The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-05-11
RELIGIOUS.
Meeting Of the Ministers and
Ladies' Missionary Society.
Resignation Of Mr.. Barnard Accepted
Baptist Church Is Now Supplied.

The attendance included the Revs. A. r.
Morgan, B. c. Dennis H. D, Clark, J. S.
McCord. E. n. Bently, William Matheny
E. Wasmuth, n. T. Allen, d. T. Wilson,
G. C. Woodruff G. B. Snidaker, J. J.
Walter, w. H. Writer, J. d. Calhoun, F.
Doran.
At the session this morning the ministers
of the district were quite largely represent
ed. The meeting began with devotional
exercises. after which brief addresses were
made by the Rev. F. Doran, Rev. W. II.
Witter Rev. G. c. Woodruff. Essays were
delivered by Rev. d. Calhoun on the
"Unitv of Revelation; Rev. q. B. Sni-
daker on The preaching required by the
present age; Rev. d. T. Wilson on Jus
tit;cstion and the relation of the justified
to God"
These were all well-written productions
and showed that their respective writers
had Given the subjects treated of consider
able thought and attention.
The last essay of the morning session
was, Manner in the pulpit an element of
power" This was read by Rev. N. T.
Allen.
During the afternoon an equally enter
tanning and instructive programme was
carried out which comprised essays by the
Rev. E. Wasmuth, Rev. E. n. Bentley, and
Rev. H. D. Clark, entitled respectively
"How evil came" The limits of our
knowledge of nature, Conscience; its
nature and prerogatives."
The association will hold a session to-
morrow, when an attractive series of exer-
cises has been arranged.
THE MISSIONARY.
The annual meeting of the Womans
Foreign Missionary society of the NJ. E.
church convened in the Swedish church of
of Moline to-day.
Mrs. f. Wasmuth of Moline officiated
as president of the society, and the meet
ing was well attended. The address of
welcome was made by Mrs. 4. r. Morgan
of Moline and was responded to in behalf
of the society by Mrs. E. W. Spencer of
this city.
sideration was How to awaken an inter
est in the missionary work throughout the
district"
great many different theories were adj
vanced by the different members. but all
were agreed that some method should be
employed TO arouse an inferred in that sub
ject.
Tomorrow Mrs. E. W. Spencer will give
an interesting sketch entitled incidents in
the life and work of Missionaries" The
present meeting will adjourn tomorrow.
MR. BARNARD's RESIGNATION.
Last evening there was meeting at the
Congregational church of Moline to take
formal action on the letter of resignation
of the pastor, Rev E. c. Barnard. The
statement was made that Mr.. Barnard was
obliged to sever his connection with the
these circumstances the resignation was &C
cepted and Messrs Chas. Atkinson, Alfred
Williams and II, o, Slight were chosen as
a committee to draft suitable resolutions
church trustees were also authorized to
take such action as they deemed necessary
to supply the pulpit at an carly day.
NEW MINISTER.
AS is perhaps well known the First Bap-
fist church of this city is without pastor
and the Rev. J. B. T Patterson, of Ohio,
has visited this city to supply that pulpit
At the last meeting of the society it vas
decided to extend call to Mr.. Patterson
and request that he remain as pastor of the
church.
The salary was fixed at 81, 900 per year
and the use of the parsonage. OF the first
years salary $3.50 was raised at the meet
ing Sunday night. 1t is fully expected
that Mr.. Patterson will accept the call. He
has returned to Ohio to arrange for his re
moval to Rock Island at an early day.
SERMONS.
The Evangelist has pertinent leader on
what ministers should preach about. t
says: ''Some of the most unreligious and
devitalizing sermons are preached from the
best of texts, and some of the most efec-
tive sermons are. preached from topics
which seem at the first to be quite secular
and far removed from. the sphere of the
pulpit. 1t is idle to hope in these days to
attract Indifferent people by hackneyed
themes. They can be reached only by
Selling on the subjects that interest them
topics which they want to hear discussed
and elucidated, themes on which an edu-
Gated minister can throw helpful and
edifying light Christ talked about the
things the people were interested in, find
ing in each topic new symbols of spiritual
truth, and illustrations of the great mes
sage, he sought to convey. The thing
most needed to revive popular interest in
the pulpit is for the pulpit to devote itself
to the real welfare of the people-to their
instruction, their comfort, their spiritual
guidance, and their eternal salvation,
These are the subjects which take hold of
men, as they concern their very life; and
he who breaches about them with earnest
ness will never want for hearers. If the
people do not come to the chnrch, the
church must 60 to them, with all the heal
ing and help and hope it can carry; and
by taking interest in what is of vital CON
Germ to them, show that it seeks only their