The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-09
BETHANY.s FIRST SUNDAY.


Large Attendance of Visitors and Interest
ing Services-tseneral Cary's Lecture
The first Sunday at Bethany resulted in bring
ing joy to the hearts of the managers of the
assembly. The attendance was about twenty
five hundred, and although the park was COM
fortably filed with visitors, there was no
confusion, and during the entire day nothing
transpired that could be criticised by the most
orthodox Christian. The promoters of these
annual series of meetings conceived the idea of
placing them higher plane than the average
hum drum camp-meeting. and the results have
so far happily exceeded their most sanguine
expectations. The understanding is abroad that
Bethany was designed as Christian institution
Cor the observance of religious forms and serv-
Ices and the consequence is, there Is not much
attraction here for the rabbla. There was ample
testimony to this happy condition of affairs at
the several services at the taberna-
Gle to-day. The large audiences were
made up of ladies and gentlemen of culture
who were evidently there for the purpose of en-
tering fully into the spirit of the services. The
strictest decorum prevailed, and the attention
was so close and the interest manifest that
the managers publicly proclaimed their apprecia-
ton.
At o'clock the tabernacle was occupied by
the Sunday school, Professor Atwater acting in
the capacity of superintendent. Elder John S.
Sweeney of Paris, KY, was to have preached
at the morning services, but he was not present
or accounted for at the advertised hour. In his
absence B. j. RsdTord, OF Cincinnati, was
called upon to supply the vacancy, and for more
than an hour ne charmed his audience
with an eloquent and pathetic. disserta-
tion on the subject of Christian love-
This service was opened with appropriate
remarks by d. r. Van Buskirk, master of cere-
monies. and prayer by Mr. L. Fl. Jamison. On
being introduced Mr. Radford explained that he
would not preach from any particular text
"for,' said ne, any preacher ought to take any
chapter of the New Testament and preach the
Gospel Of Jesus Christ Lovo is often the ami
nation of great deeds If there is a sweeter
thing than loving, it is the consciousness of be-
ing loved Napoleons ambition to cause
himself to be feared by all men; Caesar
made the sword the measure of his
ambition Christ did not love the sword nor did
He court the praise or admiration of men In
every action He was influenced by the unselfsh
love begotten by the Heavenly Father and ex-
erted for the salvation OF the don't be-
lieve much in "divine discomfort said the
speaker Divine discomfort is like dynamite.
1t may be used successfully in blowing up He'll
Gate, but you can't run ship with it. The real
forces of the universe are reduced to twopush and
pull Push is the impulse and power, but after
all the love OF God is the ruling influence OF the
world"
The most interesting feature of the DAYS pro-
gramme was the lecture on ''The Wines of the
Bible" by Gen. 3. f. Cary. His remarks were
made in the inmitable style for which he has
so long been noted and ELECTED frequent laughter
and applause. He vigorously combatted the
hmsy theory that any kind of wine drinking
had the approval of Holy Writ. and declared
that the Bible, from the first verse of
Genesis to the last verse of Reve
lation, taught total abstinence. General Cary
entered into learned discussion OF the Bible
references to the drinking of alcoholic liquors.
from which he adduced the conclusion that
where in the inspired book was there reference
that could be construed into an approval of wine-
drinking, DR. Crosby TO the contrary notwith-
standing. Germans" he said. 'are given to
drinking beer, the Irishman to whisky while the
Americans drink anything and get drunk
everything Patriotism forbids that America
nation of drunkards cannot be ma
ton of freemen. Temperance does
not come from the ebullitions of
fanaticism, but from the springs of eternal
truth. When the Creator looked abroad at the
beginning and pronounced all His work very
good there not q drop of alcohol in the
universe. Whisky is the result of the rottenness
and decay of the good things God created, and
you cannot violate the law of your being with
out paying the penalty that inevitably comes OF
argumentative and eloquent, seasoned with just
enough wholesome wit to make it palatable
Preceding General Cary's lecture the sacred
communion rites were observed, followed by a
brief song service led by Professor Alexander
Hopkins, Mr.. l.. H. Jamson and the Emmer-
son Quartet The days services closed with an
interesting sermon by J. H. O.. Smith, State
evangelist of Ednburg. To-day has been desig
mated Temperance day AT $50 A. NJ, Prof.
Radford. of Cincinnati will lecture and the reg
ular programme will follow in the order given
below 1890 A. NJ, address by General Samuel
f. Cary of Cncinnat 2:30 p NJ, addresses
by Mrs. T. g. Wallace, of Indianapolis Aaron
Walker. of Kokomo, and short speeches by 9TH
ers; 730 P. NJ, song service; P. NJ, grand sacred
concert by the Roberts Park Sunday -school or
chestra, Louis f. Vogt, leader
The concert to night is looked forward TO with
pleasant anticipations and large attendance is
expected. On Tuesday, Professor Radford will
deliver another of his interesting normal lect
ures, and the rest of the day will be devoted to
various subjects in which the State Missionary
Society is particularly interested.