The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-05-27
MINISTERS MEET
Listen to Paper on Msthodlsm
Prepared by Rev. Or. Ella.

The regular weekly meeting OF the
Methodist ministers of the Providence dis
trict convened in the vestry OF the Ma
thewson Street NJ. r. church this morn
ing, with the vice president, Rev. II. A.
Ridgway in the chair. Devotional exer-
cises were conducted by Rev. j. Il. Beake
after which the secretarys report was
read and routine business transacted.
The secretary reported the result OF the
recent election OF officers to serve the
association for the coming year as fol-
lows:
President Rev A. j. Coultts; vice pres
ident, Rev. III. A. Ridgway; secretary and
treasurer. Rev. j. T. Blake.
During the business meeting this morn
ing, letter from Rev. G. III. Ever, who
was severely hurt by fall from Grams
ton street car some weeks since, was
read.
The letter was from Richmond. Va,
where Mr. Ever has been convalescing
and stated he was much improved IN
health, though still suffering from the
dizziness which resulted from his acci-
dent
Rev. ID. A. Wheedon spoke of the needs
of Boylan Home (coloredl, at Jackson
Vile, Florida, and urged the pastors pres
cut 10 interest the women of their
churches 10 send supplies, particularly
cotton cloth. for the needs OF the color
ed poor in charge OF the Boylan Home.
The chief interest OF the morning CEN
tered in a scholarly paper read by Rev
Walter Ella. -. D., of Pascoag and form
erly the presiding elder OF the New Bed
ford district.
The paper was entitled '1s Methodism
Fulfilling lts Missloin?' and was In part
as follows:
During the last three or four years
a note OF alarm has been sounded by the
religious press Of this country, and I'm
the conferences and conventions of the
variouis religious denominations, ana a
semi-triumphant shout has been sounded
by the secular press over the waning IN
fuence Of the church as indicated by The
small increase II not actual decrease IN
the membership OF the prominent
| churches.
LAS our nation has come 20 he recogniz-
| ed as an important member OF the family
| of nations and as having very import
ant influence I'm determining the grade
] or international righteousness; so Meth
odism was earlier recognized as yer.
| influential member OF the FAMILY oi
! churches composing the one church OF
| Jtsus Christ.
| s'Methodism forms so important part
OF the one church OF Christ that
! the power ana influence of the church
cannot be greatly augmented WITHOUT net
! sharing I'm the increase. nor can there be
any considerable decline I'm its power
without Methodism's being largely re-
| sponsible therefor.
"It is a fact. which must be acknowl-
| edged. that I'm the recent years the rate
of increase in the membership of the
| churches of this country has been grow
| ing smaller, and i'm some cases has be-
| come a decrease; and Methodism has
| shared this declnef
'"rhls condition OF things gives peril
nacity 90 the question: is the inhuenct
| of the churches on the waneg
The speaker enlarged upon this question
most Interestingly and forcibly, especially
as IL applied to Methodism and in con
| cluslon declared that "Methodism today
Is like huge mandatory. which has
! ample buildings. the latest and most ap'
| proved machinery and an ample force OF
4 skilled workmen, but-the steam is low
| It Is turning out some products OF good
I tpality,-but- nothing as compared with
| what Il might do II the steam was up.
| "Methodism can only fulhn It's mission
| with spiritual power at high pressure.
| At the close OF DR. Elias paper a pro
| longed discussion ensued