New-York tribune., 1886-05-02
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.
THOUGHT AND TALK OF THE CHURCHES
HERE AND THERE

this city: IL noticed n paragraph in The TRIBUNE
recently about Meho1ism whose state nents are Singh
larry borne out by the recent change OF ministers In
church. Our pastor was unanimously invited to return
at the end OF his first OF lie accepted tho
invitation, ami the concurred In by
the presiiing elder. Bat when the appoint
ments were announced 1t found that
without his knowledge he was transferred to
another church. and another very worthy minister
sent to us equally without his knowledge. Our people
were entirely gnorel IN the lction the first in
tima'on that they had OF any change being the pcrs
Onr people, contrary to the usual practice. sent COM
mttee u the conference relying upon tho custom OF
reappontment where the relation between the pastor
and people agreeable and also upon the special under
standing had as stated Not only this change made
without the knowledge OF the people, who would naturally
be supposed 10 he slightly interested and OF both mn-
isers but also without the knowledge Of tho presiding
elder, and still more strange without real practical
knowledge on the part of the Bishop. Judging from his
statement TO one OF the parties who expressed great
prise that he supposed it fully understood While
we all entertain the highest respect and esteem for our
new minister, and while he VIII receive the cordial CO.
operation OF us ALL am OF those who think that the
lack OF consideration which in this was shown to
all nteres ell fully justhes your criticism for certainly
no close corporation society bound by the most
stringent rules could with less reference to the feel
ings and wishes of its members"
But Me'hodism Ia confronted by questions thah
such possible defects Of the Itinerancy here lnd
Gated Of these Methodist federation is perhaps the
most Important People are beginning to ask them
selves IT, after all. the divisions Methodsm abso
ntey necessary There is Indeed little probability that
The various Methodist bodies will coaesce into or
eanic body; there many independent interests at
stake for that But there l. why all these
vigorous and aggressive bodies should not form one
sreat te crtpn for ne prosccnto. OF the work com
mon 10 ihrn all And ther" are not wanting indications
thai TINS Thought Is presenting itself 10 the IN mas OF
at many MrthoiSs. It Is felt that many OF the Is
sues that caused the divisions OF Nethodism are dead
and buried. and principle need be sacrificed IN frank
~ acknowledging the fact.
Thai the results OF such federation would be most
momentous may be from the following figures: In
Great Britain there branches of the Weseyan
connection, which have 1927 ministers. 1853 local
preachers and SGi.7I7 members. Alnated with these
churches the Irish Wesleyan. the French Wesleyan.
the Australian and the Sou n African Conferences,
which together have 934 minister 46J7 10 al preach
ers and 1886 memb RS. In Canada, MethOdsm al
ether has lG2s minister's. $50 local preachers and
IG-.so3 members In this country the non-Episcopa
Metholist bodies are as follows The Meth
odist Protestauts, the American Wcsleyans. the
Free MethOlists. the Primitive MethodiSts.
the In dependent Mehoists and the Con grcs tional
Mctn"~ts. which together have about 1850 mhlt r..
l.7G local preachers and l95 go members The Eps-
cOpa Methoil|ts comprise the Methodist Episcopal
Afrcan Methodist Episcopal Cnirch the African Metho
dist Episcopal Zion Church, the COlDred Methodist Es
Brctnrcn aud the Union American Methodist Ep scopa
Church Altogether these bOdi"s have 626 ministers
81 80 local preachers 3.762,9S7 members. Aud
the grand 10 Al strength Of Metnotl~m l. 81 ID nu-
istcrs. 77,s79 local preachers and 5l2i992 merber'
such boiy united In fellowship, even If not
ecclesi lsc y. and moving forward with one common
impetus, WON'T represent one of the grelest rces IN
moiern cvilzati0n And 10 Ia no wonder that thc
number OF Mcthodsts VINO feel TINS IS becoming greater
every year.
