Wilmington journal., 1876-03-31
Ihe Fourth Centennial Day O1
the Meth Odists.

= The following is Fridays procee.
inRs:
The meeting commenced at Metr,
= politan Hall, at 10 o'clock a. 10. Tb
i | choir sang a fine Introductory. Th
Methodist choir IL Raleigh is one &
the oldest and best in the State. T
: 1863 peculiar circnmst nnces for tim
: interrupted its regular exercises. bu
by tie zeal and energy of W. J. Youn
and wife and Mrs Evans it apai
started on its course Of superior Chris
tan song and still continues a stron,
ally to the preacher, and eminentl,
useful to the church
Bishop Marvin opened the exercises
In his own inim1table manner. He !,
a great Christian orator; his styie .
.oratory Is not purely NethodiStic like
that OF Bishop Pierce, nor stropeI,
classic as that Of Bishop Doggett, buI
rich in natures own beauty and DOW.
er, cultured, fei vent and non sectariau,
Prayer was offered by Rev. K. G.
Burton, one of the oldest members of
the Conferences; a man of commanding
appearance and voice, large experience
and great usefulness.
| The choir sang another fne hymn
| and its echoes and cadcnces ,nust
have fou"d strange company in corners
aud inches, where other kind of voices
on other occasions have died away in
! the hall. Rev. E. y. Yates, Presiding
| Elder of the Newbern District. then
delivered an address. Subject: Meth
Odlsm in its relations to the origin of
the Babbatl School Work. Mr..
Yates has been in his itinerancy sixteen
years, has served upon circuits and
stations, and has for several years
been Presfd Ing Elder. Mr.. Yates is
clear, decisive speaker, precise in
statements, elegant III manner, and
sometimes effectively eloquent.
He said: There are III Europe and
America ten millions of Sabbath school
scholars, aud of til sse about five mil
lions are in America. In this State
the Baptists have 10000 Sunday
school scholars, the Preebyterians
have $1,000. the Episcopalians have
5000, the Methodists As, 900. and otl er
denominations about 10000. There
are in the State 200, 900 white children,
hence there are $4,000 without Sab
bath ~chool instructions.
In 1886 Bishop Aebury in Hanover
r unity, Va, established the first Sab
bath school in America, and in 1871
Bishop White of the P. E. Church es-
tablis he'd similar school in Phil
ade!phla. The relations of Metho-
dism to the Sunday school are:
!. Methodism is the mother of the |
Sabbath school. The first S. S. in the
word was established in England ia |
1867 by Hannah Ball Robert Raikes |
did not found the Sabbath school, but
Sophia Cook furnished the school for |
hi 70 Io
school woman is the great and efficient |
rival.
2. Methodism ia its revival1sm. !
which is its natural life, is a centennial
originator and perpetual supporter of
the Sabbtb school. Every Sabbath
school produces a revival, and every
revival is followed by Sabbath school
B. BY the doctrine of heartfelt con-
version Metpodism is great founder
of Sabbath school power.
4. The relation of MethOdism to the
Sabbath school will be seen By iuquir-
ing what is the effect OF the Sabbath
school. The object is not to furnish
place to shut up children from the
world. The great object of the Sab
bath schools is the conversion of souls
Mr. Yates ended his discourse With
a beautiful eulogy upon Sabbath
school work.
As all interIude the choir sang with
spirit and effect 'tIoId the Fort"
Rev. E. L Perkins then addressed
lie meeting Subject: Methodism il
ts relation to Bible, Missionary and
Tract Societies. To see this we must
consider the spirit of Methodism !
which is and was: :
l. Doing good of all sorts, and as
ar as possible to all men. f
The speaker drew beautiful, rich ,
deal of the genius of Metnodism. ,
The devotion of Methodist women is ,
ne of the greatest agencies i'll Methn-
list work, they give their sons to God ,
With devoted hearts; their hearts true {
Orever to the cross, never fail the t
reat sacrifices demanded by the
hurch. By the next Centennial, with ,
he same CONSIDERATIONS, tt e king :
Oms of this world shall become the {
ingdom of our Lord aud his Christ
Bishop Marvin then addressed the ,
leetiug briefly. DIR. Burkhead added +
Iellville Cox was stationed IN the city {
f Raleigh in 1871.
No better test of the drawing
trength of Bishop Marvin in this
that greeted him at Metro
'oiitan hall last night though the {
ain poured III torrents and the side {
Valks rau in water. The Bishops l
uhject vas NJ -thOdism and it's Il vivaI !
History, but at the late hour Of going J
0 press we nave only time to add that I
ven the richest imagiuipgs of this
ruly gifted aud eloquent mans foreu- {
ic and intellectual fowers would fall
ar short of the real credit he did him }
elf lii his effort last night. A cOiiec-
ion vas taken up for the new church |
fter the address and large sum was 5
the Blptists aud Presbyteri- !
rs, i'll fact, every denomination giving I
beraliy, and the Baptist Sunday I
choOl Of itself putting down for fifty /
ollars. The reporter is forced to j.,
orego fuller report TO another issue.