Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-01-24
LSTERIAL MEETING.
-esting Meeting and Ran.
uuet at the st, Elmo.

following ministers were present
Rev. w. H. Pendleton of Contra
Baptist Church; Rev. f. R. Brainert
of Park Congregational Church: Rev
H. w. Crabbe Of the United Presby
terian Church; Rev. G. w. Heisle
of the First Lutheran Church; Rev
j. B. Jones of the Christian Church
Rev. o. G.. Weller OF the East Lo
Angeles Presbyterian Church; Rev
W.. w. tinker of East Los Angeles
Rev. Mr.. Gilfllan of Temple Stree
Presbyterian Church; Rev. w. S
Young of Boyle Heights, and the fol
lowing visiting clergymen: Rev. b.
Payson Hammond; Rev. j. A.
.Jordon of Princeton, Indiana; Rev
j. S. Dynwood of New York City
Rev. E. s. Williams.
Rev. G. w. Heisler acted as chair.
man and Rev. E. r. Brainerd as
secretary. The meeting opened by
singing "nearer my God to thee, u
and Rev. Mr.. Gordon lead in prayer.
The President announced miscel-
laneous business as the first thing
in order. Rev. j. B. Jones was invited
to join the society but declined, as it
was the first time he had attended the
meetings, and he desired to learn the
motives Of the meetings before he pre-
sented his name, but desired to be al
lowed to be present. Rev. MIR. Will
liams said that a committee represent
ing the several young peoples socie-
ties would like to present petition.
They were invited in, and MIR. Ames
petitioned the ministers to approve Of
the young people absenting them
selves once in three months on Sun
day evening from their respective
churches to attend the meeting of the
societies Of young people. Moved and
carried that petition be granted.
Rev. T.. r. Brainerd moved that q
notice of future meetings be published
in the daily papers. DIR. Pendleton
raised an objection to the motion, and
said the invitations were only to
members and visiting clergymen and
should be made personally. Mr.. B ain
erd's motion was lost. DR.. Pendleton,
chaiman of the comittee elected last
week to draft new constitution was
called on for a report which was pre-
sented and read by Rev. Mr.. Crabbe,
of which the following is a synopsis:
The name OF this society shall be
the Ministerial Association" OF Los
Angeles and neighboring vicinity.
Ministers OF good standing can be-
come members by a two-thir1s vote
and no minister's name will be voted
upon unless he has asserted a desire
to become member and is willing
to conform to the bylaws OF this So
ciety; that the objects of these meet
ings is the promotion Of fraternal in
tercourse of ministers and clergymen
spiritually and mentally. The Off
GERS shall be one chairman, secre-
tary and censor. DR.. Pendleton
thought the bylaws ought to be made
Stronger on the question OF atten-
dance and if they did not make it so,
it would draw on their moral obliga
tions to attend and the meetings
would soon die down. Rev. Mr..
Brainerd moved that the report be
laid on the table for one month. Car
ried. The report from the executive
committee was called for. Mr..
Brainerd said the question
of converting children was being dis
cussed at present by nearly all the
and many raised an OBJ
lection to work of that kind, as it ex-
cited the children and did not accom-
plish any permanent good. AS DR..
Hammond had made the work of con-
verting children specially, and had
had many years experience in that
work, the ministers stated that they
would like to hear him speak few
minutes on that subject.
DR.. Hammond said that despite the
many opinions of those who did not
believe in the conversion of children,
he was positive that they were con-
verted and that the effect on a great
majority of them was permanent. He
commenced his work many years ago
in Scotch Presbyterian Church, and
many questioned the conversion of
the children, but they had grown up
and their work showed for itself. He
endorsed the idea of teaching them
about Christ in a simple manner and
in impres,ing them that Christ
died for the remission OF our
sins. He had spent six weeks in
Glasgow, Scotland, and six weeks in
London laboring for the conversion OF
children, and to-day these converts
are putting Gods works before the
world in fifty different languages, and
one hundred young men have been
sent to other nations as missionaries.
He believed, as Horace Bushell says,
that children should be converted so
young that they will never know when
they became a Christian. He be-
lieved mothers and teachers could
teach Christ to infants so that it would
always rem ain with them. Rev. Mr..
Spurgeon said he had successfully
preached on the conversion of chill
dren. and IL 900 people congregated
in his tabernacle to hear his sermons,
and he averaged 40 infant members
every year and had never excommu-
nicated one. He had spent some
time in Ireland, France, Germany and
Italy, and with good interpreters had
never failed to meet with good sue
cess.
Rev. Mr.. Hester endorsed the idea
of infant conversion, and could speak
from a stand point Of personal exper-
ience. He could not remember the
date of his conversion.
Rev. Mr.. Brainerd said perhaps
there was such a thing as infant pur-
ity being hereditary, but according to
Mosaic teaching every child of Adam
is born in sin, and Notwithstanding
his father was an old strict Puritan
Sunday school superintendent, and his
mother great worker, he was born
with the very evil spirit in him. The
President announced the time for dis
cussion had been consumed, and by
invitation the several clergymen pro-
ceeded to the dining room to partake
of banquet rendered by Rev. E. R
Brainerd.
Los Angeles Street.