Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-15
Christ" which will be ready for publica-
ton next spring.

STORMY DIsCpesIoS.
Rev. DR.. j. A. Roche. of Brooklyn
Niethodist), has been the innocent cause
Of stormy discussion on the yexed ques-
ton Of church attendance. His recent
speech in the Methodist Preachers Meet
ing in Philadelphia was interpreted rs O
frank admission that Methodism, long the
most potent denomination IN the United
States. was on the decline. He was quoted
rs saving that the New York churches.
although they had put forth all their
energies and placed the best available
talent in the pulpits, were none OF them
more than half filed, and that all had to
look 10 the societies for support This
Rev. Dir. Roche denies and declares that
Methodism was never more prosperous
than now lie explains that the great
trouble encountered by his denomination
results from the radical change IN the
character Of the population IN large cites
n trouble which other churches have
avoided by removal while the Methodlsis
have remained in their old locations and
struggled on in the face of obstacles.
rRrsBYT1nIAN CEEED.
1.-THE agitation among presbyterians over
tho creed is in the direction OF ancndation
merely" said Rev. Or. John II. Paxton. Of
the Forty second Street Presbyterian
church. New York We still retain pre-
destination. but wish TO do away with
some of ITS hard features. The portion
OF the creed teaching this point does
not say that there are ,non-elect
infants, but implies it, and asserts
80 much by inference. When Calvin
lived. there were no republics, and IN
contemplation of the monarchical sove-
reignty everywhere visible. the subject
was overlooked. In their view OF God
HIS aterncr attributes alone were con-
sdcrcd. II three criminals were drown
inc He might save one TO glorify Himself.
he other two. who were lost, could not
complain. as they deserved their fate. III
is desirable 20 50 modify the creed that 1t
will embodv less exclusively the. sovc-
reicnty Of God and more pOintedly us
love aud mercy. Presbyterians VIII still
be Calvinists."
Rev. Dr. William NJ. Taylor, the distin-
gushcd Congregationalist says: The
habit of church-gong Is declining IN some
classes of society and gaining III others. L
an beginning to feel more concern about
the rich than about the poor. on account If
the growing neglect of the Church and OF
the lack II interest in religion that per-
yadcs the niger circles OF society"
THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS.
This somewhat startling statement IS
partially explained bY the Rev. W. II.
Wsrd. tho editor Of the Ia7ependGf, VINO
saws THE churches do not encounter
any difficulties on account Of the dcca-
dence of the popular interest IN religion:
The trouble is rather with the theological
schools which. while they afford excellent
instruction IN Greek, Hebrew. and Tho
ology. fail to give proper attention To
Homeletics. Their students become
scholars but not teachers. and do not, IN
derstand how t. properly write and de-
liver their sermons. Many preachers de-
liver well-WTttcn ESSAYS that lack praCn-
cal point and effectiveness. The result IS
tame. apathetic. and hstless congregations,
who are never aroused 10y the preachers
dull and aimless efforts"
DO the theological sominaues get rs
good "a class Of students Us formerly :" was
a ked.
GOOD lSD POOR MATERIAL.
Eyes; they get their full share Of the
best men graduated from the colleges every
wear. OF course. they do get poor material
s1nctimes. Il the theological schools
would only modify their system SO as 70
afford students proper training IN pulpit
oratOry, the power OF the clergy Tor good
would be- Greatly augmented
A leading topic among PTesbyterians IS
the revision Of their Confession. winch
must be settled by consensus of all the
PRESBYTERIAN bodies through the medium
J
DIR. Ward. Curously enough IN the pro
gramme Of the Evangelical Alliance at Bos-
ton last week there was no mention OF the
status of the cOlOrcd race IN the churches.
The omission was probably intentional,
and caused by a desire to avoid any dis
cussiou of the subject. The Methodist,
Episcopal. Congregational, PIesbyteuan,
and Baptist churches ere equally affected.
Bishop John d. Newman (Niethodist) re-
Il !. Il ! 10 La,l 70 80
sire a union Of the northern and southern
Methodist bodies, and hoped TO see three
general conference.-the northern. the
southern, and the colored conferences.
EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.
Considerable interest is felt IN the result
of the Evangelical Alliance Conference IN
Boston. One Of the principal topics Of
discussion was The Needs of the Rural
Districts" Last summer the Alliance made
"A canvass OF forty townships IN New YORK
State, one with a population OF $40 and an
average attendance of rs in each OF the
two churches, another with pOpUlatiOn
of 200 and an average church attendance
OF so. or less than ] in II. Cooperative
house-to-house visitation IS proposed as
remedy for this apathy. The Investigation
, showed that the church-goiDg population
IN the rural districts is much smaller IN
proportion 10 the whole then in the cities.
1T IS unsafe to base conclusions as to
the state of the churches in the cities of
Now York and Brooklyn" said the Rev.
DR.. Elder. a leading Baptist divine. " In
those cities four fiiths of the population
ARE of foreign birth or extraction. Re
lirious progress Was never 90 great as now.
In tho cities named. between 1852 and 1857,
the Episcopalians increased their commu-
nicants from %, 723 TO 80 90s Preshvtcrans,
y $40 to 2S,0l6: Methodists. II $50 TO l2,9Sl;
Baptists. u. O27 to 1869; Reformed Church,
& soJ 10 1921; ConsregatiOnallsts, PAP TO
2Jl5. The Methodists and BGptlsts hold
The third and fourth places in New York,
Int they lead in the country as a whole.
The Baptists are building many new and
fine churches and 1 may say that we are
increasing our rolliug-stock If We are not
carrying many more passengers