The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-04-10
The Wyoming Conference e.

There is something peculiarly sug'
gestiye in the as:emblage. beginning
tonight, of the Methodist ministers
of the Wyoming &C inference, n of the
largest, most intelligent and most
thoroughly organized conferences in
the leading Protestant denomination
in our country, taking place in a
church which admirably typiies in its
manifold charms the majesty, purity
and humanity Of theChristiau religion
A progress is taking place in the ma
terial comforts Of mankind which this
church and this convention of Christian
ministers calls wildly to mind. The
beautiful architect ure, the sublime and
inspiring music, the glad light Of the
bright spriugtims tiltsring in through
colored windows upon an interior
scene Of inspiring solemnity. peace and
restfulnass-all these things, and many
more delicate emotions and iutuitions
which eyade definition in words, but
which combine to subdue the spirit Of
the worshippor in the new Elm Park
sactuary are comparative novelties in a
denomination which since its birth has
worked among the middle or the lower
classes, carrying into the lanes and
into tho bypatls of human activity a
new message Of Divine forgiveness and
new hope Of Divine aid.
Yet it will be shown during the CON
ference sessions. as it has already been
demonstrated during the services in
which Scrautonians particularly have
participated, that the csntury'S adj
vance in material achievements, 80 we'll
represented in this model combination
Of church and school and home, has not
ahated in the slightest that honest
spiritual zeal or that cordial anu un-
ostsuta,ious brotherhood which have
through all its generations been the
predominant characteristics of the
Methodist Episcopal church. In the
hearty and whole-souled welcome
which Scrautonlans ia general
and Scranton Msthodists in par
ticular will this week extend to
the visiting clergymen Of this body, a
welcome in which the distinctions Of
wealth or pretansion that so often pre-
vail in secular intercourse will be OBJ
liberated entirely, there will be exhib-
tied a convincing refutation of the
sometimes expressed fear that accumu.
lated church riches necessarily mean
corresponding spiritual decay. or that
the giving to Gods home OF some OF
the adornmsnts which we freely confer
upon our own implies a weakened
faith or involves a sacrificed charity.
We offer this thought as an intro
ductory greeting in the hope that it
may remove any possible ~misappre-
tensions among those Jealous and ILL
recompensed men who form the Dulk
and stay of the evangelical corps of
this aith-ill-recompensed, we say, in
the light Of commercial standards, but
surely not poorly paid in the peculiar
and abiding rewards which coma to the
consecrated worker in the vineyard of
the Master. If at the first introduce
ton to the beauties of this urban
temple there should arise 3 f~seting
thought Of comparison with the hum
bic church at home, perhaps with its
straight backed pews. its cushionless
seats and its lamps that shed Il flicker
ing glow Over the earnest but simple
wo:shippers within. let it be recalled
that all the differences which human
Ingenuity can devise or human gener.
osity call into being can never obscure
the fundamental tie of Christian fell
lowship, which has bean, is and for,
ever will be the bond that links to.
gether the honSst followers of Christ.