The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-04-08
From the Sunday Morning News o.
Yesterday,
HOW METHODISTS MEET.
Crowding the Quiet Old City of Plain
field. but Having Little Fun.

Crowding the Quiet Old City of Plain
field, but Having Little Fun.
Especial to the Jersey City Neios.l
PLAINFIELD, April 6, 1SS9.-This old city
scarcely knows itself this week. Wnat
with Methodist ministers and Methodist
ministers wives and Methodist ministers
mothers-in-law, and candidates Tor the
Methodist ministry and their sisters ana
mothers and their sweethearts and their
sweethearts' mothers, there is a constant
succession of new faces passing to and fro
on olr streets, until it is scarcely possible
to recognize O single well known counten-
ance.
They "shop;'' they stare into the shop
windows; they fill the tablesin the restaur-
ant and the hotel dining rooms-anu
thew 90 to the Methodist Church, to the
session of the Conference, every day.
Inside the church it looks from the en-
trance as if there were nobody there ex-
cent women. When one looks up into the
gallery of the church he sees W or three
men, and at least one d women, anu
itseems sometimes as lift Methodist on
ference were a grand opportunity Tor the
congregation of the feminine portion OF
the minister's families.
But from the front of the church the
scene is quite different. In place OF
women's hats are seen the heads OF Ine
rood clergymen. Some of them are bald;
but not MANY. Most of them are busted
with the silver sands of time. All OF them
are the heads of earnest workers ana
serious men.
SWEET FACES AND VOICES.
Their faces have singularly benevolent
exnressions as if they had nothing to do
in life but to make the lot OF mankind
easier on earth. They look as mild as
milk and as harmless as money. .a
And their voices are almost hqulo
music They say "Amen" when they en-
ioy and appreciate anything that has been
said by a brother member, and they speak
their little speeches in rs smooth tones
and as rounded periods as II they were
begging President Harrison not TO dance
at the Inauguration Ball.
But they cannot sing.
don't know what may be their W
opinion on the question, but l have posi-
tive knowledge.
IhaUe heard them try.
Every mornings business meeting
closes with the doxology, sung ny, the
Conference, and the benedlcUon, salu ny
the Bishop.
There is an awful differencel The ben
ediction is no more beautiful in sub
stnnce. no more perfect in wording, than
is the sound of his voice as he p~ronounces
the solemn syllables.
But the doxology is quite different.
One of the greatest faults the preachers
have to find with their congregations IS
the lack of hearty cooperation IN the
singing. If their congregations could buG
hear their pastors when Bishop Merrill
calls upon them to join in singing the
doxology they would turn the tables on
their pastors.
Nine-tenths of them do not try to sing,
and the other tenth, though it tries
hard enough, has not the falntest idea
of how to do it.
WHAT THEY CAN DO.
There is one thing that these preachers
can do, and that is to talk for their friends.
When anyone suggests that it may be
well not to ordain some of MIR. Buttzs
young men, either as deacons, or as elders,
or to full orders as priests, he beams on
the Conference with those great, gentle
ewes of his, and objects in words which
are no longer mild, and in tonesthat make
the room yibrate, no matter If he does be
gin in a low tone.
Then, again, there is the good DIR. Bryce,
Presiding Elder of the Elizabeth district
He is like butter and eggs, but If he is
reused in the defence of one OF his young
men he is like a mild eyed tigress protect
ing her young.
And how they do laugh at stale jokes!
But, then, they have very little real fun,
They are not allowed ever to smoke, now,
and they will soon be obliged to promise
to abjure eating before they are admitted
to full connection.
How they do work, though!