Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-12
THE GOSPEL OF LOVE.
An Eloquent Exposition by Rev, W. j. Daw-
son at wesley Chapel

son at Wesley Chapel
Yesterday was memorable day in the his
tory OF Wesley Chapel. The newly decorated
and refnrnished auditorium was opened for
the first time and three services were held
there during the day. Each was conducted by
a prominent delegate to the ecumenical con-
ference that supplied so many able preachers
to the local pulpits yesterday. The morning
service was conducted by Bishop Joyce, the
afternoon by Rev. Hugh Price Hughes and the
evening service by the Rev. W. ]. Dawson
The contributions at the three services were
for the purpose of defraying the expenses of
the church improvement. and aggregated up
ward Of $1,000. There was a large congresa-
ton present in the evening drawn by the
MIR. Dawson, whom all were anxious to see and
hear.
REV. ". J. DAWSON.
Not very clerical in his appearance, as cler-
ical appearance is popularity understood, is the
Rev. W. J. Dawson OF Glasgow. Dark curly
hair, brown mustache, a little goatee and
short. closely cropped side whiskers are his
hlrsute adornments. In manner Mr.. Dawson
Is quick almost to nervousness, but there is
nothing like unpleasant abruptness. He
strikes you as being religiously businssslike.
OF England's lecturers and pulpit orators, is
about thirty-seven years of age He
received his education at Kingswood and
at Bidsbury College. Manchester. His
hrst important pastorate was in London,
whittier he went in 1888 For two wears he
was stationed at City Road Chapel (Weslev's
old charged. Mr. Dawson commenced iecturine
In London on an extensive scale and from the
outset marvelously successful, NAV of his
lectures having to be repeated because the
spacious buildings used would not at one time
contain those who desired to hear Some of
the more famous of his efforts are: "Savona-
rola; Monk, Patriot and Martyr ''Sir Walter
Raleigh and His Times" Admiral Blake. With
Glimpses of the Commonwealth of England;"
The Marvellous Boy (Chatterton). a Picture of
England Hundred Years Ago." Wordsworth
and His Message" ''Tennyson," Browning
and His Message" 1t is not improbable that
Mr.. Dawson may deliver one or more of these
lectures while in Washington. In 1884 Mr..
Dawson published a volume Of poems. The
Vision OF Souls, and a year later presented to
the public collection of bright essays en-
titled Quest in Vision" THE Threshold of
Manhood, a series of sermons to young men.
appeared in 1888. and in 1899 he published
Makers of Modern English, a guide book to
the modern poets. There is now in the press
from his pen n socialistic story. The Redemp-
ton of Edward strahan" MIR. Dawson is the
principal editor of 1.-The Young Man."
monthly publication of more than ordinary
attractiveness. Mr.. Dawson's work is especially
directed toward young men, and in that field
his labors have been very successful The last
service conducted by Mr.. Dawson in Glasgow
(where he has resided for two years. gathered
together in one hall more than 5000 people and
fully many were turned away for lack of
room-testimony to the preachers eloquence
and power.
THF GOSPEL OF LOVE.
Mr.. Dawson took for the subject Of his dis
course last night the gospel of love, taking for
his text the two verses of Scripture. Love is
the fulfilling of the law" and Love is of God;
everyone that love III is born of God" In com
mencing his sermon Mr.. Dawson said that there
are two desires of which we are conscious The
first OF these is to be the highest that we can
become. From this desire to become some
thing that We are not have risen all religions.
The second Of these desires is to enjoy the
most we can and this desire takes a hundred
forms. In some the desire for enjoymen mt takes
a noble form, in others it takes a grosser like
ness. The church has taken various attitudes
toward this desire for Joy and at times its in
sistence upon strict asceticism has driven many
men out into the darkness of agrosticism
Men may give up their search for character,
but never for happiness and they will endure
all things in their pursuit of it. But there
comes a time when they realize that their ef-
forts are vain and that they have not found II.
The search after mere happiness in this life is
sure to END In an earnest longing for death and
oblivion.
The two texts are at once the ratification and
the explanation Of the two desires to be and to
enjoy The answer to these two desires is to
learn to love. man says that he cannot live
up to the law. But he can if he learns to love-
for love is the fulfilling of the law Religion
said John Wesley. sis love-" That sums it all
up. If you do not love you are not Christian
and have not attained the chief aim in life
You must love God and man with perfect love,
for love Ia of God. The decalogue would never
have been needed il men had loved one another.
Get love and you cannot help keeping the law.