The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-10-01
s613,45O Raised for the Centenary
Fund in Fifteen Minutes.

The Centenary Jubilee of A mefican
Methodism, which took place al the
Cooper Institute last evening, was an
event which those who formed the
immense assembly will long remember,
To MethOdists it was one Of the great
events OF life, 10 the outside world it
was one of the most remarkable de-
m0nstratiOns Of Christian lberality
known 10 this or any other age, Long
before the hour announced for open
ing the meeting the vast hall was
crowded 10 its utmost capacity, and
the throng outside was compelled to
retire without any opportunity OF en-
j0ylng the exercises, OF any part Of
them.
Rev. II. 5, Foster, d. d., offered the
opening prayer.
ID. l.. Floss, Esq, presided, He
said they had assembled for
the third time this year to oele-
brate the centenary of Methodism.
Meth0dism WAS simple IN its means
and ways of calling people TO come to
Chriat. 1t was well adapted to its
work, and alth0ughit may have been
somewhat crude ia its manner at its
beginning, yet it had shown its power
by the great results of the labors of
its representatives. They were there
for the purpose Of helping on the
good weak, ahd Strengthening IL as a
religious system TO carry on the great
work of salvation, lie urged that the
action Of that meeting should be such
that it would live long after their
time,
Rev. Cyrus ID. Foss, on being ih-
troduced, saidihe desired 10 address
himself to one question, and that was
What does God want with AmeEiy
can MethOdismW He thought they
might answer that by endeayOring to
flnd out what God wanted with Amer,
lea. lie believed that God wanted
America To be the great depository Of
civil liberty aud the Protestant Felig-
lon, This continent had been discOv-
cred under the auspices of Ro,
OmaniEna, but ID had never PEG
pied IT, ia 1t had been 70,
served for the Puritans to do the
work Of population, And 80 " had
happened that this land was to be the
oonserVator of civil liberty and the
Protestant faith Look also at our
language-the English tongue No
Roman Catholic country spoke that
language, aud no country that did
speak ID but was Protestant. It had
been reserved for that language to
speak the noblest and most eloquent
syllablea of liberty, Ii was not posi-
BILE To crush under the heel of des.
potlam people who spoke the same
language which was spoken by Pym,
aud Hampden, aud Cromwell, and
Milton, and Wesley. Methodism had
been the vital spirit of the history GO
the past century, aud il was to be the
hope of the coming century, Ii we
Atudied figures. we would find out
what had been the vital forces Of
Methodism in the religious work.
Methodism had been power.
1t had held distinctive doctrines. Ii
extended the offer to all 1t had told
the people to turn " to-day as the
accepted time, If it had not thought
any thing about perfect heads, 1t had
taught the necessity Of changed hearts
Holiness to the Lord had been
printed on their banner before ii was
thrown to the breeze. Ii had taken
John Wesley nine years. to know the
need of salvation, and when he " felt
his heart strangely warm his lips be-
came the medium of burning words,
and thousands were led 10 Christ, aud
IA this way the Methodist Church had
been born. Then there was the hymn
ology, full of tho doctrines of the
Church, There was the itneracy.
Tue Methodist ministryhad been sent
20 the people truly, and the Methodist
Church more than any other was ad
mirably adapted for the religious work
in America, Methodism had, always
gone down 20 the bottom of society,
carrying with il the Gospel message
OF salvatiolt aud when II ceased to 10
thls-when IL abandoned this plan, he
hoped some other Church might. be
built on its ruins. The speaker then
alluded TO the great duty of Metha-
dlsta IN this centenary year, They
must erect educational institutions
aad memorial churches. lie asked
the MeihodiAts Of New York To unite
with New England and New jersey
aud come up TO the help OF che Yves
leyan University, that its usefulness
may be increased. America wit neY-
.er perish. Great Britain will never
perish, God will never permit a great
ffatestaot nation 10 sink, As well
think OF the Lord Jesus and his dis
eiplea In a funeral procession wehdinp
their way back to Bethlehem aud w
to heaven. lle had hope for America
because he had hope for his church
aud this hope WINS heightened by the
knowledge OF the fact that ours was
the nation OF heroesv heroes BY thc
milllonrrand whom this herniam took
hold of the Church, inspired bV the
Spirit Of Christ. both Church and
Nation we're safe. 4aaais 1tanl bsIlN
=. After speeches byan English gen,
tleman and others, Rev DR. MoClin,