New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-28
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

! First Congregational Church Society of Lynn,
| Mass, was organized in 1859, and the 2oOth
anniversary OF It's organization Will be observed
on June next with appropriate exercises.
| Inc Boston Transcript gives some lnterestlng
facts regarding the history of tins church. III
was founded 10y the Rev. Stephen Bachler,
who arrived in Boston on June >, 1923 Inc
beginning of a series of difficulties when aEl-
tated the church in the early years OF ITS eX-
istence was the passage by the court at boston
OF the following order:
Mr. Bachiler is required to forbeare exercising
his CITIES az pastor or teacher Iubhqueiy IN our
Patient. unlesse it be to those he brought Win
him, for his contempt Of authority, and until
some scandaes be removed.
Though this injunction was removed in 1888,
the troubles continued at intervals until the
celebrated Hugh Peters, who arrived III TINS
country in $50, was employed to preach lie
returned to England in 1911, where he was eX-
ecuted for treason in 1860. Mr.. Bachlier pro-
ceeded in his mlnistrations with his few Ioi-
low els, and the magistrates forbade his pro-
Ceedlng Dlsregardlng their lnJuncuOns, he
was brought before the court OF assistants IN
Boston in 1886 and discharged, Oh engaging
to leave the town within three months, he
went to Ipswich, Yarmouth and Hampton, anu
ut the latter place was eXcOmmumcated from
the church in 1886. Mr. Bachiler died IN Lon
don, whittier he had gone in 1901, In the lOOth
yeaI of his age / he Rev. Samuel Mtlng
was installed rs pastor of the church IN 1886,
and 1t was upon him, 4" the very learned SaInuel
W nllluR, lDdl benjamin lHoihpSoH tHN a.
native American poet wrote poem. his
second wife was Elizabeth ST. John sister Oh
Oliver st. John, Chief Justice OF England III the
time of Oliver Cromwell. She Is SAID TO nave
assisted her husband IN the preparation Oh MS
sermons Among the pastors VINO nave Occu-
pied the pulpit Of this church were the Rev:
Jeremiah Sheppard Ga street in Lynn l. called
after HIM, the Rev. Nathaniel Henchman, the
Rev. Parsons Cooke noted Tor his love oil con
trOversy), and in more recent times the KEY.
Joseph Cook. The church has had trying eX-
istence on "A great many occasions, and more
than once its life appeared we'll nigh extinct.
On one occasion il had left but eighteen male
members. and on another only five male and
twenty female members. The society was
so embarrassed about lS24 that parish meet
ing was held TO consider the matter of dlsband-
ment, but the storm, which brought things 10
such a Crisis, was safely WeathcIeu' Inc
present membership Of the church Is about ->u,
and the debt of the society has been paid
within a few years The coming anniversary
exercises Will he attended, It Is thought, by
clergymen from all over the country, and the
present pastor of the church. the Rev. Walter
Barton will deliver the historical address.
A STRANGER N A -sCHOOL:-Ihe
Rev Dr. William G. Schauiiier relates the fol-
lowing story in he Neir- York Observer. II hap
pened i'm this city about TWENTY five years ago :
one Sunday, while one of our greatest sab
bath-schOols was assembled and occupied busuy
with the lesson of the day, very tail stranger
/ walked in and sat down. His looks were PLAIN
! but entirely calculated 10 inspire respect. lie
! seemed delighted with the sight of 80 many
beautiful children and devoted teachers, ali
deeply Interested III their work. he supeIln-
| tendent noticed the effect produced 10y the slsht
| uDou the stranger and before the school closed
| he stepped up to him and said: As you nave
| manifested so warm an interest IL TINS our
| solemn work, | should be obliged 70 you II You
| would address u few words to the school before
! they separate. | am sure the children would
/ l.f..4z rr fFsfi
| and when called on rose 10 his feet looking
! like yonng King Saul among the assembled
| I,raeiites He addressed tie school in simple,
| bland afectiOuate terms. telling them how
| privileged they were IN the enjoyment OF such
| advantages of common schools during the
| week and Sunday schools on the sabbath, with
| Bible studies and religious instruction so kindly
| given to them. lie told them how children used
| To grow up IN the western parts OF the country
! during his childhood, and how his mother
Taught him the A, b, G, and to spell, and to
' read and to study the Bible and the Catechlsm,
| or he would have grown up like an Indian, As
| thousands of children then did I'D those parts,
| etc He tried to impress them WIN the ucDl Ol
| gratitude they all owed 10 God for these ines
| timable blessings, and what their country had
| "a RI ght To expect from citizens trained up anu
| taught a. they were. The entire school listened
to the words of the tall speaker with rapt, even
| breathless attention. When he had finished,
| and was preparing to leave the superintendent
requested tor himself and the school the prlvl-
| lege of knowing TO whose voice they had been
| Dermitted 10 listen, assuring him that the
| scholars would never forget his words, but
! carry them through all their future days. The
| stranger replied, My name Is Abraham LIN
! coin and passed out. Leaving the superInten-
| dent almost embarrassed with surprise
The great difficulty to-day, The Boston Id
! rertiSer thinks, Is that the pulpit, at home and
! abroad, Is crowded with second rate men with
whom no moral fault Is to be found but
! whose natural vocation III these days OF gen
| eral education, wien the completion OF "A col
leg. course Is not proof Of intellectual superb
| orIty, L. elsewhere than in the sacred task.
| They have been fOisted into the ministry be-
| cause they were plOus young men who took
! kindly 10 the profession, hut their amlable
shirt constitutes their CHEF qualification
| They are IN many cases men who have been
| coddled by the societies of Christian education.
They were helped into the ministry, and
| needed TO be- helped forever after. Every de-
| nomination l. burdcned with the care of some
| of them. They are where they ought not 10 be,
and they till up the ranks IN such numbers that
the average quality OF the Christian ministry
has been visiby lowered. IL has almost come
to be regarded as anrOnt 10 press the clerical
profession upon the attention OF the brilliant
Young men of the university, ana everywhere
the difficulty with the churches Is that the
available clergymcn are unequal 10 the POSI-
tons which they desire % till. GOOD preaching
ability and good level-headed men who under-
stand what i needed in our American religion
are so rare that the man who possesses both Is
to-day more certain Ot making his marx III the
ministerial profession than perhaps III any
other
When DIT. Smyth was first nominated to the
Abbot professOrshIp in the Andoyer IheOlCgl-
cal Seminary, numerous applications are sad
10 have been received from students IN the
different colleges for seminary catalogues and
other information respecting the seminary.
When pr. Smyth was rejected these aDphca-
tious ceased and now that he has been tempo
rarilv appointed they have been renewed.
Ne..iberS of the Faculty and Board Of Trustees