, 1863-06-01
THE METHODIST MINISTRY
ANNIVERSARY,
Addresses at the Churches,
Splendid Contribution from, tho Wa
bash Avenue Churcll-Thc
Services To-day.

The Missionary Anniversary Of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, commenced ycstcr-
day, By appropriate religious exercises in the
various churches Of that denomination. In
almost all instances, the speakers were the
old and tried servants Of the Church; the
men Of age and experience, who took tho
banner Of Methodism when the Church was
young here, and carried 1t through the dark
days Of toll and doubt, and trouble, until they
planted it in q victorious field Of success.
Such men as Bishop Simpson, Bishop Ames,
Dr.. Durb;u, Dr.. Harris and Others the very
rioneers-ol1iciated. The churches were,
without exception, well filed, and the dis
courses unusually interesting and excellent.
We give space to abstracts Of few Of them,
as indces OF the spirit OF the Anniversary.
At the Wabash avenue Methodist Church,
in the morning, Dr.. Durbin, Corresponding
Secretary Of the Missionary Society, occupied
the pulpit, and preached from the following
text;
FIRST Er1sr1E TO PETER: Cl1. I,r.3,4 &5.-
Blessed BE- the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ which, according to His abundant mercy,
hath ~ hrst aIy liz d
To an Inheritance incoHuptibe and undecided,
and that 1adcth not away, reserved in heaven for
Who are Kept by the power Of God through faith
INTO salvation ready TO be revealed IN the LAST
time.
The speaker announced as the theme Of his
discourse, stThe Heavenly Inheritance OF
Christianity The inner heart Of man sug-
gests that there is another world, and its tes-
iimc1y Is traced In history, but it appears
only fixed and sure in the holy scriptures. The
inheritance uf tue Christian comprchends the
conditions under which he will live in that
world, the presence Of God, and everything
which will giye pleasure, and make that plea
sure perfect.
The properties of that inheritance arc:
Firrt-lnco1ruptibility, an element directly
the reverse Of everything earthly.
Sccond-It is undeti1ed. This word sug-
gests there is no tenet III the title to it. til
Geriycd from the atoncmcnt Of the Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
Third lit fadcth not away. The speaker
illustrated this point beautifully bv the
change Of the seasons, and the lapse Of time
from ihfuncy to old age.
Where is this Inheritance:
The text says in Heaven. This Heaven is a
reality. and has two shades Of meaning.
First-The natural meaning VIC apply to tue
starry world We sec. The speaker eloquently
traced the worlds, and systems Of worlds, all
revolving about some common centre not get
determined, and far beyond these worlds to
''ile outer Darkness" which le said in his
early experience struck lin with peculiar
force.
Secondly, there was 4 religious meaning to
the word "Hearen," and this meaning oc-
ours in all our worship aud sacred thoughts.
The first thing occurring to us is that ueayen
is where God dwcils. The speaker coutenued
for the reality Of the birth of Christ and his
lift among men up to the eruciGxion. Be
tween the resurrection and the ascension, he
enforced upon his disciples the fact that the
risen Savior was the Savior Of the world, aud,
i'll like manner, the angels announced that the
tame Jesus should come again. Where is
this Jesus? You cannot point to this place
or that place and say he is in the Heavens,
hut where that rcvercd body is, there is
Heaven. That g1orftcd body is the center Of
the heavenly community. Around that tlber-
racle, mentioned BY Paul, all the inhabitants
gather to worship.
When shall this Inheritance be possessed
The text rays in the last time. The time
cannot be reckoned by years, but the Holy
Scriptures eettle that time. 1t shall be when
the gospel OF the Kingdom shall be preached
in Ill the world for i witness to all nations.
The progress Of the Kingdom OF Christ makes
the end.
The speaker then alluded to concurrent cir.
cumstanccs; the day Of Judgment, the des-
cent Of the Lord, and the inhabitants o1
Heaven, and the resurrection of the good to
meet Him in the air, and the reality Of the
destruction Of the world by fire, US proved By
science.
