THE

MORAVIAN CHURCH MISCELLANY.

No. 11.

NOVEMBER, 1853.

VOL. 4.

MINUTES OF THE MINISTERS' CONFERENCE. ・of the Western Congregations of the Moravian Church in North America, held at Hope, Indiana, June 1853.

FIRST SESSION, Saturday, June 18th. 8 o'clock, A. M. The meeting was opened by br. Henry Clauder, Minister of Hope congregation, with the singing of a hymn, an address and prayer. The following brethren were present.

Br. Henry Clauder of Hope, Indiana; br. Henry Bachman of Gnadenhuetten, Ohio; br. Francis R. Holland of Canal Dover, Ohio; br. Charles Barstow of Coatesville, Indiana; br. Edwin T.. Senseman of New Salem, Illinois. Besides these br. Jacob Blickensdorfer, sen., of Canal Dover, Ohio, and br. John Vogler of Salem, N. C. appeared, as visiting brethren, in our midst.

Upon motion br. Senseman was appointed Secretary. Br. Clauder, as minister of the congregation in which we had met, was requested to act as President.

2. Br. Senseman read a communication from Br. Martin Houser, Home Missionary in Hlinois, in which he expressed the regret he felt in not being able to attend, and his kind brotherly salutation to the Conference, with his good wishes in our behalf. The brn. Holland, Bachman, Senseman and Barstow assured the Conference of the kind wishes and lively interest felt by their several congregations in our meeting. It was further mentioned that br. Wunderling, minister at Sharon, Ohio, had not been able to come, on account of sickness, and as it had not been deemed prudent, that all the ministers of the Ohio stations, should be absent at the same time, for so long a period as the meeting of this Conference required.

3. With regard to the objects of this meeting the Conference expressed itself as follows. We regard the objects of this Conference to be:

a, Mutual edification, instruction and encouragement.

b, The spiritual benefit of the congregation in whose midst we assemble.

c, The extension and purification of our branch of the Christian Church in the West.

4. It was resolved that we invite the present and late committee of Hope congregation, and the visiting brethren from other congregations, present, to act as members of the conference, and that our brethren generally, as well as all the friends of the cause of Christ, be allowed admittance to our meetings.

5. The ministers of the different congregations were now called upon to give a verbal account of the work of the Lord in their respective fields of labor. Br. Senseman commenced by giving a brief account of New Salem. After he had closed, it was suggested by a member of the conference, that it might be interesting and profitable to the public generally, to hear these narratives, and it was resolved to postpone this subject until Monday afternoon at 1 o'clock, and that to-morrow, (being the sabbath), a public invitation be extended to our brethren and friends to be present. Br. Clauder, however, gave an account of Hope congregation.

6. The subject of several communications lately published in the Miscellany was taken up, and conference resolved that the brethren Holland, Senseman, and Blickensdorfer constitute a committee to prepare an essay for publication in this Miscellany in answer to Art. 1 of the June number of the present year. The conference regretted the publication of the article alluded to, and feared that it and similar publications tended to neutralize all our endeavors to give an intelligible and consistent character to our Church in America. After singing a verse, conference adjourned.

SECOND SESSION. Saturday afternoon, 2 o'clock.

1. After singing and a prayer offered up by br. Holland, a conversation upon various topies was held, without, however, arriving at any result.

2. The question was asked: "is it right and scriptural for us to baptize children of parents, who do not belong to our, or any other branch of the Christian Church?"

After an interchange of sentiment and experience, it was thought inexpedient to adopt any rule on this subject; that every brother must judge for himself, and act according to his own conviction. The almost universal impression, however, was, that it is right, under favorable circumstances, upon request, to baptize children of parents not at the time in connection with any branch of the Church.

3. It was further mentioned, that a book of discipline, not limited to one or two congregations, but acknowledged and adopted by all in our circle of labor, was a great desideratum. It appears

that br. Martin Houser has been at work upon one, containing, Iat, a short history of the Brethren's Church; 2d, its doctrines, principles and general Constitution; and 3d, a discipline. It was resolved to request a copy to be circulated among us for examination and revision, and in case we can agree upon one, that it be sent to the P. E. C. at Bethlehem, Pa., and the P. H. C. at Salem, N. C., for their sanction, and laid before our congregations for adoption. Uniformity in this respect is very desirable, especially as we are frequently asked for our book of discipline, and are always at a loss what to give. In case this matter can be arranged, it will be necessary to print a large number of copies in both languages. Our allotted time having expired, conference adjourned after singing a hymn.

THIRD SESSION. Monday morning, June 20, 8 o'clock.

After singing the verse: "Oh Lord, lift up thy countenance, etc., prayer was offered by br. Senseman.

1. The minutes of the sessions of last Saturday were read and approved.

2. A rough sketch of a communication, prepared for publication in the Miscellany, in answer to an article which has lately appeared in said periodical was presented. A lengthy and animated discussion arose on the subject of Confirmation as alluded to in that article. After this friendly interchange of sentiment, at about 10 o'clock, conference took a recess of about of an hour.

Upon meeting again, it was resolved that br. Senseman be requested to attend to a communication, setting forth our views of the character and proper policy of our Church, which after having been circulated and signed by the ministers that compose this conference, shall be sent on to Bethlehem for publication.

3. A brother asked the views of the conference on the subject of social prayer-meetings. Br. Bachman first gave his experience and views on this important topic. The conclusion at which he arrived was, that these meetings have been eminently blessed by our Savior.

Br. Holland thought that such meetings were entirely in accordance with the Spirit of our Church, and that this is the express declaration of our Synods, both provincial and general. That they are biblical, and an apostolic institution our brother proved by a reference to Acts xii. 12. The brethren Barstow, Senseman and Clauder all expressed themselves in favor of such meetings, and we mutually encouraged one another, to greater earnestness and zeal in our endeavors to promote them.

It was regarded as a favorable omen, that the prejudices formerly entertained by many brethren, were gradually wearing away, and that our dear brethren of the Provincial Conferences, who have