Not long ago a church near Albany was without pas
tor and the chairman Of the Pulpit Committee hearing
a young who it was thought. Ight be suitable,
wrote the following 10 a mutual friend Does MI
--p preach without manuscript in pulpit Is he a
married man Has he good voice : Does he speak
with cradle aninus Is he bold anl aggressive
fl manner And has he. At the sumo time, the conven
tional spiritual and intellectual qualifications OF good
pastori II 81, will remember him in case we do not
secure one or the of present can tles lou
may think OF the features referred 10 are rather o
" the few really superior members IN ever
pIO,sinn. differences IN men ability carrying WI Tn
it - it does honors cmo'nnents AMI peheh Is more
difference Of temperament and physical qn'lhcaton.
otherwise This may not always be recoSnized out
"A ctrelul analysis Will nearly alw iys prove IT,
This personal equation in the ministerial vocation !;
OF paramount Importance these days OF individuality
and crops out in all sorts OF ways The Presbyterian
Bauncr tell. of pastor who al TO resign his charge
because 1.-THE Inily sup rinenient obsctei To
his using plum-co orci silk handkerchief In tho pull
nit" And Tae HeraH and Prcsjyter tells OF another
otherwise good who had to resign because lie rolled
up his trousers in wet weather when waking In the
mud. carried his own groceres home and wore an uh-
b,comn mlstlche rh' poor fellow trei 70 turn tue
tide or resentment that had risen against him by I'M
proving hls must che. ahl at last cutting IL on aIto
,ether Bl, IL was Isr: he hal to co. aud II 10 be
hopei that herald OF rghtronsness VINO su ceeie
uTey orthodox as 10 the roll oi MS tfoiSefs
and the cu ~ his muachc. Verify. the modern sinner
il hari to please.
There are at present time 2S9J3 Baptist churches
in rh, country OF 30 during the past year
The number OF ordained Minister'S ls 1871. loss OF
49, during tho past year Tns number oi Daptsns re-
POT ed l}5 $40 hunlrel more than in the previous
year. The uber OF church mrmbers is 2.)722}S. a
gain OF CHS in year Tho amount rassl in the past
year FOR minister's salaries and church expenses Wa;
BOB. while the is-ionary and educitional con
trlDutIons amounted respectively to $7O9,l63 ant
%il2.26O The sunday-schoos number l2.5jD with
j-963 scholars or educational institutions there a.e
Fix theolo ncal scminaries with an ATTENDANCE OF IL
sin;ens; % universities and colleges. w,h AS stu
dents: - scminarcs for fem Ie eiucati1n eXcu'vey
with 323S stulents acaj IS. with lSll stn ieIs
and 10 Institutions or the colored race AMI Indians.
with 3.4-O Students making total OF 10 institutions
ard I6 i-6 students. Upward OF loo students are
preparing Tor the ministry
Bishop Fosters papers in The Independent on The
Material, Moral and Re yious state of the World are
exciting "A great deal OF attention. rney show the
Bishop 10 be man fully able tn tho great problem
or Cars ian evang citation In all tS aspects capacity
denied 10 many mcn or deep ploty III Tue oAurcnes
Perhaps the following il one OF the most striking
passages in tho Bishops papers: 81 raise no question
about whether these countless millions can DO saved IN
the world to come do not affirm that giving them the
gospel will improve their prospects or 1T ali increase
their chances IN this direction. Possibly as many o
them will he without tho gospel as with it. Th"
oue. 0n does not into the problem which am DIS
clssing-ihe outlook OF the worldly which mean the
outlook OF the world for time, not for eternity II the
awful ihoug could take possession or my NINA
that the whole helthen world must OF necessity be lost
forever siinpy because they heather, would sim
ply not them a gospel which reveals such G'd
Tbat grim gh wonld shut ont all hope for the
world aud eternity Itself adungeon, no diueehc &c
VIII, might be saved For cOui any rational Great
ure r,tiny oven a heaven with God whose government
could permit such stain of shAtn' ana dshoior pl
crneity and injustice II dreadful! enough TO ne COM
pcrd to accept thought that an Immortal DeihS Ga'
by his own free guilt out destiny OF ch"nEeIrs'
ev: convince that there Is God at the hsdu oi
M universe who without fault Of theirs. or any cHahce
Of rapr vii! dead, the living ami ihe yet 10
v, ullnus of heatheusu AMI sou make IL forever ih
no.siblr tha' lie should be wOrSipp@d hy any nut v
liz ami bv them only because he becomes thrlr chlel
.u al the sane time earth INTO gigtntlc terror
v,nnse gnas ~ horrors viii admit OF no relief Suth