The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-05

Notwithstanding the apparent increase la the num-
Der Of young men who have sought to enter tho min
istry during the last three years, II Is painful re-
nocou strengthened by observation OF those IN posi-
tions whereof they affirm. that the number oil
candidates for ministry constantly and steadily
diminishing. And this is not confined TO any single
denomination. The Baptists, Presbyterans, Conere'
gationalists and Episcopalians make the Same COM
plant The Methodists have shut the doors OF their
conferences keep out the crowds who seek TO enter
and yet their bishops tell them every few years that
the incomers equal the outgoers, and that some
thing more must be done to encourage young men to
seek tho ministry But everything that be done Is
done already Young got collegiate and thoo.
logical education almost free for next to nothing.
And yet they do keep pace with the wants OF the
Church and the increase OF population. Or. A. H..
Strong President Of the Baptist institution at Rochcs
ter, n. Y, has collected and published some statistics
this point covering period OF halt century, which
be divides into hve decades and takes the graduates Of
the leading colleges basis. AT Yale College the
hrst years Of It's history y per cent OF the students
had the ministry view. In tho first decade OF the
nty years 80 per cent had The ministry view in the
last only H. In illiams College In tho nrsl decade
Of the fifty years SO per cent looking 10 the min
istry; m the last only 49, In Amherst in the first
decade the percentage Is 81 IN tho last % Hamilton
College dropped from IS per cent 70 %; Brown Univer
sity from 80 To 10 per cent? Rochester from AZ TO 90
no average OF all those colleges 40 per cent
the first decade and II In the last These figures
might well awaken anxiety for our country. Not
simply relatively the number OF students in
Of preparation, but absolutely the number OF candi
dates Tor the ministry is constantly diminishing
Meanwhile the call Tor to MI important stations
Of usefulness Is becoming ever more pressing AS
Daniel Webster said about the legal profession so We
may about tho MINISTERIAL ''rhero IS plenty OF room
vt the top"
Among tho reasons Tor this falling on suggested by
Dr. Strong one Is the marked change In the tone and
spirit OF the age mist to have conc over all
those sublime truths 50 much fevored by fathers.
Materialism hus suppiantcd the ideal philosophy.
This has greatly increased tho forms of professional
life that from three learned professions have
dozen. Tho sccuarizatlon OF our seats oil learning
suggests anotnor reason. secular air IN colleges has
ms '' nave
formed part Of every college currieu.
theology with hs fellow student who entered the min
istry. Thus . bond Of union WAS formed between
them which brought them into Intimate rotations.
Now, thcoloRy-,hc sciencc of Gods about tho only
science which Is not taught IN our colleges As Tor
remedies, the ministry itself must magnify their Office
10 every possible way. The churches must lay hands
on their gifted young men and compel thcm to take
up the Office But the ministry have maghifed their
Office greatly that there 10 chance for tho average
young to enter their ranks. and gifted young
do better SO lar money making is concerned IN
other calhngs And for the soul saving part which
Is = secondary consideration with many ministers, any
Christian young man Can do hts part In the work rs
we'll without with tho consent of the church
authorities.
Baptss Presbyterans and others hold the idea that
when God calls man TO the ministry he also calls
congregation to be served by him. Hence candidate
is ordained by those bodies forth
their imprnatur unless congregation willing to sit
under his ministry has been found. But they may
Of, perhaps even without Godspeed, TO seek other
and other 1ocks TO feed for three years
more. The Catholic and tho Methodist churches arc
the only ones that Keep up any sort OF equilibrium be-
their congregations and the ministerial supply.
There evidently fault somewhere In the eccesias.
tical poty of other that one.haf more
OF their ministers idle and heir pupits empty
Those churches winch have celebrated keep.
ing thor ministers from twonty five to aty years
quite celebrated for much changing their ministry
in later times Till Dr. Hall camo Dr. Alexander's
church (Fifth Avenue Presbyterian was constantly
Presbyterian Church found no man TO suit and out Of
the who'e denomination 1t could call its
pasorship who would accept 1t had to go to England
for Dr. Bcvan. lhere has been constant change Of
ministry In the church over which DR.. Skinner pre-
sided many years. Dr. Potts long passionate was
followed by an absorption OF the church In a union
with Mercer street. The Central Church, Hartford.
Conn., at timc the most eminent church IN the State
celebrated for the many that Dr. HAYES
pied the pulpit But he staid too long to satisfy tho
rising generation, and since his removal changes have
been frequent. DR.. Todd served the First Congroga
tional Church, Pisned for about thirty years. His
successor Rev. E. d. Bartlett failed to give satisfac
ton aud resigned some month"; ago.
THE FUTURE SEAT OF CATHOLICISM.
The impression prevails very extensively that Pales-
tine Is 10 be re-peopIcd with Israelies who now
scattered abroad In all lands and that q large cmigra
ton Of this people thitherward has SGT In. Some
authorities declare that he population of Paes
tine to-day Is double what II was ten years ago. II
this refers tho Jews the Rev. Dr. De Hass, has
been United States Consul Jerusalem for seven or
eight years writes to the Christian Advocate this
city say that may DO true but OF the entire popu
a. Tho
especially to the heavy drain upon the able bodied
to keep up the Turkish army, rapidly being
populated and Impoverished Dcser.ed villages arc
everywhere to be seen. 1hcro is lesa wealth
among tie people, fewer Games, horses
and stock Of all kinds than ton years ago
Fruit and forest trees also disappearing. Car
mel was almost stripped OF her timbcr Tor the Sucz
Canal ana as any fruit trco Is taxed whether bears
or rot few are now planted. Everything there APP
pears to be iinishsd There is NO progress no I'M
provemcnt Of any kind There are about thirty
thousand Jews IN all Palestine They mostly from
Russia, and do not so there to work or develop The
country, but to die, that they may sleep with their
fathers In holy ground. They arc generally aged aud
poor, living on the charity OF their people IN Europe
and America II will require different class OF cunt.
curned land. II true there new houses gong up
outside the city walls but mostly small tenements,
built by committees for the benefit OF their poor
members. Work has been done those
dwellings by night to avoid the hos sun during the
DAY, and not because there Is such demand for
TOR Palestine IL not jewish but Papa occupancy The
Jesus OF Europe, adds DR.. Dc Hass, are dissatisfied
with the condition Of things In Italy and there Is a
foot TO make Jerusalem the head vi tho
Latin Church. Commissioners have been appoin ted
10 negotiate Tor the territory; engineers have sur.
vcyed q railroad from Jerusalem to Jana money Is
being collected Tor the erection Of magnificent palace
for HIS Holiness OH Mount Zion, To which tho wealth
Of the Vatican DO transferred There the
to Plus TX Is TO be installed, and the "Cy of the
Great Kng' is to DO the future head OF the Pontic
See Russia, However, Inny have something 10 say on
the future disposition OF Palestine.
COUNTING THE BOSTON SHEEP.
One OF the Boston papers has taken pains to ascer.
tain as far as possible, the results Of the work oil
Ncssrs Moody and SanKey In Boston. As fair index
Of the whole the months Of May ana juno chosen
During these months, according TO returns from 20a
churches there were 5,911 additions OF which ,s6s
were by letter This would leave only 1,042 az the
real gain. But these figures are obviously incon-
pleto, not embracing anything IKE the number OF
churches that wcro directly Influenced and stimulated
by the Tabernacle meetings And II 1t we're possible
state exactly tho number OF additions such work
that dono Boston cannot be summed up In figures.
FROM SPIRITUALISM 10 CHRIS