Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-06
SPIRITUAL GROWTH.
This Subject Discussed by st. Andrew
brotherhood Men Last Night.

| THIS ny %. Nv
brotherhood Men Last Night.
The first of the conferences under the
auspices Of the local Council OF the
| Brotherhood of st. Andrew was held last
night in the lecture-room of Grace church,
and was one OF the largest gatherings
of Brotherhood men which has been held
in Richmond for some time past. The
opening service was led by Rev. william
Meade Clark, rector OF st. James church,
after which the first speaker. Mr.. p. A.
Arthur, was introduced by Mr.. John NJ
Taylor, the president of the council, who
| presided during the evening.
The subject of the conference.-the
ORANGES to Spiritual Growth'-was treat
ed under three heads, Mr.. Arthur taking
the Observation-Disclosures in Business" lie
| dwelt upon the numerous temptations en-
| countered in business life, and showed
how, If these were yielded to, they would
greatly retard, II not entirely crowd out,
| the higher life. The next speaker, Mr..
j. r. V. Daniel, in discussing "Hindranees
in Society,"" called attention 10 the fact
that social life, as such. is not OF Itself
wrong, the Creator having intended, on
the contrary, that we should enjoy II
within proper bounds. 1t is only its per-
version that is harmful. He rected many
ways in which men perverted this great
privilege, and thus created hindrances
which would not otherwise exist. lie
brought his remarks to a close by urging
those present to avoid those things which
they found were hindrances, and to make
their intercourse with their fellow-man
such that il would be a help rather than
hindrance TO their Christian life, and
to those around them.
After singing Hymn No. S75, "Our Blest
Redeemer," the third speaker, Mr.. john
w. Wood, Of New York city, the general
secretary Of the Brotherhood in the
United States, was introduced, and spoke
upon "Hindrances in General" Many
men. he said, seem to misunderstood
what spirituality is, thinking that it can
only be possessed by comparatively few
men-men who are not engaged IN the
busy affairs of the world. This miscon-
ception is one Of the greatest hindrances
TO real spiritual growth. We should UNI
derstand, on the contrary, he said, that
the spiritual man is the normal man; that
the buster a man is, the greater his
need that he should daily grow stronger
in this way.
Another error which greatly retards
us is our lack of system in our religious
life Many men who thoroughly recog-
nize the absolute necessity Of system in
their business life allow themselves to
simply drift along from day to day with
little or no regard for how they are drift
ing. He called attention to the fact that
BENJAMIN Franklin, in his autobiography,
tells of his having made little sketch or
chart on which he daily recorded his
gains or losses in the different traits Of
character which he desired to possess.
He next spoke OF the help we should
make use of in our spiritual growth, and
showed how. by using these helps, we
could overcome the many hindrances
to which we were constantly subjected.
He compared the need of the physical
man for air food, and exercise TO the
need of the spiritual man for prayer, the
Word OF God. and the services of the
Church. Another very great help, he
said. was TO always try TO remember and
realize the presence of God with US, as
did Brother Lawrence, the monk, who
though merely an assistant in the monas-
torv kitchen, was able to write the
beautiful and helpful little book, which
is still read with interest and pleasure
rrhe Practice OF the Presence OF God"
After the close Of Mr.. Woods address,
the tonic was taken up by those present,
and a number of short talks made upon
different phases OF the subject. The
meeting was an exceedingly interesting
one and was only brought to close on
account OF the lateness OF the hour.