The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-30
SITTING AT MO0DY'S FEET.
HUNDREDS or CLERG rNEN TITG mr.
by THE ELIST
The Chri-tian Convention In the Uippodroms
-Oucsttoua and Answers Relating 10 the
Bcst management of Reiisionr LRb0r-A
t...t. nux.. work nv the uCvivalists.

-OucsitOns and Answers Relating 10 tue
Best Management of ReiiRtonr Labor a
Lively DnN's work by the Revivalists.
Before 10 O'Clock yesterday morning oil
the front seats in tho large hall OF the Hippo
aromc, as well as the platform chairs, were 90
cuplcd by delegatcs lay and clerical 20 the
Christian Convention, from churches In all parts
Of the country. The doors were opened to Others
a few minutes before the first hymn was sung
aud soon six thousand persons were present.
including tho delegates, Of whom there were
probably two thousand. Among those on the
platform were the Rev. Dfs John liall' Adams
Ormston. Booth, Deems and stephen n. Iyng
Jr.; and few rows from the 'front.' in the BODY
Of tho hail, sat tho Rev DE- Edward Beecher.
The Convention was opened hy the congrcga-
tion singing. Come. thou Faunt OF every bless
ing" and the Rev. Dr. Omission prayed. Then
Mr.. sankcy sang, "Harkl the voice Of jesus
crying" and Mr.. oody Introduced the Rev. DR..
Plummer Of South Carolina, tail old minister,
whose gray hair and white benrd sweeping over
his breast gave him astrikingly dign,hed appear
ance He read selected pas ages from the Scrip
lures and iter another hymn had been sung
Mr.. Moody announced the subjects Tor discus
sion which came first before the Convention
" Evangelical services How to conduct them"
and ." How to conduct prayer meetings" lie
made plain speech. deprecatlnr the Jealousy
whicn existed among religious denominations
and hindercd the Lords work. lie invited ques-
tions relating TO evangelical services. and min
istor Inquired whether he would advise tue
commencement " n revival IN Ncment when
there was no special interes' IN tie church.
- certainly would" said Mr.. Moody. without
Amoments hesitation. for that would he the
only way TO awaken an interest
"would you increase the number of meet
ingsf" asked delegate
"That depends on how many meetings had
before, was the reply. "It had all could at
tend To ! would not increase them - aud tue
cOncrcgatfOn laughed lie fr'ilY.
"Whut would you do II the congregation was
alive and the minister was dead was the next
aLetthe congregation co on without the min
ister," sad Mr. MOODY. and the delegates capped
their nds in delight
suppose the trustees were 20 close the doors
and not illow the congregation to enter per-
II should pray for the trustees. ." wns tho re-
ply; bu; in tho frat place the congregation
should never have elected unc"n'ert"d men to
Something was said about politics in church
aflirs. and Mr.. Moody said that n thing to be
dctsstel even more than politics was the nrac-
tice OF h. ding church fairs and zaars. These
than anything els" he knew. his sentiment
elected great .ppl4nse. In reuiy to other IN
quiries, MI. Moody advocated discplining
church n ui'mbers' even To the extent OF turning
them out OF the church. ana declined to give Nh
opinlon ON the proprie'y, - omen preaching.
merely saving that he would not wish 20 see his
wife doing 1t.
PRAYER MEETINGS CoNsrpEnrp.
Before discussing "IIow to conduct PRAYER
promise Of God. fSI ya,on to sIS i've the Rev t%e
Dr. Aimit 20 prayed, and Mr. sankey and Mr.
lhatener s.ng For yos An % pra'inr" In con,
Cessity OF having fresh air IN rooms where
prayer me t;nps ure organized. Very often half
the congregation are drOwsiy nUddinR their
heads he said, and falling asleep End the leader
suppose 1t must be his fault; Mnen. really, 1t il
deficiency OF ventilation. He thought. too,
that munster should not spe, K moro than ten
minutes az the beginning, for II lie cannot open
ameet.n- IN that time II is probable he cannot
olt tall and when any of'tae brethren are
addicted TO long sp.ecnes they ought 10 be
q. The hrsi question nut to MIR. Moody was
tended rs nifty women ana onl, TWO mem"
~ shoul0 turn It into a womcns meeting"
replied var. Moody, "and let them take an ac-
He Go,ued to say whether he would stop ex-
cited rcthrtn from sh"utihc clappiug their
hands, and Otherwise vigorously demonstrating
their spiritual happiness. 1t was, lie said, con
troverted uOint. lie asked IL minister
should sing. and replied we'll II lie hrs a
really good Voice be may; BAT 1t Is better to
divide the labor When minister does all the
preachnr, and all the rcadin-. and II The sing
Ing, his congregation Will usually do nll the
"wh0r would YOU do with man who makes
the me hlhyri over and ovor amy"
should taLu II as an iU,ltcat. .pt that no wls
going through regular routine. and admonish
MIN In priv &C." sid Mr.. Moody.
