Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-12-15
The Methodist Episcopal Conference.

EDENBoEO, y. T., Dec. 9th, 1871.
Ded JouT7.oh:-Last Saturday night we
held our Missionary Anniversary i'm the M
4. ChurclE The report of the Treasurer
showed the amount raised dnring the pest
year in the bounds Of this Conference for
missions, to be about $1,000.
After the report was read the Chairman
introduced Rev. DIR. Moran of your CITY to
the audience, who delivered the address.
The effort was most splendid success.
perhaps the best of his life, doing himself
and the Conference great honor The Doc
tor began by calling attention to the great
Importance OF fully considering the difiicul
ties which ObtrIde themselves in the way Of
missionary enterprise and effort. And in
this he torcibly set forth that i'm Asia. with \
population of six hundred million. there
were only about sixty thousand Christians.
Africa, which had gwen to the Church some
OF her brightest ornaments. with a popul,
ton OF seven hundred millions, could now
show but about thirty thousand Christians.
The view of Europe was more hopeful.
but she with her two hundred and fifty mil
lions of souls, could number but abou,
twenty-five millions of Christians.
Passing by the many Isles of the Sea. he
stated that our own broad and beautiful
land America-presented the most hope
full view of all the world. And vet She.
with her one hundred millions of fr,,cmeu.
could count only ten millions of Christians
and large proportion of these are Roman
lists and Ritualists.
These facts staring us in the face at the
end of more than eighteen centuries since
the introduction OF Christianity, present
most formidable difficulties for the future.
These cOnquestS already won, though
seemingly small, have been Won at terrible
sacrifice; and her future trillmphs must be
won like the past. Stern has been the OBJ
position in the past, and stubborn will it be
in the future. Long and painful will be
the travail OF the church yet, but the signs
are hopeful and the prospect cheering.
The DIR. inquired What are the grounds
of prospective triumphs," and in answer re-
piled:
1. That the wealth and intellect of the
world were on the side of religion.
l. AS to intellect.
The spirit of the gospel possesses the
wonderful power of infulsing itself into all
intelligence. Every grand discovery of the
intellect in the past, is indebted to the
| genius and spirit of the religion of Jesus
The DR.. asserted that Christianity pos
sessed the intelligence and power of the
world.
| 2. AS to wealth.
The wealth Of the world, though hoard
ed by the avaricious, and poured into the
lap of crime, is made to contribute by di-
vine direction, to the final, but grand tri-
umphs of Christianity.
All science is exploring the world for
Jesus. God has stamped upon the gospel
the law of self diffusion. 1t is borne upo
| the great ships which go down into the sea
thunders across continents upon track OF
| steel and flashes along the electric wire.
Never before were apparently so many
grand forces at work to establish forever
the universal reign four wondrous King .
Such is brief, but imperfect outline OF
one of the most learned, useful and tlri,
eloquent addresses, Which it has ever been
| our privilege to hear. +. Ill. W.