Morning journal and courier., 1882-02-24
Theological Lecture.
Rev. John Hall, ID. D., on Gleason From |
Other Churches'' at Marquand Chapel

Rev. John Hall, ID. D., ON Gleason From |
Other Churches at Marquand Chapel
An Instructive Lecture.
The first lecture on the secondary condi- |
lions of ministerial success was given at Mar
quand chapel yesterday afternoon. The
chapel was filed to OVERLOOKING many of the
clergy of all denominations occupying seats
reserved for them. The lecture was most
practical one, full of sound advice and held
the attention of all FROM first to last After
the singing of the 82Oth hymn Professor Day
introduced the speaker In opening, the lee
turer said that it gave him great pleasure to
renew the intercourse of former years with
the professors and students of the college,
but that he missed one with whom he had
been most intimate The platform on which
he stood did not seem quite the same without
Leonard Bacon there. "In speaking of the
lessons to be learned from other churches"
continued the speaker, 81 shall try and correct
some of the estimates into which young men
too often rush and the faIsity of which has
to be taught them by experience. It has
been my lot to mingle with my brethren of
the Baptist, Methodist and Episcopal faiths
as well as with those of our own, and I wish
therefore to give you the benefit of my
experience in the characteristics and
methods of action of these several
denominations. I first wish to call
attention to our relations with sister denomi-
nations. 1t often comes about that q thing
done by one church forms the motive for the
doing of something similar by another
organization. In this age no church can say
that its belief is the only true one, but the
various denominations taken together repre-
sent perhaps more perfectly the true faith
than any single one of them. The tenacity
of the Baptists, the authority of the Episco-
pal church, the devoutness of the Methodists
and the calm, inner quietness of the Friends
are all to be admired and it cannot be doubt
ed that these elements are emphasized and
| put before the world all the more clearly by
the division of churches. And then churches
react upon one another. In England the ad-
herents to the Baptist faith have
been greatly increased by the way in
tered by the Church of England. The apathy
of the churches around about them tended
in no small measure to build up the Metho-
dist church. Doctrines, however true
should not be pushed too far and never ex-
cept in a spirit of love. Churches also act
upon one another--often for good, some
| times for evil. The members of the Roman
church are weighty minority of our popula-
ton, yet Professionalism has greatly modified
| at least the public utterances of the Catholic
divines. The great Methodist church was at
! first exclusively managed by it's ministers,
but now through the agency of the Congre-
gational and Presbyterian churches
acting indirectly, the laity have now
a share in their church councils
And in similar manner at an
earlier period were the laymen admitted to
! take part in the government of the Episcopal
church. Our Methodist brethren for long
| time did not look with favor upon thor
oughly educated minister, but they have
| modified their views in this respect most hap
PLY. A word in regard to church building
| I once preached to large colored congrega-
| ton in ST. Louis, where every Sunday they
| took up collection for the building of their
| church. Each week the work of construc-
| ton went on until the collection of the pre-
vious Sabbath was exhausted, and no fur
| Their There is a lesson to be learned from
| this; we must have business heads as well as
| faithful hearts. Our church edifices should
| be truly Gods houses and not the property
| of bankers. Social entertainments in church
| es should be abolished, not because of any
| sanctity in the walls or the rafters but be-
| cause Gods houses should be kept for the
holy purpose for which they were erected.
And now in regard to the ministry. We might
with propriety stand up for some of the au-
! thority among ministers seen in other de-
nominations. There is now tendency in
| many congregations to train up their min
| listers in the way they should go.
This is somewhat reversing the order
of things. A man who is entitled to
be minister is entitled to that Difference
/ and respect which would be good for them
| selves and to the glory of Christ. Young
ministers should be careful to SO carry them
| selves that from the first they can command
respect There are great lessons to be
| learned from the primitive church. But the
| true primitive church goes back of the writ
ings of Greek and Latin, for the Acts of the
Apostles were only the acts of the Master
| through them. We are of one common re-
| deemed family and should be all animated
with that spirit of aggression of which love is
the quickening power. Thus will we be able
| to reproduce one of the best features of the
primitive church,
The next lecture of the course will be given
| this afternoon in Marquand chapel at three
o'clock. Clergymen Of other denominations
are specially invited.