The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1891-06-20
EpXvorth League Convention.

Somely decorated, and flowers III pro
fusion adorned the rostrum.
The convention was largely attended
visitors coming from, Red Wing, st.
Paul, Two IIarbors, Oneota, Duluth
and other points.
The session was opened by President
| shannon, of West Duluth Rev ). :,
| Farley, of Lester Park, WAS chosen
| Secretary. ii. w. Austin, an attor
ney OF the east end, delivered the adj
: dress of welcome in a very happy yet
earnest manner, in the course of which
he said:
4 stand before you with mingled
emotions of pleasure and regret; pleas
urc in the realization that have been
selected from among SO many, and
honored with the privilege OF wclcom-
ing you; regret that l am 50 incompe-
tent to perform the honor bestowed.
/ | feel that 4 compliment has been be-
slowed on the league at the east end
of which it was my privilege to recent
~
the Epworth league of Superior | eX-
tend you one and all hearty welcome
But little time has elapsed since this
organization was Eshered into exist
ence, though the foundation was lad
over 100 years ago. Now, not only
have we in this hnd over 5000 chapt-
eTs with SOC, 900 members, but foreign
leagues are being established.
After giving Il short sketch of the
Ieaue and its mission. he closed with
this earnest appeal for renewed an III
creased energy for the work before
! it:
Then with high hope and firm re-
! solve let us put forth every effort III
cur power and do all we can III filling
/ the earth with the knowledge and glory
of God. Then not only will we be re-
warded with that sweet consciousness
of the inner man which characterlzeS
every true christians life i'll the world.
/ When our time comes to join the in
! Vulnerable caravan which leads to the
land of the eternal, we shall 80 not as
| the doomed slave to his dungeon, but
as one who wraps the drapcry OF his
couch about him and lies down to PIE
asant dreams
! II. II. Briggs, Esq, of Duluth, re-
spondcd to the address of welcome
! substantially as follows:
II am in peculiar position i'll re
spending and expressing to you the
gratitude of the visiting leagues, be-
cause am almost a total stranger my
| self But | remember We comein the
name of HIM who is above us all, the
name of the Son No matter whether
/ we are strangers or united i'll Christ,
and respond and accept your hearty
welcome in the same spirit i'll which it
was given"
Some men are doubling the eXpGd.-
, ency of Our existence. We are, it is
true, quite young, but though we have
| now only $50 900 members, if they will
give lis year or two more to grow Ill,
we think the question of cur right to
live will be settled. We are trying to
build up Righteousness among the
young people. We are not oil fogies
! We are moving on ana trying to keep
| abreSt of the best thought of the day.
We believe III higher criticism, not
| that of the schools, but that of the
| spirit which is from above. Weblllcve
in "a second probation, not for dead
people, but for the living; that IS, If a
man falls give him another chance,
seventy times seven
! The league builds upon the Bible, as
! being the really inspired word of God
Its precepts guide, its promises inspire
us. and on this line the work will go on
unit the end comesrwith the grand vic
tory and the glory of heaven.
Let us then look out joyfully into
! the future. This league was organized
under God for mighty purpose. Let
us not be led by the faithless- Despite
some opinions to the contrary the
Methodist Episcopal church is a heart
with all in educational progress. We
have Jesus Christ with US. This league
stands for grander intellectual lie
and culture Let us go forth i'll the
work and God will be with us
! The main feature of the evening sess-
, ion was the ad lreSs by Rev. w. Nc
kinley, Presiding Elder of the NJ. E.
church, of the st: Paul, Minnesota
district We cannot reproduce much
of his address, but among other good
/ points he gave utterance to these
thoughts which all may proitaDly pom
der oyer:
M ethodisln had its Origin in the felt
need of Il personal religion i'll dlstinc-
ton to corporate religion. Man IS a
social beng and the tendency is to or
ganize. The corporate life often grows
at the expense of the individual. The
church, which was organized as me
,iium to reach God, became wall.
John Wesley, at Oxford, saw and felt
that religion to be valuable muSt be
PERSONAL; that the true OBJECT of
the church was to bring man into ia
mediate personal relation with God.
This was the origin of Nethodlsm.
Wesley sought to bring the living
soul of living man into immediate
contact with IA living god. This was
christianity as opposed to christianity.
This found expression in the battle cry
of the early Methodlsts, Full, free, pre-
sent salvation.
Personal choice makes 4 man 4
christian; it is not an act of God. In
his sphere man is as free as God is in
his Thus Wesley taught free viii.
The free viii of man meeting the free
will of God logically led to free grace,
e. nd f,.aa IL iAf