Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-12-29
WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT?
Celebration of the Centennial OF
Meth0dism
At the Martins Ferry Church---lnteresting
Eseosises and Reminiseenees---Ad-
mirable Sermons.

/ Jua seventy years ago yesterday the
! Methodist Epia ,opal church was established
| in Martins Pa Ty, and that church celeT
brated the IoGsh anniversary of Methodlsm
yesterday in an interesting manner.
Services wore heA. morning, afternoon and
evening. The ars. udance was very large
and the day was one Of the most interesting
in the history of Ii. church. The large
a,d commodious ediffs was tastetuliy dec,
orated with evergreen natural mowers anu
ornaments and presesa Cd q sPiendiu ap'
pearance A large plaza Irm had been pre-
viously erected On the IN OF the roStrum
over which appeared 'rge arch, nicely
decorated. under which ga suspended the
motto'in gilt letters
|, ''wbsa HATH Gsd VA ught.
!. Directly uuderit and sp the wan JUST
back of il appeared 'l784 aaa 1884, sigm'
fying the 100 years existense-s ei Methooism
The pulpit Was decorated with ever,
greens and rare plants. and with pictures OF
the departure of The Pilgrim IFsta erS on one
side and the landing on the other and with
pictures of the different prOmiue,a bishops
Of the church; aud appropriate mut 'oes aP
pearing abeyt4f, az nicely arrasgFa Tor the
occasion.
THB OENTESHIAL SERMON
was announced to be preached in thu morn
ing and this was, to be the prinaip,u ser
mon oil the day. DR.. 4. S. DeHasswA to
preach IL. Long before. the ringing Of the
second bell the church was filed to It's
utmost by people from this and the adId'n-
ing towns. Precisely at 1880 the service
were opened with an anthem, followed by
the voluntary BY the choir Praise the
Lord" The singing of the 764th hymn
came next, followed by zen minutes prayer
by the efficient pastor, Rev. Eavl d. Holtz. !,
The 76Sth hymn was next sung, after
which Mr.. Holtz appeared and stated that
he regretted exceedingly that DR.. DeHass !
was unavordably detained and unable to
attend, as previously announced, and that |
he heartily sympathized with those who |
were disappointed by not hearing him. He
took for his subject What hath God
wrought" His sermon is as follows:
THE SERMON.
We live in worldof progressive thought. |
The tendency of the age is upward. This
century produces the miracle OF oil ages. |
This is an eventiul day, proud day in |
Zion. Christianity is the greatest force in |
this world first because it touches the in. |
terest8 of everyday life; second, because it
is competent 10 lift up. the race; third, be- |
cause it gives life and cheer and greatest |
hope We stand upon prominent peak OF |
lofty mountain and look back across |
wurdrous century; and as we gaze the |
SCI ne becomes more grand as the genera |
tons pass in successive review. Look yon- |
der in the early dawniag OF 1854, and see
handful Of corn planted in the top of
the mountain. Now watch the growth and
development Of that planting. See how 1t
increases, and gathers strength as the years
roll BY and now at length its fruits thereof
shake like the cedars Of Lebanon until they
of The city do flourish like the grass Of the
earth. But it is impossible to take in all
Of the magnificent scenery at one view.
You must look at il from all sides and from
different standpoints. You are to let your
vision sweep back through the ages of the
centuries agone and see the first planting OF
that GOSPEL seed. You are TO watch its
growth amid stern opposition by strongest
enemies. You are to see its struggles as it
comes up through carnage, blood and fire,
and as you look you will see the enmity of
thrones and armies, philosophy and learned
men, all against il, and yet it grows and be-
comes strong, a mighty force to the world,
until at last, with the tread Of giant in lis
steps, it stands within the threshold OF every
empire Of earth and holds in its grasp,
THE GATHERING SETTER OF AUTHORITY
| in every civilized land the world over. Scan
| bat K over the ages and across Ge centuries
| and remember that the Lord has done great
things for us, whereof we are glad and with
gladness we exclaim, Behold what God
hath wrought"
Christianity is marked by interesting
Epochs. Mark well thase Epochs along
the ages. See what God wrought in the
first three centuries, which are like mountain
peaks whose SUBMITS tower skyward, glitter
ing in the glory of Gods eternal sunlight
To-day you stand upon the glowing light of
one of the granGest and most significant
centuries in the Christian age, and now
beg of you to take in review, il you can, the
gittering glory of these magnificent noun
tain as represented in the fewer prominent
Epochs Of our glorious Christianity. Mark
all the progress in members in power, in
ever undyipg Influences, in g!ittering
glory as you pass by in review Of these tow
erirg Epochs of time.
Mcthodism, what does it meanH What
has it done? 1t has gone everywhere as
mighty force 1t could not be buried.
Wesley said "The world is my parish.
Never in all Of human history has been seen
such wonderfully remarkable century
as is marked between those days l7S4-lSS4
In 766 starting out with obscure persons
In ) years, III, there were Goo members.
December Is, 1854, when the NJ. Z. Church
was organized, there were SO preachers and
$4,000 members At the death of Bishop
Asbury, 1916, ten years after the first class
was formed in Martins Ferry, there were
COS travelling preachers, 1000 lay preachers
and 2l4,OOO members, and so the progress
, continued right on up until there were 5OO,-
| coo members, then 100000 and now we
number an immense army of 100000
members, besides $4,000 travelling preach
t ers and $4,000 lay preachers. How many
, are in 100000 l do not know. 1t would
r make continuous line four abreast 500
miles long, taking twenty-eight days to pass
5 given point. Yes, lett
!: Re WRITTEN IN GOLD
and glitter in continuous sunlight all over
a this world. What hath God wrought
Not unto us, o Lord, but unto thy name
we give glory. Look at these glitterine
0 figures Behold the religious condition o.
e the world! Men, great IN scholarship, il
e morsLstrength, great in endurance, in states
3 craft, in pulpit power; great in evangelical
;, efficiency and in profoundness Of strength
e Who are they? Coke, Asbury, Fisk, Bas