, -r-uppp,o he wouldn't mind yuu:"
Il shonld atop him with Ncll."
But s,ppcsr YOU turned hin away
L.t him 20; youll get five men to take his
A young delegate asked, What DO YOU call an
intercsting meeting, SIR. Moody: lu'eres,ingto
God or interesting 10 man.
"A meeting that Ia inteTestlls to God ought
60 be Interesting 10 man." was the reply; ' but
tnere are steat many meetings that an
abnminai,n to blth God una nan."
,. Ihe 1ue ilons were rut 20 rapidly that II was
gates arose two or three AZ time. but he was
as quick to recognize tho Inquirer entitled 20
Cue noor = TO answer the quo-ti n proDouuded.
discussion arose on his refusal To- reply t. GER
tain queries. lie said many men had but one
horse Hnd they rode It on every possible occa-
SION. IL lie was TO give opinions on cOntrUverted
questions he would ofcnd han his hearers, and
largely reduce the pronortit ms of the meeting.
called 1" discuss just such questions, and Mr.
Moody raii he could call one IL he saw M, but
auother purpose. A burst OF applause. lasting
two or three minutes, followed. and Mr.. Sankev
closed the SESSION by singing Sowing the seed !"
several hundred worshippers we're added TO
those already assembled, ana the noondav meet.
tng ioun nearly seven thousand peieons pres
sung end the Rev. Geo. II. IIepNorth read the
Ieguesls for prayers. Several ministers spoke.
ana after pr. Sankey and Mr. Thatcher had sung
"Oh, to be nothing, nothing" Dr. Piummer
pronounced the benediction.
AGAIN IN CONFERENCE.
The second session Of the convention at 3
O'Clock htd more than seven thousand attend
ants Including the delegates. About one-third
Of lhe coniregation we're ladies', many OF whom
had been present In the morning, and were only
prevented from retaining their seats through
Tue Two hours recess by the order that the Hin
PYuiolu3 rHhNlu Dc cleared. Ihc nall was swept
IN the interval, but when the doors were opened
Iew minutes before O'Clock the folks rushed
VI 30 lmpetuously that for a snort time the rear
galleries we're almost hidden behind a cloud of
gust that tigated upward toward the roof The
congrcRut:on sang " Joy TO the world, the Lord
g come,' and after the Rev. DR.. Vail
had prayed, DIR. Fish of Newark was
lnttoduced flo Is middle aged, with hair
A0;+ethlng more than tinged Sith gray, and
muttoL hor whiskers The general outline Of
hls face Ia not unlike that Of his numesake, Don
Hamiltun Fish. lie opened the subject for the
nrst hours discussion, Inquiry meetings
cow can thcY become part OF the service in our
ehurches,' The Rev. Dr. Il. X. Booth followed
4hd elected Immense applause by saying that II
tho wors OF revival could 70 on for six months
longer tAc New York police force might be dis
'phnded lie said he wished the Lord would
$one aCwn and burn up all hia sermons The
sIVeV Mr.. Lloyd, who followed said the stove
Was good enough to burn his sermons, as IL had
1iten burned them before. Mr.. Sturgess OF
Boston, lay delegate, the Rov. Mr. Osborn, and
.thers spoke on the iuquiry room subject, and
NpTr second question was then taken up
.iiHllllng OF young con verts and lay teachers"
EJeiActd 10y Dir. Sankey Nngng Waiting aud
matcnlng Tor Me-" Mr.. Nhatcher joined with
b bb,'n VI ne refrain, and the 'mple pathos Of the
gates. ''''
TUE EVENING SESSION.