The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-10-13
His Responsibilities and Qualifications
from Methodist Stand-POint.
Bishop Foster Says the Minister Should Be o
Manly Han, Endowed with High Qualities,
and Not Afraid TO Tell the Truth.
Somewhat Heated Discussion On the Pol.
icy to Be Pursued by the Press.
An English Delegate Rebuked for Talking Pol.
itics-The Power aud Influence of Secular
Newspapers-White House Reception.
THE CHURCH AND ITS AGENCIES.

THE CHURCH AND ITS AGENCIES.
Addresses by Bishop Foster and Others on
tho Duty of the Preachers.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 12.-The fifth day of
the Ecumenlcal Methodist Council opened
with Bishop j. w. Hood. of the African ii.
L. Zion Church. Fayetteville. n. c.. in the
chair, Bishop Gaines. of the African Meth
odist Episcopal Church. delivered the
prayer. and Rev. DR.. w. e. Phillips. of the
A. VI. L. Church of Washington. read the
Scriptures, SO that the opening services of
the great council were conducted by three
cOlored men. The business committee.
through Secretary King, reported the re-
ceipt of the following papers: Memorial
from the Worlds WOmen's Christian Tenn
persnce Union, containing an address to
the governments of the world for the sup.
preston of the liquor traffic; a paper re-
lating to the death of the Rev. DR.. Joseph
Leighton; q memorial concerning compe-
tition between Met hodists in small places;
memorial concerning all ecumenical
hymn book.
Tie topic for the morning session was the
church and her agencies and Bishop Il. S.
Foster, of Massachusetts,. proceeded to ad-
aud Qualifications of the Preacher" He
began by saying that he craved the for
bearanee of the foreign delegates. as he
despaired of the forgiveness of his brethren
in this country. He would touch upon the
second point of his intended address as he
regarded it of superior Importance. The
preacher was an instrument as really as
the sermon. he must consider what the
instrument was to be used for. BY the
call of God the preacher was the instru-
ment of God III the regeneration of men to
be cO-wOrkers with Christ in saving sim
ners. Salvation was the restoration of
man to his right relations with God. The
minister WAS part of the instrumentality
for that purpose. The preacher was to be
viewed az man in body addressing
his fellow-men, charged with Q message.
| He should be manly man. His conscious
ness should lift HIM TO q dlgnited. noble
manhood. He should be able to look his
feilow-man In the face; to scrutinze and
| be scrutiniZed; to WIN confidence and
respect. The preacher needed high quaIi-
ties of mind and proper qualities of body.
| He should know that about which he
| spoke, so he should be man of experience.
GOD CALLS MS MINISTER'S.
Men were not born into the fellowship of
| God by the vOiition of God; there was
process. and every soul entering the king
dom must enter by that process. Truth
| stirred the heart. leading the sinner BY the
gateway of repentence; by such q process
was the preacher made. But that was not
| all The theory to which the church held
was that God called his ministers. He
selected them and made 1t known 10 them
and to Others. God dealt with men
as rational beings and dealt with
| must be able to know and set out the truth.
| Ii was not hls part to reiterate and re-reit-
| crate the story of the New Testament. He
| may consider his environments and the
| people he addressed. He must be able 70
recognize the obstruction that stood in the
| way of his mission. The Christian pulpit
| was bound to master all know ledge and aD-
| proaoh the human mind through all Its
| avenues. Preachers became at times i'm
beciline in their efforts because OF lack of
| knowledge of the way tn go about their
mission. No man could think of God nn-
derstandingly who did not understand His
when those to whom he preached came
should be able to erappie with
those doubts, TO overcome them and
show them the way TO the truths OF the
gospel. The preacher should eat of all
| knowledge; touch him where you would.
| he should be electric III his power of light
ming up the minds of men, t"Hear. hear."l
| Tho preacher came to newborn minds
| cropping Tor the truth: bring Il nth to q man
| and get him TO believe it and he was con-
| quercd. The preacher was to unfold to
| young consciences the great scheme of 70.
| demption; the mysteries of their own con-
| sciences- How little preaching there was
| that brought men face to face with them
selves: we brought them face to face with
their horrids: AT this point the gavel fell
and Bishop Foster retired from the plat.
form amid great applause.
Rev. John Bond, of the Wesley an Metho-
dist Church, London, followed Bishop
| Foster OH the same subject. The preachers .
| business, he said. may some times be like
that of John the Baptist. To rebuke the fol-
lies and sins of his generatiOn-to warn
| evil-doers of the wrath to come. and bid
them bring forth fruit meet for re-
| pentanco;h to teach men to do Justice and
love mercy in relation to their fellow-men.
rs we'll as their relation 10 God But his
| first duty was to save the souls of them tn 1t
hear him. lie may spend his time in
celebrating his sickle. polishing. it to
brightness in-layin0 1t with gems. but in
stead of cutting down the Lords harvest
has but flashed the sickle in the sunbeams.
He has constructed his lif boat. decorated
| 10 with flags maneuvered it OIL the waters,
and wOn the applause of on.lOokers for the
| brave show, but though the whole ocean Is
swarming with the drowning he has not
sought to gather them on board.
| AMERICA AHEAD OF ENGLAND.
Rev. Frank Ballard said that after lis.
tening 10 Bishop Foster, he was willing to
correct his first statement. and admit that
America was in advance OF England in
Mcthodism. The modern and intellectual
state of affairs should have, perhaps, more
consideration from the church. Our chill
Gren were rising up, to know in n few years
more than we know ourselves. Ii was pos
sible that i'll some themes those 10 be taught
knew more than their teachers. There was
danger there.
Rev. q. w. Clinton. of Pittsburg, held
that the preacher was an ambassador
J of Christ. and that no should give an
adequate idea of his heavy responsibility.
SingieneSs of purpose was "a pre-eminent
| qualification. He should be able to turn
all knowledge into the single useful pur-
pose which he must have in mind.
Rev. DIR. William Arthur believed that
for preacher there was nothing more es-
sential than deep convection in the truth
of his teachings. Many men had not the
power of convincing. but conviction in the
preacher was the most powerful instru.
ment. They believed. and therefore they
spoke"
Rev. DIR. Leonard. of New York, closed
the morning session In n few remarks con-
demnatory of tho preachers who invited
doubt by delivering sermons on Darwlnism
and on Huxley. During the recess the dele
gates were received at the White House by
President Harrison.
When the council reassembled Rev. NJ L
Myers, of the United Methodist Church,
ROchdale, England. took the chair The
topic for discussion was The Religious
Press, and the Religious Use of the Secular
Press,D Rev. Price Hughes. of London. de-