The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-11
NO CHANGE AT BETHANY
COMPLEXION OF BOARD NOT Az
FECTED BY THE ELECTION.
ministerial Associations of Christian
Church Consolidated Into One
BOdy-The New Officers.

the ministerial convention of the Christian
Church The chief features of the day were
the sessions of the convention a lecture by
DR.. w 7. Moore, a sermon by Rev. C. S.
Medbury and the election of five new mem
bers of the board of managers of the
Bethany Park Association.
During the afternoon the board of the
Sunday School Association held meeting
with nine members present for the pur-
pose of nominating five directors to be
voted for at the Bethany stockholders
meeting, held later in the day. The men
so nominated were Howard Gale, of Indian
apolis, to succeed Judge William Franklin,
of Spencer; Rev. James Conner, of Irving
ton, to succeed Mrs. Mary Shanks, and
Simeon Frazier, of Irvington; Amos Cliff
ford, of Irvington, and A. J. Tomlinson, of
Falkland, to succeed themselves. After the
nomination of these gentlemen the board
discussed subjects pertaining to Sunday
school interests and also plans for the next
assembly. A debate of some length also
arose as to the criticisms that have fire.
quently been made of late against the
management of the park association, but
nothing was given out for publication.
After the adjournment of the Sunday school
board the stockholders of the park asso-
citation met and duly elected the new di-
Iectors nominated by the previous meeting.
Although the WomanS board of missions,
the Indiana Missionary Association, the
Ministerial Association, the Christian En-
deavor Society and many individuals hold
stock in the park association, yet the
Sunday School Association has practically
controlling share, and was thus enabled
to name the new directors. There are fif-
teen directors on the board of managers, but
only five of them retire each year The
new directors elected do not change the
complexion of the board and indicate no
change in the management of affairs. How
ever, the board will meet to-day for the
election of officers of the association and
it is barely within the possibilities that
several changes will be made.
The last days session of the Ministerial
Association was marked by even a smaller
attendance than that of the day before,
there being scarcely thirty preachers pres
ent, the rest of the audience being made
up of honorary members, of whom there
were about fifty enrolled, most of them
being women. Much disappointment was
expressed on account of the slim attend
ance, particularly as some important bust
lated to the consolidation of the three
CnrlStlan Ministerial associations that
nave heretofore existed IN TINS State, the
Northern, the Southern and Indiana aSSo-
Citations. The two first named, at their
last annual sessions, duly dissolved them
selves and adopted resolutions looking to
their being merged into the Indiana asso-
cation and this common action was rati-
he'd at yesterdays session of the latter
association The consolidated organization
was given the name of the Indiana Chris
tian Ministerial Association, and commit
tee composed OF Revs. Harkins, Franklin
and Carpenter was created to draw up
constitution for the government of the
body and to file articles of incorporation
with the secretary Of state. A resolution
was adopted providing for the holding of
the annual conventions Of the body in May
and at such churches able to en-
terrain the delegates, the convention to be
held one year in the northern part of the
State and the next in the southern part
The semi-annual convention is to be held
at Bethany Park. Inasmuch the North
ern Association, which now goes out of
existence, has been an organization for
thirty-one years, the first annual session
of the new body may be termed it's thirty
second annual session, 1t being to some
extent considered a continuation OF the old
Northern Association.
THE NEW OFFICERS.
The following officers of the new body
were elected: Rev. Robert Sellers. of
South Bend, president; Rev. J. H. MCNEIL,
of Rushvile, secretary; Rev. E. o. Palmer.
of New Albany, vice president, and Rev
T. H. Carpenter, of Wabash, treasurer.
programme committee for next year.
The Ministerial Association is not an &C.
clesiastical body and has no authority
vested in it. Its purpose is similar to that
of teachers Institutes, the sessions being
devoted to papers and discussions as to
ministerial methods, and kindred matters.
Rev. o. E. Palmer presided at the three
sessions held yesterday and Rev. J. H. Nc
NELL acted as secretary The speakers who
delivered set addresses were w. D. Rice, of
-rrS1lo Y I'M Afn IL
and Earle Whitley, of Wabash. The secre-
tary also read paper that was to have
been delivered by L. j. Clark. OF Bloom
iEgton, who could not be present and T. O.
Palmer gave an impromptu talk on The
Joys of the Christian Ministry in place
of z. J. Rice, who had been assigned the
topic.
Christian Minister as a Student, said that
ter for the laggard or sluggard odd
preachers are shelved and young ones
mourn because they have no calls and
the chief reason is often the fact that
man may interest for a time and not study
but it will not be for long and, therefore, |
would say that there is no field of research
with which the preacher should not go as
a student. He should be we'll acquainted
with philosophy, ethics, history, sociology;
modern science, poetry and literature and
be able to stand before men of all profess
sions and interest them. ..,,,.
J. H. Mcneil spoke on the subject: THE
Christian Minister as a Pastor. He said
that the duties of the minister consisted in
preaching and teaching and not tramping
or intermeddling with the private affairs
of his flock. There is nothing in the min
listers commission requiring him to do
what is called pastoral visiting" The
work of the minister is gigantic enough
without making time-wasting and often
unWelcome visits to individual members of
his flock. The speaker also spoke on the
relations of the flock to the pastor, saying
there were three kinds of churches. The
first of these was the church that hailed
suffocated him with attention, embarrassed
him with gifts, loved him with fiery and
consuming affection and acted as though
ready to swallow him up and afterwards is
sorry that it did not do it. The second
kind of church is the one that greetS
until he is leaving them and then they out
mourn the elders of the Church OF Ephesus.
The third class of churches consists OF
those that greet the minister when he
comes cheer and help him while he stays
and bless and mourn him when he goes
ii he ever does.
Earle Wiley, of Wabash spoke the
topic The Preaching for the Times or How
the Sons Preach" 1t was most interest
ing address. Among other good things he
said: Some preachers are forever discus
sing Christianity as a problem instead of
Savior Dehners and defenders of the faith
are always needed but it is bad for
church when it's ministers count II their
chief work to fight these theological battles
rather than to preach the gospel The
preaching of the times must be intelligent
preaching. however and the great problem
of life to an educated minister is 10 make
his culture power instead of luxury.
THE ENGLISHMAN AT HOME.
rrt,a cbiaf Iacture of the daV was given i'm