The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-04-19
BAPTIST UNION BANQUET
REP. MADISON C. PETERS AD-
DRESS-OTHERP
Large Gathering Mt Calvary Boptist
Church Last Night-The Speakers ana
Their subj cts.

Their subj cts.
The spring banquet of the New Ha-
ven Baptist union was held at Calvary
Baptist church last night and was at
tended by about 800 members. The in
vocation by the Rev. George B. Cutten
was followed by a bountiful repast.
President William H. Douglass then
spoke on the condition and prospects OF
the union. He then announced that DR..
Walker would succeed him as president
and in his usual delicious vein intro
duceds Rev. Allyn X. Foster, comment
ing on his optimistic tendencies. Mr..
Fosters talk on Expectations" justi-
fled the description given and was an
effective appeal, the theme of which
was the efficiency of faith, duly aug
mented by works.
In introducing the guest of honor of
the evening, Rev. Madison G. Peters,
ID. D., of New York, Mr., Douglass feltci-
tated the Baptists of the country on the
accession to their ranks Of this famous
pastor Of the Dutch Reformed church.
He said the Baptists of New Haven
were proud to follow those of New York
and Boston in welcoming him to their
fold. The speaker was enthusiastically
applauded as he arose, as he was at the
close of brilliant address, delivered In
mastery style, which was entitled on
the programme Enthusiasm for HUI
mainly"
He said, in part: II should like to
announce slight change in theme and
speak on characteristics of a Live
Church." AS you probably know, we
are nearly dead in New York. None of
the churches there is holding its own
children, and still less is any reaching
out Into the world. A conference of
Methodlsts held there recently was at
tended by over 800 ministers, and the
announcement was made that the ag-
gregate accessions for the year just
passed numbered only 280--not an aver
age of one year for each of those
present This is a most unfortunate
state of affairs, and / am going to tell
you some of the requisites of course
which, inmy Judgment, will prevent our
reaching the same moribund condition.
"First-In live church we need a
live man in the pulpit. AS grow old it
seems to me more and more tremen-
dous thing to face an audience with the
thought that your hearers believe all
that you tell them Just before the
time of the Johnstosvn catastrophe
rider spurred madly through the town
crying The dam is broken! The dam
is broken! And the people fed to the
hills because they believed him. Yet |
we ministers, trained for our high and |
holy office. stand calmly before our CON
gregatfons and preach coolly, very cool
ly. We pat the people on the back and
smooth down texts for ears polite We
chide the Levites and Pharisees of nine
teen hundred years ago and pass by
those of to-day. They pay us our sala-
ries. We lack the fire of zeal No life
can be lifted above stale mediocrity
without the inward glow of enthusiasm.
Enthusiasm means in its derivation
God within 1t has been fifty said of
that it is the genius of sim
certify, and truth accomplishes no tri-
umph without it.
"A Chinese missionary once said
What my country needs Is the tale of
Christ from red-hot heart Ours
needs the same.
"Garibaldi, imprisoned wrote to his
comrades. If it costs fifty Garibaldis
let Italy be free We need this spirit.
1.-THE people throng the halls of sin,
while mere handfuls listen to poor SER
mons. When the preacher becomes en-
thusiastic then will the people be con-
verted and not i'll then.
"Next--We need the plain, unvar-
nished, unadulterated, old fashioned
gospel, and he who can dispense 1t Will
always draw WE'LL Love for the souls
If men must be behind our every pull
pit effort. Revivals Yes. believe in
'evivals, but l believe in having them
Ill the year round. / recall member
IF my church who once called me aside
to object to a revival / took him to
ny study and told him 1 would gladly
give him a letter to any church where {
The thermometer never rose above zero.
Third and last-We need active
membership. Cold churches !
make cold preachers, The people must
De reused out of their selfish sleep and '
must be taught that life has no bless I
ng for them until they have learned {
o bless others We need men willing l