The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-19
MINISTERS MEET.
Methodist and Congregational
CIsFgymen in Session Today.

The regular meeting OF the Methodist
preachers of Providence and vicinity was
held In the vestry OF the Mathewson
Street NJ. T.. church this morning. with
the vice president. Rev. IL. A. Ridgway,
in the chair.
The interest Of the meeting centered In
discussion on the topic. THE Use and
Misuse OF Money In Methodism." led by
BY way OF Introduction the speaker
dwelt upon Methodism as great move
ment and its marvellous success, ss indi-
Gated by numbers and wealth.
The membership of the Methodist
church." he said, lis about 3OO,00O. ad-
herents 100000. UNCONVENTIONAL prop
critics are valued at S2OO,00V00.
'All this in a period OF l35 years.
IF We include In this survey all
branches OF the Methodist family we have
5OO0.000 members and 1900 90 adherents.
"Methodism does world wide work
and the great enterprises which IL owns
ana manages or 10 which II gives aux
iliary support cover the whole field and
ityH.' SH''SS'"' ''''S i''"' % '9
Continuing, the speaker enlarged upon
correctional work In MethOdtsm in part
as follows: Every part OF our con
nectional work existed germinally In
primitive Methodism in England. We
have more completely organized and eN-
tended Church extension was inaugurated
I'm Weslcy's chapel buildi nd as TO the
general publishing inter the church
whole book concern IN elf.
Wesley was keenly the raising
OF funds for the support y these null
tplied forms of activity His methods
were all legitimate: systematic giving
was made a duty and the great leader
was himself shining example OF me
conservation of self and substance to
God and his service
Turning to another phase OF his subject
the speaker said: mo estimate can be
made of the aggregate OF Methodist
Is "A
er basis on which To estimate the sup
porting ability of the church. Nor can
personal incomes be determined with any
degree OF accuracy. | think II well that
It is so. In our opinion assessments are
not scriptura There Is New Testa-
ment method Of money getting. IL 1t Is
followed God will bless In the work. II
the church would limit herself TO legiu-
mate expenses, the voluntary offerings or
the people would be sufticient Tor the
support and the ever growing demands
would be met by an ever increasing gem
eroslty. / am satisfied that the church
is spending great deal OF money an.
nually to merely crafty taste OF TO meet
the demands of foolish pride. Selhshness
dictates many expenditures that cannot
be met by legitimate means.
In support of his arguments MT. EWer
dwelt at some length on the general and
annual conference expenses, pointing out
the misuse of money in these directions
He dwelt alec on the matter or money
spent I'm foreign missionary work ana
several other lines of activity
In closing. he said: our work is potn
local and correctional. Economy and
liberality. balanced and combined. Will
ensure success.
There must be wise administration,
there must be just legisla' ton; there must
be full conservation an In the words
OF Wesley: Earn all can, save all
you can. give all YOU
Mr. Ever was followed ReVS. w. A
Gardiner S. M. Dick. b. +. Simon and
u. A. Weldon. who spoke briefly on some
of the points raised by the speaker.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES MINISTER'S.
The regular weekly meeting Of the Con-
gregationalist ministers was held In the
Beneficent Congregational vestry this
morning. when Rev Mr. Rogers, OF the
Berea college. Kentucky. spoke on the
work the scope and the needs OF that
institution. An abridged report OF this
work az given by Mr.. Rogers recently,
has previously been published In these
columns.