The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-04-14
MINISTERS MEET
Union Association HaIds In
portant Session.

The regular monthly meeting OF the
Union Ministers association was held in
the small hall of the Y. NJ. c. A. this
morning with very large attendance.
The meeting was called 10 order at
shortly before IL o'clock by Rev. John NJ.
Lowden, the president OF the association.
after which came the report OF the Sec
retary, Rev. j. o. Randall.
A brief business meeting then ensued
when several important matters came up
for discussion.
posed Sunday opening of the Arts and
-6rIfts exhibition 80 be held at Crescent
Park during the summer months. 1t was
the general opinion of those present that
the Union ministers association unite
with other religious bodies in a protesta-
ton against the opening of this exhibi-
ton on the Sabbath day. Action upon
this question was deferred, however, un-
I'll the close of the meeting.
Rev. DR. Dick. chairman of the commit
tee on the federation of the churches.
then presented report showing what
had been accomplished up TO the present
time. In this connection. he said. that
the young men appointed to take the re-
ligious census OF the city had completed
the work of all the districts, ZOO books,
he said, Include the report of these
young men and 10000 families are repre-
sented.
The amount OF money at present pledg-
ed and paid I'm for this purpose Is 1890.
The cost OF the census, so far. has been
5000 and all bills have been paid.
At the conclusion Of the business session
Rev l.. 5. Woodworth, chairman OF the
program committee. announced that Mr..
$: NJ Sayford. general secretary or the
New England E,Vangelistic association.
who was to have made the address Of the
morning. was unable TO be present. lie
announced however, that Rev. Ihomas
Elgar the prison evangelist. had been
secured as the speaker. and at this juno
tIre Mr.. Elgar was introduced and spoke
for n half hour, in a most earnest way,
of his work among the prisoners In the
various reformatories and prisons OF the
country. lie dwelt first upon the re-
formatory prisons and declared that
everywhere he found those institutions
crowded with boys and young men, so
that he had come 10 believe that the
problem of the streets was prominently
the important one which confronted the
nation and the churches today. In this
connection he urged the value and the
need of the Curfew law He then spoke
of the intelligence and general character
istics of prisoners, as he had known
them. and declared that while It was gen
orally supposed that they came from the
most ignorant classes, yet such was not
the case.
men of the highest culture and large
majority OF them are men OF education.
The speaker then gave specific Instances
of mon Of the highest education. who had
come under his notice and rectted a beau-
tiful Uoem composed by Yale graduate,
now confined I'm the Sing Sing prison.
Passing 90 the story OF his eNangelistic
work i'm the prisons. the speaker told of
the prison Christian Endeavpr societies
and Y NJ G. a. societies. the prayer
meetings among the convicts etc. Many
OF the men and boys I'm our prisons have
long ago rcpcnted of their sins" he said,
"and are Christians today"
At the close of Mr. Elgurs address
discussion cnsued relative 60 the Sunday
evening sacred concerts. or sacred con-
certs 50 called. II was believed these
concerts were a form of Sunday desecra-
tion. not calculated 10 promote the best
interests OF tho city and IL was there
chosen to confer with the chairman Of
the police commission regarding Sunday
evening amusCments. Rev. Edward T..
TIolyokc was made chairman OF this com
mittoe and the other members were Roy.
r. T. SIMON. Roy. l.. :. WoOdworth, Rev.
Alexander McCord, Rev Ernest G.. Wei
lesley.
N was voted also that a resolution
from the Union Ministers nssocia ton.
protesting against the opening of the Arts
and crafts exhibition on SUNDAYS hc pro
scented 60 the president Of the East provi-
denro town council and 60 the prCsid Mt
of the Arts and Crafts association for
their consideration.
After these matters of business had
been disposed OF tho meeting adjourned.