Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-06

- The Kew. PDAllpS BROOKS, OF ROStOn, IN MS
sermon on Thanksgiving day referred to the
mo, emeLt of the New York scratching" re-
pub.icanS and spoke Of the abuse of them by
the republican party org ms as one Of the signs
OF the low estate TO which American politics had
fallen.
1t it supposed that the Rev. DR.. Dashiel of
the missionary society of the Methodist Eplsco-
pal church, will not live more than a few days.
The severe surgical operation through which he
ecently passed can proolg his life only Il little
while.
- Sunday morning promenading in New York
after CHI rch is now voted I" bad form,' and all
good people are expected to hurry home by
side street and look neither to the right nor the
left
A pretty little story is tod of party OF fish
ermen, all Methodists, who recently harpoone1
a sperm whale off the island of Elenthera. and
with the money derived from its sale paid of the
debt resting on one of the mission chapels.
- The efforts of the English Wesleyans to
raise large special fund, begun few months
ago. have met with wonderful success. Not less
than 1920 600 has been raised so far. The fund
when completed is to be used for missions, edu-
cation, new chapels and other church interests.
"A law has been published in Russia giving
permission to Baptists in all part of the empire
TO conduct public worship freely in the houses
which, with the appreciation OF the governor,
have been set apart for the purpose and 1t also
provides for the civil registration OF marriages
sOlemnized by Baptist ministers
- The past year has been remarkable one in
the matter of large individual gifts TO mission
airy societies. the Presbyterian. Episcopal, Bap-
fist, Wesleyan, and the Congregational missions
being the ones benefited. 1t Is estimated that
twelve persons have given to the above named
missions within the year the immense aggregate
sum of $3,O00,000.
= The largest Sunday school in the world is
supposed to be at Stockport, England. 1t has
four branches, more than 400 teachers, in all
about 1880. The largest school in the United
States is supposed to be the Bethel mission at
Cincinnati, with membership OF about 5000.
In the various Sunday schools under the direc-
ton of Trinity church. New York, there are more
than 1900 scholars and nearly 300 teachers.
- The Rev. DR.. Fowler says that the man who
at baptism does not go deep enough into the
water to get his pOcketbOok under has not been
dipped enough to save him.
Chief JOseph's band of captive Nez Perces
includes considerable number of Presbyterian
converts A full blood Indian by the name OF
Archie b. Lawyer, licentiate OF the Presbytery
opreach to them, He reports that more than
one hundred profess to be Christians, and wish
to be connected with the Presbyterian church.
- Some Of the English Baptist churches have
hit upon a novel method of fellowship relations
with non-BaptiSt Christians who may desire to
become members or attendants. Thus new
Baptist church at Bowden has made provision,
in the church deed OF its property, for admission
II they are not heartily Baptists in sentiment,
they are to be styled " non-denominational
members, :" and they are not to speak or vote in
church meeting when matters affecting baptism
or other recognized differences between them
selves and the denomination are discussed.
&c Drunkenness among clergymen" was the
subject of recent sermon in Brooklyn, and the
New York Sun taking occasion to comment
thereon says there Is fair percentage of min
listers in the tnebriate aSylumS, that the news
papers are daily reporting unclerical conduct
which was professedly or probably the result of
too much drinking, and that from the constant
demand made upon their feelings and nerves
they are peculiarly open to the temptation t.
use stimulants; but that drunkenness is not a
prevailing vice among them. as many are total
abstainers, and Others are kept straight by pub
lie opinion or habit OF self-cOntrol so that as
a whole our preachers are pretty sober men.
Two American bishops it is said have gone to
the bad from too steady use OF brandy.
"A colored church in Jersey City has tried a
unique way to raise funds by what it styles jug
FESTIVALS" Little earthen vessels, having mar
row aperture at the top, were placed in all the
them announced that whoever dropped in a
nckle would receive whatever spiritual benefit
was to be derived from the fervent prayers OF
the brothers and sisters of Zion church. These
jars are collected every month, and broken at a
formal meeting OF the church, with imposing
ceremonies. They were generally found to con-
tain. in addition to small sum OF money, dona-
lions OF peanut Shells theater checks, orders for
beer, and checks for fabulous amount. They
nevertheless helped along In the work OF raising
the membranes from the church property. and
Pastor Oliver used to say that he had no objec-
ton to bushel OF chan so long as it contained
genuine cent.
Gossiping entertainingly OF Trinity church.
New York, correspondent SAYS that 1.-The
church has lately buried her chime-rlnger DR..
Dix officiating. There have been two chime
ringers only since the chime OF bells was placed,
both OF the same family. The death of the last
one was very sudden; on Sunday last he was at
his post, as usual. The ringing OF chimes is an
art, and Trinity has met with serious loss,
which it will be difficult to make good. Very
,fsrI,f
It would be easier to replace them all than to
find one skillful ringer OF Trinity chimes, who
would always make melodious music and never
dscord. 1t is one of the curiosties of Trinity
that its clergy are seldom If ever found upon
the platform or taking part In clerical gather
ingS. You may attend many conference and
congress and never meet one OF them; A parish
so large, with so many interests and ramitica-
tons, Is full Oh work. That work Is done by
method and rule. To each is assigned his proper
duty and the time for its performance; and to
leave 1t unperformed or to postpone it derange5
the parochial machinery
AT the last meeting of the Baptist Minis
ter's Conference, the topic discussed was 1.-The
Temptation to Plagiarism and its Remedy"
The debate was evidently brought about by the
recent detection OF the Rev. Mr.. Lorimer'S use
in his pulpit in Chicago OF a sermon by the Rev.
DIR. Parker of London. The Rev. Mr.. Slmonds
or Newark said that no patent can be put On a
fact Or an explanation Of the Scriptures. There
fore. where we can get at the truth OF the word
we should receive 1t. The Rev. w. H. Slubbert
OF Bloomfield, n. j., asked what use ministers
ought to make OF their reading il they were in
danger OF stealing it. Shouldn't great writer's
be read after a sermon was written, just to
study model? 1t is hard he said, to be origl-
nal now, because we are drowned with skeleton
sermons and all sorts OF literature, good, bad
and Indifferent, relating TO preaching. The
Rev. j. Q. Adams OF the Berean church, said
that minister is a very bold man to copy SER
mons, for he must fear that some OF the cOngre-
cation might read sermons and come across the
one he had copied. minister hid told him
that five ministers who had preached in his
friends pulpit had stolen their sermons. The
Rev. DR.. YerkeS wouldn't call names, but
minister entered his pulpit not long ago. an
nounced the text, scared around among the stars
for awhile, talked of Gods love, and at last SCI
tied down on one of Andrew Fuller's sermons
and preached 1t word for word. The Rev. j. C.
Allen said that he stimulated his mind for ser
mon writing by reading works OF a different
nature from the subject on which he was about
to write. The Rev. Mr.. Birch said that II he
gobbed up sermons as some ministers did, he
would ask an artist to paint over his headOn
the wall behind the pulpit big set of quota
ton marks. The Rev. Mr.. Douglas said that
without doubt ministers have drffted into the
use OF means and inStrumentaities that they
have no reason to suppose the Holy Ghost will
bless for the salvation Of souls. They have be-
come essay makers. The Rev. DR.. Eddy pleaded
for ministers who are so unfortunate as to have
a good memory. Some who preach withou
notes can't speak without repeating other men,