Smyrna times., 1893-03-01
Sunday at the Methodist Church

OOhActJ 1O buO UuCJLLUU1St OuuTCU
Sunday was red letter day" at
the M. f. Church, as might be Judged
by the attendance and manifest inter
of the people. Rev. DR.. John A.
Roche, former pastor (1S49-50, and
who had been converted and gone out
from here into the itinerancvl had
been announced in these columns for
the morning service, which, coupled
with the cloudless day, was sufficient
to entirely fill the auditorium. The
choir and organ gave inspiration to
the opening service by a massive and
hnely rendered anthem preceding the
usual Introductory services from .he
pulpit opening the way for the sermon.
There was much more than the usual
expectancy from the pulpit, nor were
they disappointed. DR.. Roche took
for his subject the narrative of the
Syro-Phoenician woman, which gave
him full play for the central idea run
ming through the discourse, which was
taith-a faith that triumphs through
Its perSstency, because in its humble
intensity it will not be denied-reach-
ing its climax when the woman seiZes
the logic of the Master and turns it
upon him, declaring that "the dogs eat
the crumbs which fell from
their Masters table" The discourse
was characterized by the energy Of
voice and emphasis SO familiar to those
whose memory carried them back to
his pastOrate 42 years ago, and did
them good to hear again gospel mes
sage that came, in the language of
Isaiah, as from clips that had been
touched with live coal from off the
altar" His exegesis was striking in
its clearness aud force, his dicticn in
lifting words to ideas set the subject
matter out with luminosity, and
through it all there was the deftness,
skill and fire Of the orator In the use
Of the alliteratiVe in illustration he is
ticularly iOrcsful where most men in
using the same expression, would fail.
One Of his congregation, who had
never heard him before, and knew him
only as he knew Gladstone, the Grand
Old Man" who at 83, fills the position
of Premier of the British Empire, said
he could not help during the service,
of running the parallel between the
vigor of the two as they hold the null
titude at their will The Doctor lacks
a few months of his fourscore, but like
the great Englishman above referred
TO, his mental and nervous forces are
at his command with the effectiveness
that characterized his earlier life.
Another gentleman, only an occas-
iOnal visitor to this church, said that
in reading his first hyran, commencing
with 20 for faith that will not
shrink" there was such an elocution-
AIRY effect in bringing out its depth of
meaning, such a soulful effect and |
JUNCTION, that the hymn itself had the |
effect of a sermon.
On closing his discourse he begged
permission for personal reference to
himself, the associations that were !
awakened in returning to the home of |
his youth, the ministers Of those daVs |
the class of thirty five who entered the |
when he did. not one of !
whom was now effective, and nearly |
81! mad passed over the narrow stream |
Of death, and declared that in all the |
places in country or city in which he |
had been in the fifty eight years of his |
Ministerial life not one place was SO |
SHClIouCN NitN Hb CuuFCu or people |
stood so dear 10 him as those of |
smyrna.
The afternoon was occupied by the |
5undav-schoO in Big Missionary
Day, ," in which the speakers of both |
night aHd morning took a part.
AT night the house was again we'll |
illed. The services were in the inter.
EST of the WOman's Foreign Missionary !
society, Mrs. Rev w. L, Tompkinson, |
)t Mt. Pleasant. being present accord |
ny to announcement. Mrs. Tompkin-
'On is fluent, intelligent speaker, and |
leld the close attention of her audience |
Tor the 30 minutes of her discourse.
commencing with Eve in the Garden
1t Eden, she traced the position and
: ORR Of YOmen on down, the point
emphasized being that all
are effected through great
iacrihces. At the close of the address
IN effort was mape to get new names.
md several were added to an already
we'll constituted society.