St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-21
ST. PAUL BETHEL OF AGE.
ITS TWENTY = FIRST ANNfYERSAR Y
CELEBRATED YESTERDAY
AT HOUSE OF HOPE CHURCH.

Rev. DR.. Egbert breaches the An.
niversary Sermon in the Fore
! noon-Platform Meeting in the
Evening-Addresse by Presf-
dent Kirk, David Morgan, Mr..
Yerxa and Others.
! Yesterday was the twenty first ami
versary of the organization of the Bethel
association in st. Paul, and the event
was celebrated at the House of Hope.
| In the forenoon Rev. DR.. Egbert
| preached an anniversary sermon, and
in the evening platform meeting was
held, at which addresses were delivered
by DR.. Egbert; r. A. Kirk. president Of
the association: Rev. David Morgan,
chaplain; Thomas E. Yerxa, superin-
tendent OF the Bethel Sunday school !;
Mrs. Il. M. Newport. president Of the
Women's auxiliary. and Rev. B. Frank
land. of Cleveland, O., general superin
tendent Of the Bethel work in the West.
The his tory of the Bethel work in St.
Paul is almost a biography of Bob
| Smith, as the self-sacrificing, heroic,
I reverend gentleman who was the chap
lain of the work from 1872 to 1887 was
Familiarity called. Bob Smith did
world Of good here, and his name is
revered by the Bethel association.
DR.. Egbert took for his text of the
anniversary sermon: 1.-THE Son of Man
came to seek and save that which was
lost"
Society then as now" said he, "was
divided into two classes. On the one
hand was the Pharisee, and on the other
the publicanS and sinners. The start
ling thought in the Savior's saying was
the possibility of saving the publicans
and sinners. The church in these days
is the representative of Christ in the
personal salvation of the poor and
lowly. The pharisees squeezed the
publicans and sinners out of
society and respectabilIty. There is
joy in heaven over the salvation of
these. The attitude of Christ toward
the Pharisees is in Judgment; toward
the Dublicans it is in salvation" DR..
Egbert closed with all appeal to the in
different to engage in the work of which
the bethel is type.
The platform meeting of tie evening
was opened by DR.. Egbert with the
usual Introductory service.
X. A. Kirk then took the chair. Mr..
Kirk in his address alluded to the SIN Ill
beginning of the Bethel work in st.
Paul, and referred teelingiy 10 the part
taken in it by Rev. Robert Smith. He
recited the different departments of the
Bethel work, and dwelr upon the self
sacrificing devotion of the Bethel work
ers. He introduced Rev. David Nor
gan, the chaplain of the Bethel.
Mr.. Morgan spoke of the satisfaction
he felt in knowing that there was a
place where these people could be gath
cred together. His interest in the
classes for whom the Bethel was organ-
lied led him to Investigate the means
necessary for their moral and social ele-
Walton. He went to Europe and exam
ined the coffee house systems of
the old world. His efforts in st.
Paul We're directed toward intro
ducing similar plans, and in so
far as he had succeeded the result was
of furnishing the floating class of men
with place not surrounded by sal II
Influences, and where they could find a
welcome and food for the body and
mind. He recited some interesting in,
cidents. Women had personally thanked
him for the service of the coffee house
in leading their husbands from lives of
intemperance. Abiding to the work of
the Friendly Inn he presented
very fOrcibly the evil Of indis-
criminate alms-giving. He said that
connecting work with the needed
relief preserved self-respect. and elm
mated the tramp element which is glad
to leave the city to avoid labor. He al
luded to the successful labors of the
Sabbath school officers and teachers,
and the remarkable work accomplished
women's auxiliary. He closed with an
allirsion to the bright and respectable
appearance of the Boys brigade. fifty of
whom were present under the command
of James II. Smith.
Thomas E. YerXa was the next speak
er. He said that the enrolment of
children in the Bethel Sunday school Is
GIT. There are thirty-five permanent
teachers and fifteen, more or less. irreg-
u1ar teachers. He expressed the opin-
ion confidently that if there were 100
permanent teachers the enrolment of
children would soon increase to over
1000. He appealed to the audience to
take an interest in the Sunday school of
the Bethel.
Mrs. r. NJ. Newport. in her address,
read synopsis of the report of Mrs.
Higbee. superintendent of Mothers
teas. She closed her address with an
appeal for sewing machines and for
funds to enlarge the work among the
mothers of the Bethel.
DR.. Egbert assured Mrs. Newport that
the sewing machines would be for H.
coming.
The closing address was made by
Rev. B. FARMLAND. He spoke of the
undenominatlonal character of the
Bethel work. The general Bethel
movement, he said. originated in 1880 in
the Presbyterian synod Of Northern
Ohio. But to give the general char
acter to the work the meeting for the
organization was held in the only
Episcopal church of Cleveland, then
place of only 5000 inhabitants. The
chain of Bethels growing out of this
organization, he said, continue to rep
Christ. He alluded 10 his personal
labors in the Bethel at Cincinnati
fthirty-fiye years ago, and the increasing
thought that the moral troubles aid So
cial unrest that are so increa ingly
manifest can only be met by the
application of practical Christian
methods as illustrated in the Bethel
system. He closed with an allusion to
th,ks forts in the early organization of
the work in ST. Paul put forth by Rev.
Robert Smith, Capt. John II. Reaney,
Commodore Davidson and Capt. Russell
BIakely.
Both morning and evening occasions