindred difficulty is this
"Our preachers, our editors, our authors
do not address the people AZ though they
were charged with the solemn duty be
fore God Of winning souls to Christ. w
all believe in morality; we all talk Of 1t
We like to have our societies prosperous
We want to do our work well, but We
do not act rs II we felt that we are ape
cialIy charged to convert the people t
God.' This is from the Photographic re
port, which DR.. Ryder read in Thursday
afternoons discussion, and proposed L
adhere to. DR.. Miner spoke Immediately
after DR.. Ryder, and said that he wal
forced to acknowledge that Dr.. Ryder hat
told the truth, though he was sorry II had
been done Just this way. Then he moveC
that Rev. DR.. Snow have leave to with
draw his resolution OF Censure on DR.
Ryder, the convention voted aye, anC
Da. Miner and Ryder shook hands II
front Of the pulpit, while the audience
applauded. DR.. Ryder said, In the course
OF the evening sermon, that "the grea
question which confronted the American
people at the present day was the fanati
cisIn Of Iiberty,"-that Is, the tendency
to keep entirely free from any church
connections. There seems 10 be a wide
spread sense Of need Of spiritual awaken
ing in the UnlversalisL denomination
The lSrELLiGENCER has already had oC'
Casion to note the preparations making
for revival in various quarters.