The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-10-19

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ransom them from destruction: He provides
for them: lie leads them upon green past
ures: He defends ana protects them against
their adversaries. The Good Shepherd
are seeking Him. When the prodigal was
yet far off the father saw him. When
Nathaniel was yet under the fig-tree.
Christ saw him. When Zaccheus was In
knew what he wanted. So Christ knows
the seeking heart wherever it may
be. This Good Shepherd knows the
nature. the character. the disposition
OF His sheep, Man is not always
at heart what be seems to be
upon the surface. and while men
look upon the appearance, Christ looks
into the heart. Hence the main question
for us is. Are our hearts right before Godf
Are our names written in heavenf
The love of the Good Shepherd begets
love. Then man will servo God not from q
mere sense ofduty. utconstralned by love.
This love should become in us q passion.
and create a burning zeal for God aud His
cause. The love of the Good Shepherd be-
gets a desire within ms to be like Him. His
sheep follow Him. This implies not only
that they keep His commandments, INT
that they pattern after Him and become
the love of God in his heart has nc greater
desire than to be like his Divine Master.
Filial trust 10 also one of the results of this
love. The child that loves his parents has
COuuuonCc III tnem. IN the scriptures we
have thousands of exceeding great and
precious promises. and every one of them
10 a check on Heavens bank. All we need
to do is to present our check-come In con-
tidence to God and rely upon HIS PROM
ises, and He will give to US the desire of
our hearts.
Saturdays Conference Proceedings.
The Saturdays sessions of General Con-
ference of the Evangelical Association were
l. A. SO
committee reports. The report on the fam
lily takes high ground in favor of good
family government. the s~anctity of the
marriage relation and social purity. A
constitution for the Young Peoples AL
lance was adopted, and two directors for
the Charitable Society elected.
Bishop Breyfogel opened the morning ses-
sion, but at his request Bishop Esher took
the chair and presided over the delibera-
tions of the day. A telegram was read from
c. X. Fehr. superintendent of the Orphan
Home. stating that his wife's health would
not permit him to accept the
position another term. A re quest has
been received from Troy. Kan, Conference.
the District Court concerning the Bellevue
church, for an attested expression of Gen.
eraI Conference concerning the standing
of such as have WI thdrawn from the church.
swered with o resolution declaring that the
rights of all those persons who received
certificates ceased with the reception of
the same, and were In no sense any longer
members of the Evangelical Association,
and that those who withdrew without GER
tificate. on account of dissatisfaction, for
feited. by such withdrawal, all rights and
privileges of membership. IN the Evangel-
ical Association. General Conference also
declared that such O relation as mem ber-
ship-at-large, when not connected with
some local society, is utterly unknown both
to the laws and usages of the church.
That item in the report of the committee
on revision, making provision for the call
Ing of an extra General Conference. which
had called forth such an animated discussion
on Friday and was made the order of the
day on Saturday morning for further con-
sideration. was rejected. While q majority
favored it. it failed of the requisite three
| fOurths vote. te
The committee on the Charitable Society
reported that they have found the treasur-
er's report correct. The assets of the So
ciety are now S27. 006.9 6. which is an in
crease of 81. lS4. 81 during the past quadren-
mum. All the funds are invested in first
mortgage securities. bearing 6 per cent. IN
| terest. The report not only Endorses the
action of the board of trustees in not de-
clariDg q dividend for 1891, but commends
them for so doing. They are, however, in
structed to declare q dividend, based upon
the income of 1890 and 1891, TO such only as
may be reported as proper claimants by the
secretaries of annual conferences rec0g-
nized by General Conference as the legal
annual conferences. Messrs. r. u. Boas, of
| Reading, Pa. and Robert Steiner, of
| Schuylkiu Haven. were elected trustees of
the society.
C~ATECHETICAL
The conference took advanced ground on
/ Ar a,h;act af na~ochoo ,nfrro;o- h-
making it the duty of every preacher to
hold catechetical instructions in every So
ciety in his field of labor, the course to be
SO arranged as to embrace the whole of
the Smaller Cathechism of the Evangel-
ical Association" in one year, excepting
where this may be impracticable. 1t shall
be the duty OF the members to send their
| children who have attained to the age of
ten years to catechetical instruction. At
the completion of the course of instruction
an examination of the chatechumens shall
be held in the presence OF the society. He
shall, however. not be allowed to require
the children to take upon themselves any
vows, neither the laying on of hands,
neither shall this examination have any
connection with receiving persons as MEM
bers into the church. The public examine
ton of the catechumens o: the completion
of the course was strongly objected to by
some for the reason that such q regulation
would be abused and might be made the
entering wedge to the confirmation. the
laying on of hands. and receiving
them into the church without hav-
ing experienced q change of heart.
Although the report of the committee
passed through General Conference it can
only become u law of the church after it
has received o twO-tbirds vote Of the men,
| bers of all the annual conferences. The re-
port of the committee on Sabbath-schools
and normal classes says the Sabbath-schoo
is one of the most successful institutions of
the church. One of the principal needs of
the Sunday-school is self-sacrlficing, faith
full and efficient teachers. Although q
goodly number of normal classes have
been formed in different parts of the church,
yet this important work should be carried
on with greater energy and efficiency.
Conference, therefore, calls upon all
preachers to form normal classes. This is q
new organization in the association, but Is
meeting with great favor among the young
people. The committee presented q care
full report, n conference resolved as fol-
lows:
l. That We call upon all our preachers to iden-
tify themselves with this movement, and to
espouse heartily this important cause, having
carry on the work more successfully than by
taking the proper care OF the young people.
.. That We Will establish n Young Peoples Al
lance In the Evangelical Association In accord
auce with the constitution prepared by the
Linwood Park committee, and already published
in the church papers. -.
3. That the General Conference adopt the
necessary measures and regulations tor the car
rying out OF said constitution.
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