The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-02-26

Wesleyan Methodist preacher from Eng
land. preached at Z. NJ. MIR. Boyns Is
visiting this country on tour OF sight
seeing, aud has preached In number OF
our city churches with great acceptability.
His sermon Sunday night was one oil much
power.
Rev. DIR. NJ. II. Houston, lately OF the
China Presbyterian mission, preached two
excellent sermons on China at the Second
Presbyterian church Sunday.
At the morning service on sunday two
persons were received into the Fulton Bap-
tist church.
PRESBYTERIAN oRDIYATIoS SERVICE
The services OF Sunday night in Grace
Street Presbyterian church were made Of
special interest by an ordination OF elders
and deacons, which added three elders and
eight deacons TO its official corps. After
the usual opening by singing and prayer
addresses were made by the associate pas
tors OF the church. DR.. Read and Mr.
Drew.
Mr. Drew. by arrangement, spoke first
on the Office and duties OF the eldership.
His address was characterized by simpli-
city OF arrangement and clearness Of state
ment; referring to the many notices OF the
Office in Scripture. evidencing its extreme
antiquity. both In civil and religious use;
its uninterrupted continuance thereafter
for great length Of time, both among the
Israelites and In other nations; its entry
into the organism Of the service OF the
Temple at Jerusalem its gOvernance in
all the ecclesiastical polty Of the Syna-
gogue; its adoption out OF that more
simple spiritual service, and almost eX-
actly rs there used into the Christian
Church, and this without necessity OF de-
fining the Office. the apostles only directing
as TO what sort OF men should hold it; and,
finally, the evidence from the New Testa-
ment and all reliable history since that the
Office was intended to be retained in the
Church, and has been retained by success
sion of religious bodies holding the Pres
byterian polity even to this day and, as
may be concluded from the frequent use OF
the name OF elder in the Apocalypse in re-
ference to the final scenes OF that great pro-
phetic vision. it will certainly be continued
to the very end. The speaker concluded
his address (Which was eloquent by the
simple force OF his array OF facts) by q
short exhibition OF the duties OF the elder
sup IL VII iilI DDJh VI OlbNl vi
the Presbyterian Church, and deducing
from all that had been said the importance
OF the office, and the solemn obligations OF
those upon whom it was devolyed by the
great Head OF the Church, in accord
ance with election by their brethren.
DR.. Read followed with a similar address
relative TO the office Of deacon, showing its
origin in the eXigencies Of the oppressed
and prosecuted Christians OF the earliest
times OF the Church, and its after perma-
nent continuance. He defined its central
and controlling duty to be the care OF those
in the Church who specially needed its
charity in material aid; involving, as ne
cessary qualifications for the discharge OF
this duty, great watchfulness, gentleness,
discretion, and, withal. careful impartiaIily
and firmness; covering all, and peryading
all, should be, what every Church officer
should have, the sense OF obligation to the
Divine Master, and the consciousness that,
being specially within public view, he
must guard his conduct carefully against
any Just cepsure, lest, otherwise, their
brethren should be grieved and occasion
for evil report given 10 those who are with
out.
After the addresses the prescribed ques-
tons to the officers-elect and the Church
having been propOunded and the proper
responses given, the elders and deacons
were together ordained by the laying on
OF the hands of the co-pastors and the ell
ders already in office, while DR.. Read
prayed feryently and Impressiyely. and the
ordination proceedings were then closed
by the newly y-ordained officers receiving
the right hand Of fellowship" Of each OF
those taking part in the ordination, and
the announcement TO the church OF the
names OF the new officers.
The members Of Grace-Street Presbyte-
rian church now hope that, with this more
complete official corps, and freed, as they
expect, bv the help OF friends, soon to be,
from the last remnant OF the debt that has
so long oppressed them, they are about en-
tering upon more prosperous and eff
cient course, in which they will soon be
enabled to resume all their former helpful
ness towards sister churches struggling
under burdens too great for them to bear,
or wherever else they can best forward
evangelical work.
MEETING OF METHODIST sUSBAY-sCHOOL So
CIETY.
A special meeting OF the Methodist Sum-
day-SchOol Society was held at Nicholson
Street Methodist church Sunday afternoon
at 81 o'clock-Charles II. Hasker assistant
president) in the chair, Charles p. Rady
secretary.
The meeting was opened with singing
by the scholars Of Ncholson-Street school
and prayer by Rev. T. z. Wise, pastor Of
church. The pastor gave
an interesting account OF the success OF the
school. During the past year new inter-
est has been developed, and the school is
now in better condition than for many
years back. The attendance is very good.
and the outlook most encouraging. Many
new scholars have been enrolled. Efforts
are being made, with good prospect of
success, to build new church in more
eligible situation.
Rev. j. W. Bledsoe made very inter-
esting address on the duties and Priyi-
leges OF a Sunday-School Teacher" In
teresting and profitable addresses were also
made by Mr.. c. G. Walter Of Broad
Street; Robert E. Richardson. OF Cente-
nary, and e.. ii. Hasker, Of Union Station.
The next meeting will be held at Park
Place church second Sunday in March.
METHODIST MISSIONARY MEETING.
A mass-meetlng Of the WOmen's Mis-
sionary Societies OF the Methodist churches
Of Richmond and Manchester was held at
the Broad-Street church Sunday afternoon.
Bishop CRANBERRY presided. and read re-
ports from the various societies. These
reports show the societies to be in pros
porous condition. Resolutions were adopt
ed approving the action of the parent
society in adopting the mission school for
girls in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as the object
upon which to concentrate their gifts for
this centennial year of Methodism in this
Bishop Cranberry delivered an able and
address, full Of illustrative
Iacts, on the appropriateness and value Of