The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-25
GROWTH OF THE NJ. ?. CHURCH.
Reports to the District Conference Show that
the Membership Is Rapidly Growing

The progressive steps taken by the district
meetings of the Indiana conference of the N. p
church the past four or five years have been in
duced by genuine needs crowded upon the at
tention of the managers as the work developed
A few years since there wore but three or four
Methodist Protestant churches In the Indian
apolis district, but the business meeting, yes
terday morning, of the conference now in SEES
sion at the First NJ. p. Church, at which the re-
ports from the pastoral charges were received.
indicate that the church is coming rapidly to the
front in the religious work in central Indiana
Many new charges have been organized in the
past year, for which churches will be erected
during the next year. There are
qnite number of congregations that,
for want of funds, ara still unable to
erect churches, bat all these are holding meet
ings regularly, and are increasing their member
ship. The churches in the towns surrounding
indianapolis appear. from the reports submit
ted. to be in more prosperous condition than
the congregations in Indianapolis. Among the
pastors who reported on the condition of their
charges, yesterday were Sam J. Jones' of Edin-
burg; Hough Stackhouse, Vincennes; j. s.
Smith, Greenfield; John Helm, Guilford; S. NJ
Lowden, Sbelbyvile; j. L. Barclay, Franklin;L
Houk Greenfield; p. Julian, Laurel: o. D.
Ames; Rushville; c. II. Evans and j. I'll. G. Nc
| Cune, of this city, The reports all showed q
very prosperous condition of affairs, with large
increases of membership during the past year.
Following che report Rev. S. j. Jones dis
cussed the subject, "Iu What Does the Call to
the Ministry Consist?" The young man on en-
tering the ministry, he thought should be actu-
ated from q true desire to do good in the world
and. If he felt like he could DO this, the mnistry
needed his services There was gepreral dis
cussion of the subject, after which j. Il c.. Nc
Cune discussed THE Improprieties of Ministers
which Hinder Their Success" The oreatest i'm
proprety. he thought, was tbe'r necomino men
OF the world, when they ',.,opld he men whose
character aud everv~ ,av walk was worthy of en-
w Wor ~ sN ,eople under their charge, w,
or ..slln read very interesting paper On
low We Can Increase the Scriptural Life Of
| Our Sunday schools" arguing that the Sunday
schools should be better attended by the church
members and the Bible itself used more
| In the afternoon j. L. Barclay presented the
| claims of the Pastors Aid Society, urging that
| the contributions for the WORKOUT ministers be
| largely increased the coming year. At 3 o'clock
Rev. II. Stackhouse, of Vincennes, preached the
annual sacramental sermon, after which the
Lords supper was administered
The evenings session was devoted to temper
ance Addresses of much merit were delivered
by Mrs. L. c. Scott and Mrs. NJ A. ONO. The
work OF the conference will close to-day at noon.
Women's Foreign Missionary Society will meet
The programme embraces history of the Wo-
mems Foreign Missionary Society by Mrs. r. T.
Hobart, an essay by Mrs Melissa Jones and sew
eral short addresses by members. It will close
to night with a lecture Juvenile Missionary
Work" by Mrs. G. B Dotson, and missionary
concert