Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-03
TIE DAYS OF WESLEY
Mr.. cAsMlcHAeus SERMON ON rHE
METHODIST CHURCH kND ORIGIN.
Or. rin Talks 20 Wage wcrkers--Il ishop
jackson At Grace Church-or. New
ton at NJ. John's-other Notes.

The subject OF his discourse, WHICH was
"a exceedingly interesting one, was
afotholisui." and his text was Sirs,
ye arc brethren, Why do ye wrong to one
AAethor 2"
l.. his Opening retnarks the preacher gave
~ shte.cs;ieg history of the origin OF this
great sect, which sprung from very small
in dealing with Neshodism." said he,
: ON historical inquiry viii not be 80 diiii-
crlt. because ia history IS perfect To-
r.orrow Monday viii be the centennial
OF tho day OF It's beginning"
'sTha real history OF Mothodlsm.p con
tipnod he. must begin with John Wesley.
btlf 81 ccurse we ave aware that there are
other great nsles IN connection with II.
and al Of these helped 70 bring Il @bout.
Without Wesley, however, aud his mar
veiIous personal ipfiuonce and bic singular
powers the work would have beena failure.
now THE CHURCH aTGUy.
'sIn 1877 few young men in the colleges
81 Oxford began 80 meet Together with the
view OF revival OF religion. Tsey excited
greet riEeule hy their views and were
called bg ell sorts OF ridiculous names,
mud among these MethOdists' Only
about Eaii dozen Of thom remained true,
ana among those Was Wesley. THIS great
man. Wide stil young aud before he views
I had taken any definite form. Wa called 70
church 10 Georgia. but hts work here
was not successful and in two years he re-
turned to England. II was then that hrs
real conversion was elected, and 1t was ny
the English Church. Wesley's theology
vns after all tho theology Of the Church,
and up TO the end Of his life be was not
only a ohurchmau, but moreover what Is
called a hirh-ehurchman
.For these reasons" said the speaker,
"there should be no antagonlatic feelings
between tho Methodist aud Episcopal
Churches.
1.-THE theology Of their Church is the
theology o. oprs.. and there y nothing IN
either their theology or practice wh,ch IL
Inconsistent with their being in fall com.
muuion witt the Protestant Episcopal
Church. The rules Wesley laid down for
the people called McthOdists' would DO
Q good guide for churchmen."
FONTS OF purEETNcT.
Mr.. Carmichael then explained in an
Interesting and thorough manner some OF
che points Of difference between the two
CHURCHES "On tEe question Of aacTa-
rnent" said he. "tho two Churches use
elmost the identical things and on tine
fuhiect Of holy communion there Is practi-
caliy no difference"
Iurthel on the preacher said " II is bet
lNl tAN YIN lNARA HIS AhttAffts AsfA AH ~ 'fA-
WAYS gentle aud coniderate brethren,
and repair what wrong we have done in
the past. One would like 10 see confer
ences # an opon aud friendly KIND with
our Methodist brethren. in the mean
time let Us remember that they arr. our
own flesh and our own blood. That which
j. impossible beyond the SEA can be eject
cd in this country May God give us the
spirit Of humility that we may seek each
other"
The speaker then related the old Roman
legend about the mighty chasm which
formed in the city of Seven Hills. The IN
genuity of the Roman engineers couldhnd
no way TO I'll the gulf and at last the ora
cles, when consulted, said that 1t could
only be filed by casting the most valuable
thing in Rome into II. Whom this became
known a noble young man rode his steed
70 the brink of the precipice and plunged
headlong into il. by this means the gulf
was closed.
preacher. 1--WE cast all our sclishfeelings-
oil that now separates us-then Will that
gull (Which threatens TO grow wider every !
day be closed forever"
Sermon to Wage-WoTkers.
On Sunday evening despite the bitter |
end threatening weather fine audience |
assem- bled at the Nenabc-Street church TO |
hear the first of series of sermons to wage |
workers by Rev. DR.. II. II. Pitt, the pastor. |
The discourse was from the text, Other |
men labored and ye have entered into |
their lab0rs," aud the theme discussed WAS |
"Ihe debt Of wage-workers TO Christi
anity."
The speaker said that at least two-thirds
OF his ministerial life had been spent |
among people who, for the most part,
wrought with their hands Tor. their own
support and for the support of those de- |
pendent upon them. During eight and |
one-half wears he had been among the |
honest toilers Of that community. He had |
been guest at their homes, had nursed |
their sick, had married their sons and |
daughters, had buried their dead. He |
had therefore, hethought, earned the right |
70 speak 10 them. He asked for no higher |
honor. no more exalted Office, no more con- |
genial work.
WHAT CHRISTIANITY HAS DONE.
He reminded his hearers that they were
free men because of the influence of Chris
tisnltY. Until comparatively recent times
1aborers whether rude or skilled were IN q
condition of practical servitnde. Many OF
the monuments of those earlier and evil
times were erected by slaves.
Power was then in the hands of the few
end the toillng masses OF menwere dumb.
driven cattle" Christ's first sermon an
nounced that he was sent TO preach de-
liveTance TO the captlves and set az liberty
them that were bruised. Christianity had
been hindered by hateful and unhOly
alliance with temporal power from doing
It's legitimate work. 1t was thus hindered
even to-day in many countries. Butts great
humanizing principles could not be always
obscuTed and where they had been freest TO
do their work there men were happiest
They were indebted TO Christianity for the
fact that more and more II was recognized
that hard hand was better than hard
heart. Speaking of how Christianity put
the crown of distinction upon honest,
simple, Wholesome labor the speaker said
please observe that IL was to shepherds
keeping their fiocks that the heavenly host
appeared; il was carpenter who sought
room at the inn and found IL not, and IL
was of Mary, the carpenters wife, that the
Prince OF Peace was born; IL was trade
and not profession TO which the Son OF
God was brought up. They were hsher-
men and peasants whom Jesus. as rule,
chose as his companions IN labor and has
closest friends il was as q gardener that
lie appeared after HIS resurrection To one
who loved and worshipped him; It was.
q tent-maker who, in the early DAYS of the
organization of His church, was the CEN
tral and commanding figure"
WARNED AaANsT ERROR.
DIR. Pitt warned the workDgmen who
heard him OF two errors into which
thoughtless people sometimes fell. One
was in supposing that those who wrought
with their hands were the only working
people. The Sayiour's last three years on
earth were his busiest and most toilsOme,
but he was not then working ct his trade.
The other error was in the assumption
that every poor man waa q laborer and
every rich man q loater. There were la
boreIs among both classes and loafers
among both. They ought 10 profoundly
respect tue iaborers and to have whole
gone and vigorous contempt for the Loaf
ers The loafer was o despicable fellow.
IL did not matter whether he wore patent
leEiher shoes, kid gloves, aud spent his
time ~ the stTeet-eorners alternately suck
ing the head of his cane and smoking ciga-
rettes. ogling meanwhile the busy-mov-
tng multtude, or whether BIO wore
brogans. WAS iunocent OF gloves and cane,
and spent has time louHging OF the corner
grocery-he was essentially the same.
The speaker proceeded 10 trace various
lines along which tho Christian religion
had softened the asperities of toisOme
lie and had brought to the laboring
elasees unnumbered blessings.
lie concluded by showing how the Cos
pei brought the blessed hope of final re-
ttaf Ill a.. 4