The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-05-19

M~lSslONAHl MEETlNH AT TIE COUkTE
STREET CHURcH.-Yesterday was a special
occasion in the Methodist Episcopal
calendar, and SERVICES Of an unusually In.
trestlng nature were held Throughout the
city in the various churches Of the de-
nomination, leading divines from abroad
taking charge. The most important was
Ii emissionary meetingatthe Fourth Street
NJ. Il. Church, in the evening. Every
seat within that largo auditorium was
filled and many occupied chairs in the
aisles or stood up wherever a place could
be found. 1t was literally a mass meeting.
The exercises begun by the usual sing
ing Of hymns, and SCriptIral reading, after
which Bishop Scott, the senior Bishop Of
the NJ. E. Church, in a few pieasai: words
announced that Bishops Wiley and Bow
man would speak during the evening; the
former Of the China..M Mission, which he
helped to found and which he has visited
within the last year, and the latter OF the
missions which he recently visitedin India
and other countries.
Bishop Wiley, OF Cincinnati, was first
intr oduCed and delivered an unusually
interesting discourse. The subject OF. It
was Foreign Mission Work, and the pur-
pose to awaken the church to the needs Of
tile work and the great opportunities now
presented for the conversion OF the world.
No one, perhaps, is better fitted by expe.
rience to talk upon this subject, and his
manner and eloquence combined to pre-.
sent it most forcibly. lie took for his
motto" as he chose to call it, John Y:35,
So: "Say not We there are yet four months
and then Cometh the harvest? Behold
| say unto you, Lift up your eyes and
look on the folds, for they are white al.
ready TO harvest. And he that reapeth
reoeiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto
life eternal, that both he that sowpth and
he that reapeth may rejoice together"
The reverend speaker supposed that these
words were spoken about the time CT year
indicated that is within four months OF
harvest time-but they were spoken more
with reference 10 the spiritual world, and
to impress upon his disciples the truth
that in Gods kingdom the harvest was al
ways ready. | wish, continued the Bish-
op, US he entered upon his subject, to pre-
sent two propositions. First, that never
before in the history Of the church has
the harvest been so ready for the church
to thrust in its sickle and reap; and, sec
ond, that never before has the church
been SO ready to go out and gather the
harvest. He then proceeded TO present
the facts and possibilities Of the work Of
evangeliZation and the announcements
offered. He referred to the great pro-
gress Of the last fifty years in our
knowledge even OF the geography OF pagan
lands. In his bOyhood the great CONT
nent Of Africa, except along the eastern
and western coasts, was terra ipcognito
We were but little better off rs regards our
knowledge Of the interior OF China and
Japan. At the beginning Of the century
there was not q pagan people on the face
Of the earth to whomthe missionary could
go and preach the Gospel, except at the
risk Of his life; o there is not a people
to whom the missionary may not go and
preach, freely and safely, and in the ma
iority Of tho cases with the cooperation OF
the native Government. 4 little while
ago, twenty-five or thirty years ago, the
pagan nations were as firmly fixed in their
old religions as they were 1000 years ago;
not the slightest symptoms OF yielding
could be Ger anywhere. Now look at
them. Thousands upon thousands, and
millions upon millions are turning away
from their pagqn religion to that Of
Christianity.
Bishop Bowman, Of st. Louis, was next
introduced and delivered an eloquent and
iorcible address, which was listened TO
with great interest by the large audience.
We regret exceedinglyour inability to give
even a brief abstract Of the reverend gen.
tleman's remarks.
At the conclusion Of Bishop Bowman's
address, a missionary collection was taken
up, the Doxology sung and the meeting
dismissed with the benediction.