In the possession Of this inheritance, pos,
| session which could only be achieved by car.
| ryiug the light Of the Gospel to all men,
! the speaker traced the connection Of the
| missionary enterprise with his theme. If he
hoped to r.acl, that inheritance, should be
not also hope that all others might. IT, bg
lighting the laup Of the Gospel, you save but
one soul, is it not worth the effort? lie al
1nded to the cheering accounts from every
I field of labor-tronl China, India, Turkey,
Africa, Germany, Norway, Denmark and
South America. You have feared sometimes
have to retire from missions, but it is q cheer.
ing fact that in the midst Of all this turmoil
the churches stand BY their missions, ant
ours is on the incrcase beyondall expectation
VIII you help us.
Al tue close Of the discourse, tho Pastor
Rev. Mr. Collier, announced that Ac con
eidercd it the duty uf TIL. church to rsis'
5000, but should ask for 81 800. The con
tril'ution Was taken up, and resulsed III til
subscription. Of the. munficcnt sum 0
sa,To The exercise closed with tn
singing of the long metre doxology by tn
choir and congregation.
| EVENING SERVICE.
Iii the evening at the above place, Bishol
| Ames preached q seruIen from Hebrews, ch
| ii, ' II: u Fnrasmuch then as the children ar
| partakers Of desh and blood, he also hinlsel
Likewise took part Of the same, &e.'
The Bishop remarked that one importau
lesson to be learned from the text, was God
method rf working when hc wonld confer
great benefit upon nation. The agencies ar
always selected from the hosu1n of the com
mum ), OH whom The benefits arc to b. con
fcrr. d, in proof Of which, the speaker cite
various instances.
The text involved several incomprehcnsib]
things 1t was mystery how God could man
ifest himself In the flesh. The power Of til
intellect did not increase the mystery, it VI.
the union Of the incOngruities Of mind an
matter. This he would not and could not ex
plain, but it WAS none the less apparent thu
such was the E,ct.
The speaker then maintained tle assertion
that lie who made himself manifest in tn
flesh was God. An objection was made some
times that means were employed which til
nni1nportance Of the end did not warrant
This point was controyertcd by the speaker
by showing the growth Of the mind Of mai
ponding growth through eternal ages, a1sl
the nature OF man IN his surroundings, whicl
litter point was most ably and beautifully II
lustratcd. God made these surrounding
and relations, and nc cannot ignore them
and when He made himself manifest In th
flesh he had reference to these surrounding:
He also brought mp the importance Of man a
governor Of The world, which he still main
tanned, although lie had fallen.
This day was set apart for Missionary pu1
, poses. How do We propose to carry forwaT
the work of God? In the prosecution of Til
> work it is only necessary to plant little see
and God will eelect the agencies from til
: field where the sced is soWn. In this connct
tion the speaker made very apt ulustrltio
Of the growth Of the Methodist Church b
similar agencies. Thirty years ago, he wa
t pastor Of j church in Southern Illinois befor
. Government had sold the land whereon Oh
cago now stands They didn't own chutr
then worth over $S00 Between Cincinnati IN
Gnlcna there were but fifty churches, an
: some farther West. He spoke epcouragiuct
n OF all the missions, and then made delicat
appeal to the congregation for contribution
ending his remarks with characteristic inc
: dent. Some time sfucc, Dr. Durhin was dit
i ing Mt London with the Secretary of Weslcya
Methodist Missionary Society. During I'll
dinner, Dr.. Durbin asked him how 1t WI
that the Wtsleyans made such large contrib,
iions. The latter replied that every one gay
: something, even the poor, Dr.. D. thought
, rather hard for the poor to give. The Eng
lisl Secretary replied that It would bfe;l
their hearts if they didn't. The speak,
i thought that many Christians nowadays,
they waited for their hearts to break oyt
contributions, they would live to be old {
! Methue elah.
! At The close Of tho discourse, a contrib,
I ton Was taken up, which will make the e
tire amount given by the Church ncarl
z 5000.
= SERMON pr REV. BISHOP SIMPSON.
AT C1ark street n. E. Church every SCI
: was filled, and many stood in the nisles duriu
4 The entire service. The Bishop preached fro
the
J TExT-"Whp Is that comctb frnrn E1nm ,ri