The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-23

devotional feelings. Now, however, 1t Il
not so much OF "a cross for me TO offel
prayer while all others sit. have fire.
quently called on some brother to lead in
prayer alter he had taken his seat. With
out exception such a one has changed po
sition, and knelt to effer prayer. This
fact is very significant. The overwhelm'
ing scripture testimony is in favor OF the
kneeling posture in prayer. In the
stated prayer meetings the custom is to
kneel. Several voluntary prayers are
usually offered before rising.
Testimony Is q very important part oil
our social meetings. Ifthis Is not allowed
many good people feel hurt, and the meet.
ing is written down failure.
| When penitents are at the altar they are
not expected TO kneel and wrestle with
God as earnestly and approximately as l
have been accustomed to see them. In
revival work l prefer the methods TO which
have been accustomed. With many
there is not sufficient earnestness in work
ing out their salvation.
Our Sunday Schools hold high rank in
the Churches. They usually meet imme.
diately after the Sabbath morning sermon.
The one connected with my present charge
is largely composed OF adults-forty or
more married persons attending. The
Sunday noon class meeting Is the popular
one. The members Of this class attend
class meeting while their children are in
the Sunday School.
Among preachers and people, "Home
economics" are not by any means new.
With the better class of people, living has
become science. The result is, there is
great comfort enjoyed among the
masses. 1t is surprising how many
people have elegant homes and money at
interest. The law makers are severely
blessed because they have reduced the
legal rate OF interest 10 six per cent in
New York.
The churches provide well for their min.
listers. The rule Is to have good parson-
ages, well furnished. The church which
l now serve has no other Methodist
preaching place nearer than five or six
miles; hence We draw upon large area.
1t is really inspiring to see the people
thrsnging the street on Sabbath morning,
from rich and cultivated district, In
in democrat" wagons, carriages, "Bobs"
and cutters, as the weather may require.
The turn out every Sabbath being equal
to the finest quarterly meeting display ~
on the Wheeling District when ! Travelled
| it. Our Sunday morning congregations
average three hundred and fifty TO four
hundred.
The village proper, OF Marcellus, has
some eight hundred inhabitants. We. have
four churches, viz: Presbyterian, Protest
ant Episcopal, Roman Catholic and Meth.
odist Episcopal; the latter being the strong:
est congregation, about three hundred
members. The.people are thoughtful, in
telligent and wealthy. Marcellus Station
has the largest list OF subscribers to the
Northern Christian advocate. had to get
second supply Of Conference minutes to
meet the demand. These two facts 60 far
to show that the people whom serve are
both reading and loyal people. They
are well informed and intelligent as Aeth-
odish. You have observed, Mr.. Editor,
that as rule, our greatest trouble is with
those who are not well informed touching
our doctrine, Discipline and usages.
Our trustees, in my present charge, rent
the pews for 81 200 annually. find that
this system dispenses with very much
onerous work done by the stewards where
the pews are not rented. i have been
converted to the mode Of meeting church
expenses. Adjacent to our churches tout
side OF the cities) there are sharp.roofed,
single covered lows OF buildings for the
protection OF horses and vehicles, a neces.
sity in this stormy region. In some pla-
ces private parties build these for their
own use; in other places the trustees build
them and rent them for the benefit OF the
church.
On the first Sunday Of each month the
pewholders and other friends make their
quiet envelope payments and contribu-
buttons. Printed quarterly reports are
made by the treasurer and distributed.
These embrace every item Of receipts and
disbursements. Every penny is account
ed for. The information, every contribu.
tor Is entitled to, and l believe goes far
toward keeping up church finances.
The public schools are graded high, and
education is general and liberal.
will only add a few words touching
Sabbath Dissertation. My former charge
was in what is called "Canaltown."
Many, the great majority OF Canal men
run their boats seven days in the week.
There are also canal stores kept open
throughout the Sabbath, and in addi-
tion 10 the canal trade many do their
trading on the Sabbath who are not in
any way connected with the canals. In
the early spring, in many cases, work.
men spend Sabbath after Sabbath In
repairing and repainting the canal boats.
Last winter fleet OF perhaps eighty
canal boats wintered at the town In
which resided. In the same place there
was also large cheese factory. 1t was
run on the Sabbath. Farmers usually
keep from fifteen to thirty cows. These
are well cared for, and the milk taken
TO the factory on Sunday mornings as on
other mornings, instead Of being fed 10
hogs or calves, or used for making butter.
This Is the habit with members OF the
y Dhnrches, 10. common with outside sin
,tners, with few exceptions. Ibid my
best in the pulpit rebuking these sins
Often my soul has been righteously yexet
within me because Of the incessant clattei
Of milk wagons IRON early dawn until thu
ringing OF the Church bells for public ser
vice. The effect OF these things Is gen
!, eral Generalization Of public sentiment
in such places, touching the sacredness 0
the Lords day and religious principle ant
:, wv Where these loose and low sentiment
obtain tits difficult to keep the spiritua
temperature above zero. At times 1t rise
!, above freezing point, but soon 1t drops
One OF my best members, in my iorme
!, charge, sought and experienced perfet
!, love. He very soon embraced an oppol
\ tunity to declare this publicly. He the
! added: "As soon as got q clean hear
! that settled the Sunday milk business"
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