The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-09

ant, but in the pulpit it was rather monotonous.
His manner was always dignifed and impressive,
his countenaDce wearing a look OF solemnlty.
1t has been said of him that he was never known
to laugh. He looked and acted as If the weight
of responsibility for souls was resting upon him.
He seldom preached without thoroughly study
ing his sermon, but never took notes with him
into the pulpit His intellect was of the massive
order and he always arranged his sermons in
logical order Whea he had finished one of his
discourses it was a symmetrical, beautiful
whole without flaw or blemish. He had
not the fiery eloquence of Strange, nor
the persuasive powers of Beauchamp nor could
he sway multitudes like Bigelow; lifting them
upon the mountain top one moment and casting
them into the valley the next; melting them to
tears and then making them to raise the shouts
of victory; but he was more logical than either
of them. If he took any model for his sermons,
it was st. Paul. He was a reasoner. not
pleader. His aim was to convince and not to
control by mastering the feelings. Hence it
was the church grew strong under his mlnistra-
tons He built up his church in faith and in the
knowledge of Jesus Christ. He fed his people
upon the strong meat of the word. He told no
anecdotes, and seldom used an illustration. lie
depended entirely upon his arguments.
AS / said before, he always prepared his
sermons with great care. He departed from
that rule on ono very notable OCCASION and
many think his sermon at that time was the
q
entering his pulpit, he saw lying upon the Bible
a note It read like this: preach from this
text today and will hear you: And God said
unto Moses, AM THAT AM; and he said, Thus
shalt say unto the children of Israel, l AN hath
sent me unto you" He had prepared his SER
mon for the occasion, but he read the note over
two or three times. He then knelt down and
engaged for some time in silent prayer. After
the opening exercises had been gone through
with, he announced the text as requested. For
more than two hours he poured out his irresist-
ible logic, expounding the Scriptures and I'M
folding the nature and attributes of the Godhead.
Il exposed the fallaces of Arlanlsm, and dem
onstrated the eternity of the existence of God:
He struck at the very root of atheism, and
after establishing the eternity of God, he argued
with convincing power that Christ, the Son, was
consubstantial with the Father. The sermon
was one Of wonderful power, and is worthy a
place among the great pulpit efforts of the world.
Another great effort was his funeral discourse
over Bishop Roberts. Mr. Roberts had labored
extensively in Indiana and Indiana Methodlsm
owed much to him. He died and was buried
within her borders. Mr. Wiley was called upon
to preach his funeral sermon. The impressive
lessons of the bishops life were portrayed with
vividness and power that made them stand out
like letters of fire. His complete consecratonr
his chidlike simple faith, his benevolence, his
pure life, his devotion to the Church, were all
magnifcently painted pictures in the grand pan
Drama. He spoke with more than his usual earn
estness. There was always something IN his
vicion that he felt to the fullest extent the truth
Of what he uttered and that these truths were
essential. Or this occasion he told the story of
this single. minded yet grand hero of the cross
with pathos, power and earneStnesS that has
meyer been forgotten by any who heard him.
The theme was an inspiring one, and he felt its
influence.
He loved his church, its doctrines and style Of
government While he met those of other
denominations with the right hand of Christian
fellowship it was when he was in the society of
Methodists that he was happiest. AS pastor
he faithful in the discharge of all his duties
counseling, helping, cheering, warning his
members. He was especially attentive to the
sick, and was often found at their bedside. He
was punctual in meeting his appoint
ments, and no danger, no toll was
great enough to make him miss
an appointment, or even be late, if the danger or
was strict in the administration of discipline,
yet kind and gentle withal. He had no patience
with cant or hypocrisy, and sometimes seemed
unnecessarily harsh in reproving it. He
firm believer in the doctrine that no man could
serve God and mammon at the same time. At
the meetings of the annual conference he was
always in his seat. He was four times dele
gate to the general conference Of the church, and
always ranked as leader. He was fervent
friend of education, and was long time of
the trustees of Asbury University. Wherever
he was. in whatever capacity, he was leader.
He gave thirty-six years of his life to the min
lstry, and did as much as any other man to
mold the moral character of the early settlers of
Indiana. He left the seal of his influence upon
his own denomination in especial manner
Early Methodism in Indiana was blessed with
noble band of heroes Bgelow, Strange, Ora
yens, Beauchamp, Griffith, Berry, and Wiley.
What glorious band! And Wiley was the peer
of any. Grand in his faith in the earnestness
of his purpose, in his devotion to duty, he was,
every inch. a Christian hero. Lofty in thought,
exalted in his DESIRES pure in heart he lived but
to advance the cause of Christ, and. when death
good fight: have finished my course l have
kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for
me a crown of Righteousness, which the Lord.
the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that day."