The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-13
IMPETUS TO EVANGELISM
CONFERENCE OF PRESBYTERIAN
MINISTER'S IN THIS CITY.
DIR. j. Wilbur Chapman Unable to At
tend and DIR. j. w. Cochran Pre-
sides-Subjects Discussed.

number of Presbyterian ministers OF
central Indiana gathered in indianapolis
yesterday TO attend the Indiana Presby-
terians' Evangelistic Conference, held at
the Second Presbyterian Church during the
day and evening. DR.. j. Wilbur Chapman.
of New York, who was to have presided
over the conference, was unable to be pres
ent owing to the death of his sister. He
sent DR.. ]. w. Cochran, of Philadelphia,
who is especially interested in evangelIstic
work, to preside at the conference and also
to fill his engagements in Indiana. Resa-
lutions were adopted extending the sympa-
thy Of the conference to DR.. Chapman.
The object of the conference is TO enliven
interest among the ministers and laymcn
in evangelistic work. All the speeches dur
ing the day and evening were along the
lines of evangelistic work and the good
that can be done by securing competent
evangelists to hold revival meetings. he
General Assembly is placing part of its
100000 fund into Indiana and effective
evanselists are being secured. Much atten-
ton will be given to this kind of work in
all the districts of Indiana and during the
next few months there will be many revival
meetings held in the State.
At the opening of the conference yester-
day morning there were large number Of
ministers present. The Rev. L. p. Mar
shall, of Franklin, opened the devotional
hour. The Rev. d. A. Heron, of the Sew
enth Presbyterian Church, opened the Bible
hour at 1890 and read concerning the "Ori-
gin of the Spiritual Life" He was followed
by the Rev. Thomas n. Todd, of Franklin.
who read concerning the Culture of the
Spiritual Life
In the absence of Dr. Chapman the Rev.
George Knox, state superintendent Of home
mission work, who is also in charge of the
evangelistic campaign in Indiana, conduct
ed a confession and a conservation service.
He spoke of the evangelistic work that is
being done in Indiana. He said arrange
ments will be made to cover all the dis
tricts in Indiana in thorough manner.
The morning service was devoted entirely to
exercises tending to deepen the spiritual
life.
IN THE AFTERNOON.
In the afternoon several ministers were
heard. DR.. Cochran presided and made an
able talk toward the close of the session.
There was discussion of parliamentary
plans and methods. The Rev. Shirley. of
Richmond. spoke the Most Helpful
Methods" Methods That Appeal to Bust
ness Men, discussed by the Rev.
Odell and the Rev. Macintosh. The Rev.
J. Cumming Smith discussed the Methods
That Appeal to Young People" On the
discussion of methods on personal work the
Rev. H. M. Mount, of Connersville, spoke
on How TO Reach the Backsliders." The
Rev. Robert Bartlett of Greensburg, spoke
on How to Reach the Moral Man" "The
Commitment to Higher Life and Fuller
Service" was discussed by DIR. Cochran.
He set forth the needs of good evangelistic
work and wideawake methods on the part
of ministers. He spoke of the preparations
made for various events and compared
them with the preparations for the coming
of the Lord. when the Lord is coming
our preparations should be complete We
should always be ready" he said
DR.. Cochran spoke of the trivial matters
that come UP in church work and how
much harm they do. He cited the
time when the New York Presbytery was
torn asunder by the dispute over the doc
trine. He said such disputes must be for
gotten and the old ideas of religion supple
mented in order to put before the public
the need of true religious service. Dr.
Cochran said that in praying 1t is neces-
sary to say, ''Oh, Holy Ghost, fill me:
thrill me-" This prayer must not be uttered
as some invitations are extended to friends,
but with fervent desire for the Lord 10
help us. THE trouble with most of us Is
that we are not willing for God to take us
as we mean it," he said. when we pray
TO Him we must consecrate our souls to
Him."