The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-13

told them that he thought they were
quite good. He gained their confidence
and held their attention for over an
hour Then he said, Seeing that they
all drank beer, although don't like it
it's too bitter-I had glass of beer ana
drank part of it," He said he thought
he had found the injunction Of the
apostle, BE All Things to All Men.
Rev Dr. Daniel Merriman was the
last speaker
He said in part, ut will, think, be
generally admitted with sorrow that
the ministry has declined in learning,
in dignity, in influence, and power dur
ing the last 25 years. Our own minis
try, as well as other bodies, has felt
this deterioration. It has largely to
thank itself for its loss Of power. 1t
needs to discipline itself in a body of
this sort
after leaving the seminary the min
lister is practically a self-made man.
He is less exposed to criticism than
other men and more exposed to idle
ness, and to ease, and to adulation. 1t
is for this reason that I have always
magnified the essential Importance of
the Association in keeping the stand
ard high and admitting into its mem
bership only those who are fit.
II have always insisted upon the i'm
portance of the "Concio ad Gle rum"
in the literal sense of the words. be-
lieve in having a sermon preached by
a minister to ministers. l should never
myself take a sermon preached to
others to deliver before this body.
THE sermon Of the morning." he
said, was not a "coneio ad clerum"
direct to the ministers, to convict them
of sin, enlarge their vision, strengthen
them in the truth and give them grace
in adversely. The sermon is very diff
ferent from other literature In being
the means to a definite end. There is
a great opportunity in the sermon.
We ministers are very far from our
duty and we need to have that fact
brought home to u.s."
In regard to the paper of the morn
ing DIR. Merriam said that he was very
sick of the term optimism when he
looked at the awful luxury and fright
full corroding Of vice as opposed to the
enormous resources of the country.
IT am sick at heart" he said "of
a good-natured crying peace, peace,
when there is no peace. don't believe
this kind of current optimism ever
constructed anything except its own
coffin"
After reference to the constructive
optimism of the Puritans, which, he
said, lay in their indomitable hope and
faith in God, he said he considered the
best personal example of optimism to
be Judge Jerome, the recently elected
district attorney of New York County.
"As 1 sit down." he said, don't set
me down a pessimist but / believe
that ministers should seize their OPP
portunities, know whose servant and
minister they are and understand the
issues of life and death that they
preach"
Mr.. Hitchcock said he could not
agree with Dr. Merriman that the
ministry had degenerated in the last
rs years.
DR.. Merriman explained that he had
been careful not to use the word
"degenerated" He meant that the
ministry had declined relatively to the
progress in other lines and professions.
Mr.. Hitchcock did not accept the
statements of some of the ministers
in regard to the pessimistic attitude
of the prophets of the Old Testament
and especially in regard to jeremiah.
He said that jeremiah was the most
optimistic of all, and read passage
to prove his point.
He added that, in preparing his
sermon, he had had in mind Judge
Jerome. who was a classmate of his
in williams College. He had written
Jerome letter in the recent campaign
in which he said that he reminded
him of the old prophets.
Mr.. Sedgwick replied briefly to some
of the criticisms of his paper, and
then the association adjourned to din
ner which was served in the adjoin-
ing room.