Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-13

barrel Mr.. Thomas smps Il liberal and Z
candidate for parliament In the interests Of the
liberal division in Lancashire and was charged
with beginning the discussion of politics. MIR.
| baimer proved conclusively that he was no
conse rva tive either, and Mr.. Atkinson took de-
cIded urnbrageat some of tho remarks he made.
| these passagee-at-arms at one time threatened
TO become altogether too spirited for reli-
glous and deliberative conference, but were
| fortunately brought to conclusion by the ar
| rival OF . O'Clock, the hour set Cor adjourn
ment The chairman of the meeting. Bishop
Myers, raped for order, announced the dis
cusslon at close. and, after the announcement
! OIL some committees. the session was adjourned
with the singing of the hymn, God Be With
Us Till We Meet Again, and the benediction BY
Bishop Myers.
| THE CHURCH AND HER AGENCIES.
The general topic for the discussion for the
morning session yesterday was 1.-THE Church
and Her Agencies" with an essay on 1.-THE
Responsibility and Qualifications Of the
Preacher" by Rev. Bishop r. 8. Foster, o. D.,
! LID, II. Z. church. with invited addresses
| by Rev. John Bond of the Wesleyan Methodist
| church and Rev. William Howard Day OF the
A. VI. l.. Zion church.
! Bishop Fosters arrival upon the platform
was received with applause. He said that it
had beer announced that he would read an
essay but he must confess that he had GENE
forward without a word of written preparation.
from the east. He could hardly ask it from
those from the west. still he would not be
called upon to extemporize thought. for the
subject was one that had long filed his mind.
He would not refer to the first part of the sub
ject at all. but to the latter part, for he re-
garded that as the more important
Bishop Foster said that at home he was
known a tiresOme preacher and that he often
preached for two or three hours. II took him
an hour to get fairly started and az he was linn
,to1
morning he could scarcely get we'll started.
The minister he took it, was an instrument;
the complement of Christ in His great work.
His qualifications must all be with reference to
the fact that he was but part in the instru-
mentality used in the regeneration of the
world. First of all he should be manly man.
He should have that within him that would lif.
him to the consciousness OF noble manhood.
Allowing that God is that intelligent person
ality that we conceive Him to be We must adj
mon WHO. as rule, are men OF such reputation
and character. The preacher must be par
taker OF the life they offer to their people. God
has a process in saving souls and all who would
enter His kingdom must do so through the por-
tai of His methods. This Is accomplished
through the intelligence of man. God works
by method.
Aman to be preacher must be more than
manly man. There are thousands of men who
are rs manly men as ever stood in the pulpit,
and yet they have no right upon the platform.
God selects His preacher and makes known the
fact to the person selected and to others max
ing the ministry divine vocation. The prime
essentia IL that the man should have call.
Gods method in dealing with men is to deal
with them as rational beings and to reach them
through the intellect Hence the men who are
called to do His work should be men who can
present what they have to say in such form as
to appeal to the intelligence Of man. They
must be able to understand the environment
and circumstances of the people they address
and to know the distractions that lie in the
way of the truth. 1t is the duty OF the pulpit
to reach the mind through all possible paths of
knowledge.
No man can look into the great questions of
religion inteIigently that does not think of God
through His works and manifesto tons, ard it is
the function of the preacher to penetrate as
far as any other man into the mysteries of God.
1t is the business of the preacher to remove
doubts from the minds OF others and to open
up their minds to the reception of the truths
of the gospel. The preacher must absorb all
possible knowledge, so that touch him where
you may you VIII find him electric with knowl-
edge. The preacher speaks to a new constitu-
ency every thirty years, but let him present
the truth to a man and have it received and the
man is conquered. They must be made to know
themselves, but there is very little preaching in
the pulpits that teaches them what they are
They are brought to see their sins, but not to
know themselves.
REV. JOHN BOND.
The first invited address was delivered by
Rev. John Bond of Tottenham, London. He
said that he understood the subject of the
discussion az referring to preachers in general,
Tor there are large number OF preachers who
are not pastors. The preacher Is called an
ambassador of Christ to preach His gospel in
all its fullness. not a narrow declaration Of
certain historical events, but as a divine reve-
lation Of the truths OF God The business Of
the minister is to win the jury to Christ. He
is not responsible for the final salvation Of all
his hearers but he is responsible for the per-
formance and fulfillment of ali thu require
ments Of the ministry.
What is wanted on the part of the minister is
faith. II he has not conviction himself he
can never carry conviction to the hearts of
others. Robespierre succeeded because he be-
lieved what he spoke. Though the life of the
wicked is short. vet ii might almost be said Of
Robespierre that for time he spoke and it was
done. He commanded and it stood fast.
The preacher should have a scholarly ac-
quaintance with literature but more especially
he must know man. A man who lives an
ascetic life apart from others can never hope
to touch the hearts of his fellow man. Preachers
must be men, emphatically men, They arc not
simply channels through which the living
waters flow. The miiiiste. must be a man. no.
a pgrson, not g. priest, not ascstic, but
man: and il he breaches as a man he NAV hope
sound bodies. We want men. not sticks.
The closing address was delivered by Rev.
W. H. Day.
Last Nights Session.
A few more meetings like the one held last
night at the Metropolitan Church and the day
of universal brotherhood would be good deal
nearer in sight. Time was when the Methodist
and the Presbyterian were much as oil and
water, but when it was known that the great
ecumenical conference WAS to be held in this
church and of the Baptist church were APP
pointed as fraternal delegates to the conference
20 bring tidings OF peace and good will
Last night was set apart for holding n special
session of the conference for the reception OF
these delegates and the church was filed with
La large audience i'll addition to the regular
members of the conference. DIR. T. Ii. Stephen
son. the eminent tad of British Methodisni.
presided. and around him upon the platform
were seated the four vlsitOrs-Dr. John Hall,
the great New. York preacher; DR.. Chambers,
DIR. Murkland and DIR. s. H. Green. The latter
represented the Baptist church OF this city.
The service OF the evening was begun with
the singing of the hymn, behold the Sure
Foundation Stone." This sung by the en-
tire congregation. under the leadership of Mr.
Z. O. Excell who has acted as precentor
throughout the sessions OF the conference.
Mr. Excel is fine-!ooAiug man, of magnificent
physique and with q voice in proportion to his
figure. His EXCELLENT work precentor has
been one Of the pleasant features Of the con-
ference'