Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-05-03
THE BETHEL.
Services ON Wednesday Last at the
Linden Street Christian church.
Speeches by Messrs. Daniels, Speers,
KOrtreeht, Heiskeli, Harel and 9th
ers-Interesting Services.

Most instructing and edifying services
were held Wednesday evening at the
Linden street Christian church in the in
terest OF the Memphis bethel. The ex-
eroises began by the reading of the
tweenty-eight chapter of the book of
Genesis, by Mr.. r. C. Daniel, who pre-
sided over and conducted the meeting.
After the offering of most fervent
prayers, and the singing by the choir of
several spirited songs, the chairman sue
cessively introduced Mr. =. w. Speers,
superintendent of the Bethel Sunday
school, Charles KOTtrecht, Esq, Rev.
Mr.. Harel, the president of the bethel,
and Judge G. w. Heiskell, Of the Mem
plis circuit court.
Mr.. Spesrs portrayed the valuable
moral and spiritual good wrought by the
agency of the bethel, in reclaiming the
wandering waits, or angels, as he
termed them, and their moulding
into useful men aud women. That
many boys and girls had been
gathered together, and their raiment,
once rags, changed into comely cloth
ing; their unframed, uncultured minds
planted with good seed; and fruits had
already been garnered through the in
strumentality of the association of which
he was q member. That the scriptures
had been taught to the children, and il
was a matter of great surprise to him to
realize such susceptibility in persons so
Young in receiving divine truth and its
engrafting upon their memories. ''They
nemOrize,n said he, "verses Of the scrip
lures, and manifest comprehension of
them that would be credit to some
people"
MIR. Kortrecht, the distinguished law
yer, presented in a clear and conclusive
light the importance in a moral point of
view of the work of the bethel. He
spoke of the benefits to the entire COM
munity of that work, which had for its
aim the suppression Of crime, by its pre-
vention in the young, and the turning
of wicked boys and girls into orderly,
industrious, moral and religious citizens.
Tnat il was the purpose Of the managers
of the bethel to construct building for
the training of children-for their edu-
cation into the arts of handicraft, and
for the utilization of the talents discov-
cred in them. That this work was be-
ing done by the laymen, not by the min
istry or churches; persons of all OF the
Protestant denominations lad evlnced
a deep and active Interest in the enter
prise. That though not member of
any church, he held the highest appre-
citation of church work, having witness
ed its wonderful publication of the peo-
pie and their salvation; but that the
bethel did not solicit church, but indi-
vidual aid, sympathy and cooperation.
He cordially invited the members of the
christian church to join and help them
in carrying forward the work that the
bethel had so auspiciously and success
fully inaugurated.
Rev. Mr.. Havel sang two pathetic
songs. which were appreciatively re-
ceived by the congregation.
Judge Heiskell alluded to the injunc-
tiops of the holy scriptures in enjoining
the preaching of the word-the gospel
to the poor. That when John had heard
in prison the works of Christ, he sent
two of his disciples, and said unto him:
cart thou he that should come, or do we
look for another?n Jesus answered: /:
WGo and show John again those things
which We do hear and 80, the blind re-
eeiye their sight, the lame walk, the
lepers are eleansed, the deaf hear, the
dead are raised, and the poor have the
gospel preached unto them"
The Judge continued: "One of the
aims of the bethel is to build house in
which the outcast women can find shell
| ter, food and clothing, and where the
poor can hear the glorious things reveal
| ed by the book of truth. Independently
! of the saving OF immortal souls, which
| end is paramount to all Others, the city
and State will realize great profit by the
reclamation of the young, whose feet
| had so early been stepped in sin. The
| saving of ten such persons would result
! in greater good to the community than
! the saving of so many thousands of dol
lars.
"Who, then, could estimate the value
| to the State of Tennessee of the labors
| of the bethel, during a period of twenty
years, in the prevention Of crime, and
/ the millions of dollars saved thereby
Mr.. Daniel delivered a brief address
on the origin OF the term, "Bethel, +"
and its meaning, "rhe house of God. "
| He said; "rhere appears to be eminent
fitness of things, and in names, and that
the creators of the Memphis bethel had
been peculiarly happy in their selection
of a title for their institution.
tGood name in man and woman dear.
Is the immediate jewel of their souls
The title "Bethel," like all biblical
names, was strikingly significant. The
name "Rethel' was bestowed on the
spot by Jacob, under the awe inspired
by the nocturnal vision of God, when
he. Jacob, the heir of the birthright
blessing and the divine promises, was
fivin0 from his paternal home to escape
t6e ire OF his brother, Esau. His journ-
ey had been gloomy and full of physical
dis0uietudes and mental anguish; and,
st the close OF the third day, when
reaching the idolatrous city of Luz, and
fearing to enter, he selected a stone fol
a pillow, and with a soul fuller of dark
ness than the night itself, laid down to
sleep. Like the Son Of David, two thou
sond wears later, he had no home, and
fsshad not where to lay his head" In 8
vision that night, the dreaming exile
, dIscerned pathway Of communication
between earth and heaven. He saw tbs
shining ladder reaching heavenward, or
which angels passed up and down, anC
on the top stood Jehovah IN his glory
, who said: al am the Lord God, ana II
thee shall all the families OF earth d
! blessed.n J@@eeah was converted by thi
! enrsptured vision, and taking a stone
! ! he set it up as 4 memorial of coyenan
that he made, and he called the plae
siBethel, the house of God, i" 'The gat'
of heaven.n This scene has Ink i
: that long chain of prOvidences by whic
: God was hearing frail humanity itse
inward from its sin-fall to its gloriou
d beaven-kingdom Happy is the II
heritance Of that man VINO nnds oeti
el every day in lite's pilgrimage, IN
= house OF God "a every home, the gate
:. E1. Of