New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-23
NEWS OF BROOKLYN.
A SESSION OF SENSATIONS.
SURPRISES AT THE MEETING OF The
CHURCH OF THE NEW JERuSA-
LEM ASSOCIATION.
ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE CERTAIN FEATURES of
METHopIsM CAUSES LIVELY DISCUSSION
RESOLUTION TO DO AWAY WITH
THE PRIESTHOOD A SURPRISE
AT THE CLOSE.


AT THE CLOSE
An attempt 10 introduce some or the io'"s "a
Methodisrn into the Church of the New Jerusalem
s,I,od IN an exc,,ine session Of the New-York AS
soc,a.,cr Of the latter Church yesterday. In the
course Of the debate most OF the speakers Ieie'.u
20 the weakness and stagnation OF 'he Ne" N"N''
and one man went far as TO mint ina. ."e
Church's disease was mortal and that 1t was dying
slowly The discussion precipitated by resp
Iu,ion recommending the adoption Of the Methodist
nrincp,e of .tineracy and this resolution brought
forth the expression of some radical views III inc
debate one Of the speakers declared that ne hdu re-
ceived information from prominent Methouis'
minister that a movement had been begun IN TIC
Methodist Church to undermine and hna'v destroy
the principle of tineracy by gradually ana unoo~
trusively lengthening the pastoral TERM anu '""'
the death of itneracy was only question oi 'ine'
Just as the meeting about TO adjourn an
other bomb was thrown in the shape of resolution
doing away with the priesthood but owing 10 the
la,eness Of the hour II was laid on the table.
The meeting which was the thrty-third annual
meeting of the New-York Association. was held In
the Church Of the Brooklyn Society corner OF Mon
roe Place and Clark-st. The Rev. 5 > seward OF
New-York presided and the Rev. Adolph Roeder
acted secretary.
After an address on missionary work by the Rev.
willard H. rIirclsey, of Brookne. Mass. superin-
tendent of missions. the principal address was ue
livered by the Rev. Charles II. Mann Ed',or oi
THE New Church Messenger Ills SUBJECT was
"a Nom Ecclesiastical Eccesas;icism" lie SAID
that the Church has now outgrown the stage oi
authority and is entering upon a stage OF lndiVu-
ual responsibility 1t has passed from the stage Oh
childhood into that of manhood. IL is OF larger
importance .or a man to establish his own Hethou
OF thought and his line of life than TO get MS
faith and his life from a ministry supposed 10 pos
sess magical powers obtained directly from Goa.
The Church ne declared is now in similar con-
dition TO the State The latter has ou'growh the
monarchical stage. in which the method OF NE was
prescribed 10 the people by an autocrat, ana mas
now entered upon that form of government In which
the final authority is vested In tho people ING
Church is growing into the same condition
The election of officers resulted follows: Presi-
dent the Rev. S. S. Seward of New-fork CITY,
secretary the Rev Adolph Roeder Orange ~ j.
directors. Ezra Hyde Allen. Brooklyn; the Rev j.
Z, Aeer BROOKLYN: the Rev. w. II. Schiller, New
York: r w Adams Newark and &. e. Parsons.
Hampstead Long Island.
Resolution were adopted expressing the regret Of
the association on the death Of DR.. John Ellis and
Lyman s Burnham. and eulogistic addresses were
made by Mr.. Ager and Mr.. Seward
LIMITED PASTORATES RECOMMENDED.
]. c. Hubbel Of Orange then introduced a reso-
luton declaring II be the sense of the assocla-
tion that the welfare Of tho societies would be pro-
NOTED by q limited pastorate. and recommending
that engagements with ministers be made for terms
of service not exceed from three to hve years
resolution
Schiller and Mr. Mann, and supported by the Rev
NJ ] Callan of Riverhead Long Island Mr.. Ager
said: II suppose all agree that the Church ism
in a very healthy condition just now. but In trying
to find remedy for the existing state OF Things IL
is OF the utmost importance that we should con-
slider whether the remedy is remedy. / don't
think we can afford TO play fast and loose In ad-
minstering remedies. The complaint Is that the
Church IS dying of long pastorates. / remember
just six mer in the Church who have served more
than twenty-five years in their pastorates.' MI
Aver added that prominent Methodist minister
had told him that there was an Overwhelming SEN
timent in that church in favor of destroying the
itineracy altogether; that it could not be done ow
ing TO the essential conservatism OF Methodiss but
that the Church going to do 1t by lengthening
the itineracy gradually until 1t was practically done
away with.
"A good deal of this sentiment" he continued,
rests on the pernicious idea that the main use of
minister is 10 preach sermons But the older grow
the less think Of sermons and the more 1t seems TO
me that the great use Of the pasorate consists in
other things. The longer the acquaintance is, If
people and pastor growing spiritually together.
the greater the usefulness of the relation must be"
'for the trouble the New Church is suffering from
9d oa' BRING an life nd S Mr.
proposition is not remedy think we should
disease in extension Of freedom
CAUSES OF THE sOCIETY's WEAKNESS.
-
radical utterance of the day. lie said:
1T has been generally recognized that there is a
disease in the body Of the New Church. and every
body has his remedy. Who knows that 1t is not
fatal disease? Does it not occur TO you that per-
haps It cannot be stopped until it has its course
and the patient is dead? Don't be surprised If you
find that none OF the remedies is effective.
THE cause of weakness" replied Superintend-
en-, Hinckley Ties deeper than any form of organi-
cation Our church societies langush simply because
isr't individual
ton AS soon as consecrate ourselves to the
Lord there will be no weakness. Continuing. he
said that the Church members were TOO close to the
world and were affected by the politics OF the day
and the impulse for money getting which a
ruling passion in such places as New-fork and
gross impertinence to the societies. and that the
association had no business TO recommend or advise
motion to lay on the table carried by IS yeas
c. c. Parsons then offered resolution to amend
the constitution as 10 do away with ordained
BTes sbe Mr scher declared that
Swedenborg's teachings demanded the existence OF
attention to the fact tina; late to discuss
such a question. as the time for adjournment had
inet table anu ~ '''N' .'10' w ~ 80 '
e from srs SeG
Hoe. H W. Guernsey. Or: Alfred GoOdeil, Dr. c. II.
Z Piin1sy A x wa5rsn john sly e { Hap5s
Eba n h Lug G. J. Bischo Joseph jewett Albert
stearns. John r. Hunter. J. NJ, Hunt. Nathan Ho-
T 4fr Wson oy j. & &c W s.
Parsons. J. H. Hotson and Joseph Cross.
The Brooklyn delegates were D. Pomeroy. G.. y.
Cotton ]. Filmer. s. A. Woodrow. s. LHommedieu.
Mrs c. H. Smith. Mrs. l.. f.. Wmarth. Mrs. r. A.
Shaw, Mrs X. Shaw ]. F. Goddard +. A. Later,
Harry Ager and +. a. Alden.
follows BrooRyn si9c1aE eTman
Hoboken. Paterson. Orange. Newark. Riverhead
Hampstead. Brooklyn German. Eliza beth and Bay
Shore.
WANT THE GAS TRUST INVESTIGATED.