New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-09

BISHOP POTTER
in obtaining ft men 10 conduct missions and TO give
counsel and aid in the work Of preparation thrd-ro
form staff OF mission preachers" Any clergy lyman
or lay communicate of the Church in sympathy Win
the object of the society may be enrolled as mem
Der. The report read at the annual meeting, helu
in Calvary Church in December, shows that much
good had been accomplished in many Churches by tho
missions conducted by the society.
Bishop Potter, the Of the Bishsp Of Pennsyf
vania and the nephew of the Bishop Of New YORK; was
born In Schenectady, n Y. Oh May %, 1880. ho
graduated from the Protestant Episcopal SEMINARY
of Virginia, and became rector Of Chnsts Chuich'
Greensburg Penn, in 1857. Two years later ne was
called to ST. Johns Church in Troy. and 10 1866 nc
became assistant minister at Trinity Church IN hos
ton, where he remained for two years, when nc was
invited 10 the recorshp Of Grace Church In this Guy.
In 1883 he was elected Assistant Bishop Of He"-iofA'
and the death Of his uncle. Bishop Hora'lo fo'ei.
he became Bishop Of the diocese. The presidency Vi
Kenyon College and several atterng offers from prom
inent churches he declined while he was rector
Among the books which he has published are sister
hoods and DeacOnesses," AT Home and ADroah'
Gates Of rhe East, Winter in Egypt and SYRIA
Sermons of the City, Thirty Years Renewcd' our
1hreefold victory" The Church and the Children
"The Religion for To-Day" " The Young Mems Chris
tan Associations and Their Work.
JOHN THE BAPTIST AN EVANGELIST
sermon was In those days John the Baptist cry
,,a panept ve, And the soldiers . demanded
Of him saving And what shall we do? Ana he salu
unto Them do violence 10 man, neither accuse auS
falsely and he conented With your wages"-tot Mat
thew ILL., l. 2, and ST. Luke ill, Id The sermon was
follows:
o,ennp IN IN, interests of the Parochia Mission 80
ciety 1t will clear the air a little If 1 eApaln It's
tle and define it's aims. 1t is not parocmal Ill inc
sense of being connected with parish II Is not
missionary organization in the SENSE Of suPPorIns d
body OF missionaries and II Is not society III uS
sense of having any other than the most Informal ana
elementary organization. H., ,,o,,
But il represents those. in the Anglican commute,
ana i'm our own, who recognize the necessity Oh at
least occasionally supplemendng the Ordinary agencies
snf and always % Win the consent and on invitation
of those who charged with its care into any parish
where they may be- hidden, bring TO II fresh voice.
direct appeals frequent services, personal contact
informal meetings Tor prayer and inquiry ana SUN
lion have tested and vindicated In other words Oh
noxous the term may be To- some Know none Syo Dt
night to hear than TO call it "a revival agency.
AS such one can easily understand the surprise, II
not disappTova, which IL will awaken i'll many Minus
especially IN this land ln our own day. ana In our OWL
branch of the Church GstIo neDc,es in the domain OF
religion are no new ngs wG Gar DC on tEe nd
States without taking INTO account taI feature VI
for which revivasm stands Not IN one sect or com,
munon alone but Y almost a IeS s0sI s Sought
Among bodies of Christians It's work IS tlat when
Ia
growth or enlargement and it Is Dot too much TO say
that, Tor considerably more IMAM century, anu III SUM-
es 20 lar as their aggressive concerned, are
considered Of but secondary and insignificant value
CONSPICUOUS TRAITS OF REVIVALISM.
An agency which has been thus employed and es-
teemed Tor more than hundred years has made
record for Itself may at any rate. be dispas-
sionateIy and mpartially judged. And we need have
10 hesitation iii saying, however esmable are the AIMS
and spirit OF those who have employed Ii, that Inc to
suit Of such judgment OH the part OF vast ana con
santy inc. easing body OF devout and IN ughn peoPe
both within and without those comnunons In when Ii
has employed is that, on the whole and as ha;
hitherto existed among Nhao Is known as the re
vival system is both in many Of its characteristics and
it's results, largely vicious and evil 1t has exalted
emeu0nalsm at the expense of dehberaton In choice
and consden Ous purpose in action. 1t has appealed
sWa t Inc passions more Than Ile re.son IL nus
aimed at producing spaSm rather thdll convlCuOn,
and IL has too often accepted mere pnysicai eAeltemet
IN the pace Of reformation VI character Oftener tht
otherwise il has been heated and noisy rather tnan sen
Gus and cnastened, and It's effects very fire.
QuentIy doubted or dstrusted unless they ILL Ell
themselves in extravaganza of speech, ana vehemence
OF thai bodily exercise which the Apostle yet deciacs
prohtetn nothing
These have been among It's conspicuous notes or
traits Its results have been no less marked. me
inevitable reaction which follows any unusual excite
ment OF the emotions has been followed IN It's turn IN
what l. feared il the Orty of BY
profound apatny not On of the religious sentiment, but
Of PeIsO Conscience; and to-day, whole regions
OF country are commonly alleged bear witness In
tner complete indifference W both tne moral and tho
spiritual devotional, elements OF religion to tile
desOlatiug effects Of the revival system
At Sucn moment 1t may wen be asked, What does
this Church with dn agency so unWhOlesOme VIVID
methods so thorough isoIedited Certainly, IL this Is
all 1t. it may we'll want To have nothing whatever
tainy not improper Is this all OF II = what Is
the revival system, not II has sometimes been
travesed and perverted, but as Christian history de
scIibes II and defines IL
For our purpose one Illustration. by way Of answer
TO that question, IS rs good all hundred and so
take that which Is presented in the whlcn
have read as a text There be no doubt 10 the
estimate put by Christ Himself upon the ministry Oh
John the Baptist and there be little concerning
I'm every particular from tile ordinary and orderly
ministries Of the time Judged by standards, or BY
those then prevailing it was distinctly sensational IL
aimed to arouse 10 alarm, 10 denOunce, To sccursei
And its effects we're In accordance with its aims
we should describe them In the phraseOOBy OF our
time We should say that there was in that part OF
awakening and Il would be 10 misepresent the whole
Situation, as the New Testament has preserved the
story Of IT, If did not 20 on to say that the greatest
turned d It's first hinge upon this same religious
II" There lave been repetltions it, all way along
Whether II Peter the Hermit Francis OF Assist or
SayOnaroa or John Huss, John Wesley. the thing
too familiar to be ignored or wholly dlsesteemed anu
no effort 10 distinguish between great national or
ecclesiastical movements, occurring at long Intervals
and an agency be employed In connection Win tho
ordinary On going Of parish life, though such aus
tincion is one which we are bound to recognlzei can
we are here tonight 10 plan for In one sense te oaso
Of a parish and the Of Church or a Nation arr
widely different; but In another they. are ldenuoa'
The same slumbrOus tOrpOr. the same deadness 70
spiritual truths the triumph Of the spirit OF worn
Ifncss over the spirit of Christ exist In one a. IN inc
6sgree: and the exeences Of parochia life in par
ticular communities often make that necessary n sono