Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-16
CLERGY AND LAITY.
A Wall of Division Said TO Have
Been Erected.
THE LOCAL PREACHERS ASSOCIATION.
The Work of Deaconesses as Pre-
sented by One of Their Number.
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS

I Yesterday the Methodist pulpits of the
| city were occupied by the members of the
National Association of Local Preachers.
the thirty-sixth annual session of which is
being held in Hamline Church. As is well
known, the members of this association are
| licensed ministers in the Methodist Church.
I. 1t, as rule. they are engaged in other
business. At the same time they perform
| the duties of ministers whenever called upon
or the opportunity presents and they are
recognized as valuable aids in carrying on
the work of the church. They are earnest,
consecrated men. and have a good deal Of
| the Methodist fire. any one would know
! who happens to attend a session of their
annual meeting and heard them sing and
! talk and pray. However, the sessions are
business meetings. and under the firm but
l'indulgent lead of the president, Rev. John
R. Wright. d. d.. of this city, the business
Of the association is attended to.
This morning the second day Of the con-
vention was begun. The delegates came to
the church as early as o'clock. and the
first half hour was devoted to song and
praise service. This was followed by de-
votional exercises, conducted by Rev. r.
L. Dickey of Baltimore. The president
when he wants to call the attention of the
brethren to the business at hand uses a
gavei which was presented to the associa-
ton some nine years ago by Rev. c. C.
Leigh of New York. As the inscription
engraved on the silver plate fastened on
the head of the gavel states, II Is made
from piece of wood taken from wesley's
pulpit in the City Road Chapel London.
Reports Of Committees.
nnrfS
made. The business committee reported
adversely on the proposition to hold a ma
tional camp meeting under the auspices Of
the association, and the report was adopted.
Similar action was taken on the report Of
the publication committee. recommending
that the publication of the magazine be con-
tinued. A plan for establishing a mutual
aid society, a form of beneficial insurance
was reported from the committee appointed
two years ago to consider the matter, by
the chairman, Rev. Mr.. Dickey, and it was
made the special order for tomorrow MORN
ing at 1890 o'clock.
Rev. c. c. Leigh. who is one of the older
members of the association. and has reach
ed the advanced age of eighty, read a paper
it Was During the Past Century. and
Where She Is Now Drifting He traced
the history Of The Christian Church. es-
pecially with reference to the relations be-
Of the church. and said that Methodfsm
| arose and broke down the wall separating
the two so that they became coworkers
tcge Their in preaching the Gospel.
The Clergy md Lnity.
This has continued to be the rule. but.
said the speaker. during the present de-
cade a change has been going on in many
places of so radical nature as to amount
to revolution. Some divines have been
and are now laboring TO erect again the Of
fensive wall of division between the clergy
and the laity
Her colleges are crowding their pupils
into her churches with their own recon-
mandatory titles of DID. and Others too
numerous to mention here
Inese men are too learned to ask any as
sistance from the iaity, but will allow them
TO teach young children in the Sabbath
But for the laity to preach i'm their
churches. or to exhort sinners to repent
ance from their affairs. the church Is risen
above that: they claim the clergy are called
70 preach, and the laity to listen. and that
they have learned the divine art of preach
Ing in the only schools that are able to
qualify man for those duties. ExhoS.ation
Is indeed a lost art.
These learned gentlemen require and de-
mand high salaries for their support. and
fine churches to preach in, which enhances
the expense Of worshiping God beyond the
ability or the masses to meet. You may
write over the portals of such places the
poor are not wanted here Again, their SER
mons suit but a very few. There is too
much dogmatical theology too much philoso-
ply, falsely called science, and too
little of Christ and experimental godliness
Their education forces them into solitude
in their studies. where they seek advice
from the numerous volumes of the long
since dead divines, instead of communing
with living men, inquiring into their pur-
suits, habits, temptations. losses and sue
cesses. that will fit them to preach living
dlscourses to live men suitable for the
times. But this they will not do. What is
the consequence? Their churches are not
half filed. MethOdism is not on a par with
the spirit of the times. II this revolution
Is accomplished by these ambitious but de-
church In 1898, hundred years from this
date?
The Bible School.
Rev. DIR. Dolby. the president of the Lucy
Webb Hayes Bible School, located in this
city, was introduced to the convention and
spoke of the work that is being done by the
school in supplying to the church trained.
consecrated workers who could supplement
the efforts of the pastors; persons who
could perform the duties of deaconesses
and Of nurses. and in other departments of
work.
One Of the deaconesses from the home in
this city at 1140 North Capitol street was
Sne next speaker. She was introduced as
SISTER Miner and wore becoming dress
OF black, with collar and cuffs and bonnet
strings OF white crepe. She spoke of the
work that was carried on of training the
workers and of actual contact with the
people The mission in Willow Tree alley
was referred to and she stated that during
the three years the home had been in ex-
istence there had been forty-four workers
there, most of whom Were now engaged in