Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-07-06
Semi-Centennial Discourse,

Semi-CentenniaI Discourse.
THE following sermon was delivered by Rev. W. J.
KIDDER of Mortified, at the session of the Vermont
Conference at Bradford in April last We publish it
by request of many friends who desire to preserve the
valuable information it gives:l
To the fact that have been connected
with the itinerant ministry of the Metho-
dist Episcopal church for half century, |
owe the position now occupy before this
congregation. Were it not for this some
other and more able minister of the Lord
Jesus would stand before you to preach
the conference sermon.
At the conference held at Sandwich, New
Hampshire, June 22d, 183l,-to the ques.
tion, Who are admitted on trial? we
have the following answer: Silas Green,
Slas Quimby, Daniel Lee, John Gould,
Ira A Swaziland, Moses Lewis. Aurin
Gale, Joseph Dearborn, Samuel Hackett,
Asahe Brigham, Arnold Adams, Daniel
Field. Clark Kendrck. Andes T. Bullard,
William j. Kidder, Garry B. Houston,
HAYNES JOhnson-Seventeen. Most of
these dear brethren have crossed the river
and Joined the blood washed company on
the other shore. And but few, if any 0
know not that there are amy are doing
effective work in the ministry. The few
of us who are spared till this present have
great cause of thankfulness that our Heav-
enly Father has permitted us to live until
this time, and that we have seen so much
of the goodness of the Lord during the last
fifty years; and that we have been made
the honored instruments Gas | humbly
trusO in some small degree of advancing
His cause among men.
And wish now and here in the presence
of this whole congregation, to render
thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God
for His unspeakable goodness to me in
permitting me to preach the glorious gos-
pei of Christ so long. My text may be
found in Isaiah Goth chap, 22d verse: "A
little one shall become a thousand, and
small one strong nation"
Isaiah has Justly been called the evan
gelcal prophet. He seems to have had a
more clear view OF the latter day glory of
the church than any other of the Jewish
seers. While reading his writings we
forget that he lived between seven and
eight hundred years before the coming of
| Christ but think of him as witnessing and
participating in the stirring events of these
latter days. In this chapter ne speaks of
the glorious increase and prosperity of the
church under the gospel dispensation. In
| his vision he beholds the coming Savior,
and with rapture lie cries out, arise, shine,
| for thy light is come, and the glory of the
Lord is risen upon thee. And the Genties
shall come to thy light and kings to the
brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine
,Y,I oil ,rntI tI,nY
themselves together, they come to Thee; 4;
| thy sons shall come from far, and thy daugh.
ters shall be nursed at thy side"
Who are these that fly as cloud, and
AS doves to their windowsP Here the in
gathering of souls is beautifully described
1t is flying to Christ and to his church.
with what unanmityP all as one cloud
With what speed? AS cloud flying upt n
the wings of the wind They shall fly rs
MANY doves to their windows"-in great
flights together. They fly to Christ for safety
and for rest. So that "a little one shall
become a thousand, and Il small one q
strong nation"
The church at first was little one; al
first the number of names was but one
hundred and twenty; soon increased to
three thousand. then five thousand. And
the early planters of Christianity went for
ward with their hearts burning with love
and fired with zeal in spreading the Cos
pei; they visit Corinth, the most sensua
CITY of the age, AMI there Christianity il
planted Ephesus and the city of the grea
GODDESS Diana, became the site of "a Chris
lian church. Athens and the polished
Athenan stands upon Mars hill and listen
a., ,ieb, :,
the discourse OF Paul the tent maker. Gu
Divine Master had in parable said th
kingdom of God, or the gospel dispen
sation is like grain of mustard seed
which man took and sowed in his field
which is indeed the least of all seeds, bu
when it is grown is the greatest anon.
herbs and becometh a tree, and the bird
of the air come and lodge in the branche
of il. This parable presents the same ide
we have in the text, and indicates tn
=, mighty progress of.llis church on earth
From the smallest beginning it has assum
ed grand proportions and is destined to g
on winning It's way until all the world sha
, he filled with the glory of God, and tn
, universal shout shall 90 up from redeem
5 ed world, that all the earth is now tn
7 Lords. To trace the progress OF Chris
tianity in the earth and note its gran
3 achievements and development since il
l first introduction would be "a theme bot
5 grand and glorious; but this we cannot de
, All that we propose TO do is simply to loo
s at the progress that has been made by or
branch of the church in this country durin
b. the last fifty years, namely, the Method
/, Episcopal church. In its origin Method
u ism may well be called little one.
It November, 1929, the first Methodist 81
g ciety was formed, consisting of four persol
Il of Oxford England, Revs. John and Cha
d les Wesley, Mr.. Morgan and Mr.. Krl
d man The next year two or three OF M
l.. John Wesley's pupils wished to join then
i and afterwards one of Charles Wesley
s pupils. In 1882 two more were added
Il their number, Mr.. lngraham OF Queens
n lege and Mr.. Brougham of Exeter; to th
8 number was soon added Mr.. Clayton
b Brazennose, and two or three of his pupil
y, Mr.. James Harvey and Mr.. Whiteiie
If also met with them. Such was the reg
l. larity of their lives, that young gent
Ie man of Christ church was led to say, "he
+. is IL new set of Methodist sprung up"
y luding, as is said, to some ancient phys
Is clans that were so called The name tot
at once, and the name given in dersi'
has been adopted by them, and by u
name they have been known in all pa'
of the world. Here we have the beglnniI
,e of that form of religion known as Meth
ID dism.
40 Let us look briefly at the work accol