The New York herald., 1876-10-10

THE MErHoDIsTs AND BAPTIsTs CONSIDERING
CLASS MEETINGS AND PREACHING.
Tho Methodist ministers had before them yesterday
q very important church question, namcy-Can the
class meetings be made more popular and cnlcionts
Brother Goss had grand scheme not for popularzins
the present class meetings Of tho Methodist Episcopal
Church. but for transforming tho church into series
OF class meetings u priuciple that will work. He
would have besides the religious meetings rs nj pres
snt, class for literary instruction, medical class,
visiting class prayer, exhortaton, library, clothing,
temperance, legal and many others, each with suta-
bic leader. He would have, Tor instance, Judge
Fapcher tho leader OF the legal class and the Judge
should give one or two hours woek free charge for
the benefit not OF 81. Paul's church people, who
pay for the advice, but tor all others He would
nave physician dong 1hc same IN anoher
room, and so ad tnem. The Church.
short, should supcrsede medico-iegal soce-
ties dspensaries Dorcas associations. temperance
and the like and turn itself into anything
but that which was designed ny It's original charter
Aud aIi this 40 draw" the people tho Church
commission said ''go" not draw" The drawing pro-
has been tried pretty thoroughly here and else
where and has rs thoroughly failed. The verdict Of
the people is that they want the word OF God and not
the traditions OF mon; truth and not sensatonaiism
men have put themselves IN HIS place and now ut
tempt TO draw. And hence all those &C.
the masses," indeed, as Ce.ain persons would
say. ITO raise the wind" MT. Lloyd
considered the scheme al least fifteen ahead OF
The tines but hoped he might live 10 see IL embodied
church work. The preachers again essayed the
question oil the valuo or worhessness OF praying
bands. and, alter discussing whether they would
would not discuss 1t, adopted 1t for mex; Monday. Its
adoption approached very tenderly, come of tho
brethren deprecating introduction, because would
oneud certain laymen who were doing and had done
great good IN the churches II praying baud members
10 hear some things to their advantage other
wise they Will attend next Monday. On tho Monday
following The Rev. William Lloyd will read very i'm
portant and interesting paper on the "Unconscious
Prophecies Of Heathenism FULFILLED by Christianity
The baptist Minister'S Conference especially
favored yesterday by the presence Of Elder Swan, n
famous Evangelist New En- gland in other days, who
gave the young brethren his experience IN that line
and by his quaint Illustrations and humorous style
very greatly amused them. He would not have minis
ters polish ther sermons nor be themselves highly
polished in colleges and seminaries MS they Tney
should trust more to Gol and and lire away Ifone
missile dd not suit pick up another. Like the farmer
the fable throwing grass tufts at the apple thieves
hts orchard. II these ailcd they should
rifles cannon OF the heaviest calibrc But they
should pick up their weapons they went along.
cording 10 The character and number Of the enemy.
Next Monday the Conference will discuss Brother Pot
ters paper read last week, on Sunday school work,
and probably the week following DIR. Patton, OF the
Baptist Weekly will read paper on the relation OF the
Church and State, or kindred topic. This being semi
POLITICAL IL looked forward to with httlo anxiety
AM int