The record-union., 1899-05-01
A COUNCIL OF MINISTERS.
ASSOCIATION OF THE SACRA-
MENTO DISTRICT.

| A Three Days Session Held Last
Week at Grass Valley,
Nevada County.
The Ministerial Association of the
Sacramento District of the M. E.
Church, was held at Grass Valley last
week. Rev. Robert Bentley, D. D., the
Presiding Elder, occupied the chair
during the first meeting, on Monday
evening. Rev. John Williams led the
praise service of half an hour, after
which the Chairman introduced the
speaker OF the evening, Rev. Eli Nc
Clisd1, ID. d., President of the Univer-
| sity OF the Pacific, who spoke on the
changes that take place in youths be-
tween the ages of II and %
| He had just previously met the Boy s
Brigade OF the local church, which or
ganizatlon he had introduced to the Pa
clflc Coast, and these boys occupied the
front seats during the lecture Young
people are going through changes which
they themselves do not understand. The
child is growing into the man, into in
dependence and usefulness Child
study has done much to give us an I'M
derstandlng of those critical years 1t
is the period when the boy and girl
most need Gathering and mothering e.
Ideas are growing and the emotional
life Is undergoing gradual change into
the Ideals of manhood and womanhocd.
1t is the most important era in the
religious as well as the intellectual life
of the individual More people are
| converted during those years than at
any other period of life.
Tuesday morning the session was
opened with devotional exercises led by
Rev. j. A. Macaulay of Auburn, after
which the pastor of the local church,
Rev E. r. Willis, extended the well
come of the church and city to the
visiting ministers. Rev. j. W. Kuy-
kendall responded in words of appreci-
alton
Permanent organization was effected
by the election of Rev. DR.. Bentley as
President and Rev. George Richmond,
Secretary.
The program was followed through
out, the first paper being read by Rev.
paper and the discussion following re-
viewed the entire field of the subject.
Tfthing was commanded of God and the
system is warranted by its results. The
gospel only puts new phase upon the
ancient requirement by making giving
the privilege of Christians It's bene-
fits consist principally in its systematic
features and the results to the one so
cyiy-
meet the needs of the church, and
Christian people ought to give at least
tenth of their incomes to the cause of
God.
The next subject, The Necessity of
Enforcing the Discipline, was intro
duced by Rev H c. Langley. All
were agreed on the point of the neces-
sity for the discipline and of its. en-
forcement. Ideals in Christian living
are good. but many are liable to mis-
interpret principles in the absence of
specific rules. If the consciences of
parents and church members were
aroused ON the subject of certain pop
ular amusements there would be less
desire on the part of children to en-
gage in pastimes contrary to the rules
of our discipline.
Rev. D. S. Wigstead of RCseville led
the devotional exercises CT the after
noon session. Several pastors then
made glowing reports of work recently
accomplished in their charges both in
the conversion Of large numbers of peo
pie and in paying off burdensome debts.
Rev. w. c. Howard of Penryn read a
splendid paper on THE Class meeting"
He believed this feature of Methodism
had been great power in the success
of the church, and that when rightly
understood no one could fail in being
helped by attendance upon the class
meeting, Its adVa ages far Surpass it's
defects, and it is to-day one Of the bull
warks of the church 1t is the discoverer
of ur m n sters, and While other denom-
nations are asking where young men
are to be found to occupy their pull
pits, the Methodist class-meeting is con-
stantly sending them up to the doors
of the conferences.
Rev. F. Donaldson of Sacramento pre-
scented the subject of The Brotherhood
Of ST Paul" This is a growing move
ment among the men Of the churches
and congregations, organized on the
plan of the lodges. In many places it
is proving a great success in reaching
men with the gospel. The plan of or
ganization is complete even contem-
plating an insurance feature.
Rev. j. p. Macaulay read a paper on
the question, rs Methodism losing its
hold in the cities of this country: if
SO, why?" The cities of this country
are the centers Of influence in every
line of activity, yet the condition of
our church is far from satisfactory. If
the church does not advance more rap
idly there is cause for alarm. The
Methodist Church, however, has adj
vanced at a far greater rate than pop
ulation in the cities of the nation,
Methodism is flexible in organization,
but our point of failure is in not adapt
ing our machinery to changing condi-
tons.
A committee on resolutions was APP
pointed-Rev. ]. P Macaulay. Rev. F.
A. keast and Rev. H. B. Sheldon
The evening session began with a. de-
votional meeting led by Rev H. B.
Sheldon. Rev. George Richmond then
spoke on How Shall We Awaken Mis-
sionary Enthusiasm" What we are
doing in missionary enterprise is
worthy of commentator. yet enthusi-
asm needs constantly to be kept alive
We need to know the conditions in mis-
sionary fields; we must put ourselves
in the places of the heather to under
stand them sympathetically; our debt