The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-04-26
BROADBRIM'S N. Y. LETTER.

The Methodist Conference closed this
week giving greater evidence of the change
that is going on in that powerful church
than any conference for many years past.
ltineracy seems to be doomed; extension
after extension is adopted by each succeed
ing convention; but like Oliver, at the
workhouse table, they constantly clamor
for more. Within my memory, one year
was considered sufficient tor any preacher
in many districts, and when the time was
extended to two years, many of the faith
full shook their heads and thought that
Methodism was going astray. But the
fact is that many eloquent and plous minis
ters have left the Methodist Church, be-
cause they did not like being shifted around
from post to pillar, but preferred a fixed
home. One of the most significant occur
rences during the convention was the visit
of the Rev. r. r. Meredith; the eloquent
pastor of the Tomkins Avenue Congrega-
tional Church on Tuesday. DIR. Meredith
was formerly a member of the Methodist
Church, and when he left it il was terri
BILE shock to his congregation, by whom he
was greatly beloved. When he entered
the convention he was received with
clamorous welcome, and the Bishop pleas
antly introduced him as a beloved brother
whom they had loaned for a short time to
neighboring church. Another evidence
OF change was found in the fact that one
OF the leading lights of the conference de-
ciared his disbelief in the efficacy of Pro-
hibition; he did not believe it could possibly
accomplish its purpose, and that the class
intended TO be saved must be saved by the
Gospel of Christ, and not by any sumptuary
law, and this opinion was sustained by a
number of the ablest men in the conyen-
tion.
a sorrowful scene was enacted in a
Brooklyn Court this week when an old
man, between seventy and eighty years of
age was sent to the PenitentiarY for five
years for swindllng the city by securing
every year an appropriation for his charit-
able hospital. The city divides its excise
fund among the various charitable institu.
tions. They make an annual report of the
number Of persons they have relieved and
receive so much per head. Doctor Wilcox
last year sent in report of several hun.
dred cases relieYed, three or four hundred
births, fourteen hundred visits, &c, &C.,
and drew from the city funds seventeen
hundred dollars, his report being signed
by the president, Doctor Wilcox of the
Wilcox Hospital, a board of examiners. a
board OF trustees, a secretary and treasur,
er. When, however, the attention of the
Grand Jury was called TO the case of thi.
knayish old swindler, 1t turned out that
there meyer was president, secretary, g
treasurer, or a trustee except Doctor vii
cox himself; that he made no visits, dis
tributed no medicines, but he gobbled Tho
public funds all the same. He lived in !
large house with fat old housekeeper, ant
he had been carrying on this sWindling fol
several years, and when dlscoyeTed assumed
bold defiant air, and laughingly asked
like Tweed, "What are yeu going TO do
about it." He found out this week, as h,
was dragged back from the bar to tn,
prisoners pen with sentence Of five year,
ringing in his ears. Verify, verify, th,
way of the transgressor is hardl
A very gratifying sign of the times is tn,
wholesome improvement Of the American
drama; some of the productions Of the pas
two years being far more successful thar
any of the imported dramas. D'Oyl,
.Carte's troupe Of English Gondoliers hai
gone by the board one of the deadest fail
ures of the season, and it evidently was no
the fault Of Gilbert and Sullivan, for IN,
piece has been a marked success as playe,
by the Boston Company.
One Of the most human pieces that
have seen for many q day was tht