The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-11-02

Oh INC Fourth Street Methodist ChuFch,
arrived in the city Saturday and took
rooms temporarily at the Mcclure
House. He occupied the pulpit ycster-
day morning.
DR.. Riker is a man OF medium size,
wears n full beard, cropped rather close,
ana heavy mustache, and is very bald.
lie speaks iuently and with ease, but
forcibly and reads his hymns impress
sively. He seemed to know those he
used yesterday nearly by rote. Tho
scripture lesson was also read with good
| elect. He used no notes OF any kind.
lie made 4 good impression, and there
is n good deal OF pleasureable anticipa-
ton among his congregation OF the wet
Sunday in the near future to which he
referred yesterday rs the time when he
would "preach his best"
SYNOPSIS OF TIE SERMON.
Tho doctor prciaced his talk by re-
marking that he supposed many had
como to hear how we'll the new
preacher could preach. He asked his
congregation to dismiss the idea from
their minds. He would now deliver to
them tho message God had given him
to deliver; at 4 future time he would
try to preach his best-on some rainy
day, when the best church members
were present, for only the best came to
church on wet days.
The text OF the sermon, "God is love-"
was taken from First John, i, s. The
words OF this text, the doctor said, are
very simple, and yet no two minds
conceive OF them exactly alike. There
are some characteristics OF the Divine
Being which we all recognize but even
these are conceived OF differently The
text speaks OF one characteristic,
namely, that He is love.
GODS KIND OF LOVE.
This term is variously conceived, and
yet there are some things about it
which we all recognize. 1t would give
false meaning to the text to apply u
definition OF the word love, rs here used,
which would separate the divine from
the human by an infinite abyss. 1t
means, simply, love, as we apply the
VIM IA oiNindis SoIlNcISItlOl. ~ Is
that quality which makes home and
wife and mother the tcnderes! and
sweetest word in our language. 4 great
writer has inquired whether orthodoxy
misunderstands God. He is certainly
misunderstood ii His love is defined to
be something other in kind than the
love of mother for her child. This
writer; has analysed love and found it to
consist OF three elements, namely, be-
nevolcnce, righteousness and self-re-
spect. Bcnevolencc means well-wish-
ing, and since God is love-. it is comfort
ing to know that in every holy ambition
OF the soul the influence OF tho throne
OF the universe is OH it's sido Nicari-
BUSINESS is the quality OF love which
sacrifices sell for tho attainment OF
good to its object. The one supcrlative
| illustration OF this is the sacrifice OF
Jesus Christ Tor the purpose OF crystal
izing the good will OF God TO men. This
act was a temporal manifestation OF a
constant fact, God is willing to give
Himself, in every available opportunity,
| for the welfare OF His earth children.
His constant love toward the race and
LIS iIistailt IciuIllcSS W Hl3hc II llelD-
iul arc valuable to man beyond compu.
| tation.
The self-respect, which is the quality
OF love, is the guarantee to those who
become the subjects OF that love by
accepting its gracious benefits, that its
full Dlessedness shall be assured to
them without intrusion. The great
God is determined, by virtue OF His
self-respect, to provide place and a
condition wherein His loved and His
own can be fully developed and per.
fectly happy. The love which God
bears TO His children is compatible
with all His attributes. Is he omnipo-
tent? Then wherever He is there He is
loved, and there. is no place in the uni
verse where 4 soul can be out OF the
range OF Gods love. Tho onlvway BY
which soul can lose its inheritance in
love is to reject it. Our friends that
have died in the faith are Just as sale,
wherever they are, as they could be-
here. For God is /. everywhere, and
God is love. So, too, love is compatible
with His power, with His Justice and
with His providenccs, adverse though
tucN Itiay ecell W US III our nurrOW
range OF vision. For them that love
God and permit Him to have His way
with Him, I'LL things work together Tor
good.
1t is remembered, in view OF DR.,
Riker's text, rs rather I coincidence
that Dr. CushinS's last sermon to his
congregation was on the text, Loyc
one another"
A SHORT SKETCH OF DE. RIKER's LIFE.
DR.. Rikcr was born in q Methodist
parsonage in Ohio, in the fall OF 1852,
and moved from place to place with his
father, who was, and is, an honored
member OF the Ohio conference. He
taught school four years in the public
schools OF Ohio, after which he eradu.
ated at the Ohio Wesleyan University,
at Delaware, O., with the class OF 10,
In the iall OF that year he united with
the Ohio conference and was ordained
deacon by Bishop Simpson, having been
q local preacher Of large experience ior
six years prior to the time. Flo was
appointed to Worthington, one oil the
better circuits in his conference.
Having remained there for two years
lie was sent to take charge OF the Third
Street church, in Columbus, O., where
for the full pastoral term he had great
prosperity. Tho membership OF the
church was doubled, great revivals were
| hold nurI voar tho 1obte ,.o,,H III :,