The New York herald., 1876-10-24

Tho Baptist Ministers Conference In the old Marnert
church In Oliver street yesterday interested them.
selves III discussion OF Mr. Pottcrs essay, read
ago on how 60 interest Sabbath school children ths
services the church The fact Of hcir absence from
such services was admitted aud dcpiorod, but ths
important problem remained how TO remedy this lack
or neglect Mr.. Poters recommendation was for
afternoon service especially for children but this
dsscntcd from by Rcvs J. Bronner, n. N Knapp j. ).
Ladd and othor brethren, who took the ground that
there not enough In the ministry capable Of
conducting such service; that " thero II
would not be advisable for the churches to employ
such to encourage such services; that II would
be subversive OF Gods order OF instruction In ths
family, and that children the quickest to object u
childish preaching. II Is not best as Brother Bron
nor marked, TO seek the conversion Of children oy
tho preaching Of fooshness instead OF by the foolish
ness OF preaching Tho ruo remedy for the evil COM
planned OF is. tho judgment OF Brother Knapp and
others, Tor ministers TO simple language. such
child understand, In their sermons. Mr.. KnapD
gave illustrations Of this point. Brother Potter, ths
essay,sy, closed with remarks in doience OF his
view OF the situation.
rhe Me,hodis. ministers discussed the Praying Band
Taylor and Rev. A. q. Morchouse had m>hng TO say
on H. Tho meeting was crowded largely with laymsn
who arc engaged or Interested in those bands. DIR.
Crooks remarks were moro Of plea for organized lay
work than = defence OF Praying Bands. rhe Doctor
would have the leaders and tho individual members ot
such bands Licensed by the Quarterly Con-
fercnces OF the churches 10 which they
might respectively belong. And he would
require the consent OF the Quarterly Conference The
presence Of such bands TO labor IN given church.
Brother Morenouse favored praying bands and spoke
OF the great good thoy had done hero and there but
he opposed 70 the .'raners among them, and be-
ievcd in having some supervision over them Dr..
Taylor also admitted the good they had done in tho
past but would like 10 have the statistics tho other
sldc-how much harm had they done by deserving
their local churches, and how much good might
they not have done had they remained at home bus
some Of the men engaged IN those bands would
scarcely be tolerated al home their lives are hardly
consistent enough; and yet when they 80 on twenty
thirty miles 10 rcJoicc, TO regions where
they are not known, ,hcy sometimes do
effective work for God. Some arc good takers
and good singers and carry meet
ings In country churches very effectively. Something
viii probably bs done by and by to bripg those bands
under church discipline and responsibility and 10
gauizc tho lay element In tho churches. And this
discussion has indicated OF the ways In which it
DO done. Next Monday the Rev. William Lloyd
will read an important cssay on "The Unconscious
Prophecies OF Heathensm Fulfilled In Christianity."
Dr. wildos OF the Prison Reform Association will also
address the meeting Yesterday Dr. Tinany, OF Chk
cago and Dr. HATFIELD OF Philadelphia, addressed ihs
preachers The former spoke Of the revival in thAs
city OF she memory Of the lato Dr.. Durlin whose
funeral took place on Sunday. The lastcr urged hh
brethren TO visit the Centennial before it closes