The herald., 1894-12-09
DEVELOPMENT Of CHRISTIANITY
Bishop Fitzgerald Tells of the
Growth of the Church.
In Twenty-eight Years an Increase
Of One Million.
Ths Perfection Of waritke Appliances to
Be the Means OF stopping Carnage.
The Unihcation of the Church
the Hope OF Mankind

OF the Methodist Episcopal Churcl
South OF this city. Bishop o. P. Fitz
gerald delivered the missionary sermon
on Sunday evening last at Trinity churof
70 very large audience.
His review of the work done during
the past year was mont interesting, and
in the light of the past success he did
not, perhaps, take too optimistic view
Of the future which yet lies far ahead.
The bishop selected for his text: He
calieth to me out Of Seir. Wstchmsn.
what Of the night? Watohman, what
of the night? The watchman said,
The morning cometh, and also the
night; II 70 will inquire. inquire ye re-
turn. come. Is. xxi. HIP.
Zone right in 1885," he began by re-
marking, this text came wildly to nv
mind. 1t was midnight on shipboard,
ON the Caribbean sea. The good chip
The full moon shed its radiance upon the
restless billows. while overhead fsecy,
white clouds foated slowly like watching
angels. The few stars blazed like dia-
mond isles in the infinite ocean of blue.
The southern cross glittered brilliantly
In the tropical eky; my fellow passen.
gers were asleep, or tossing wakefully
upon their couches. l sat alone upon
the upper deck and gazed upon the
peaceful heavens above and the illumin-
ated ocean below, watching the hours
away in thinking of the church and its
destiny of the world and the future.
This text then and there came into my
remembrance. The two datee. 90 years
apart, met and mingled in my con.
eciousness.
when the women OF our church in
Los Angeles honored me with an invita-
tion to preach their missionary sermon,
these same words presented themselves
to me and would not be dismissed.
Though confesssdIy Obscure. will, as
far 90 may be able to do go, give the
words and explanation and application
pertinent to this occasion.
The watckman here is the prophet OF
Israel. The inquiry comes from Seir.
heathen land. The answer indicates
that the inquiry was put in the spirit of
Indifference or captiousness. Gods re-
sponses to us are always in exact &C.
cordance with the spirit of our inquir-
les and approaches to Him. If we ap-
proach Him receptively. He will hear us.
II we approach Him in the spirit of
obedience, He will give ne light to guide
us surely in the path Of duty. But the
divine oracles ale forever dumb to the
profane or careless inquirer. They that
seek the Lord with their whole hearts
find Him. Every minister OF the gospel
10 watohman. He watches for souls.
He must instruct, warn, exhort. comfort,
persuade. He must give account to God,
nd nat nh uiu
to how he hears. Figuratively, night
means sorrow and adversely; morning
means joy and prosperity. This is suf-
ficient for my purpose in the way of ex-
plication.
"ln 1866 this nation WAS land OF
grief and graves. 1t was night in our
old homes. But the morning came.
Sorrow was soothed by time industry
has repaired the ravages Of war. During
these intervening decades our country
has made wonderful growth in all the !
elements of national wealth and power.
The statistics would Astonish even our.
selves ii in this matter 1866 were com.
pared with 1894. Though the business
of the nation are at the present |
time depressed and unsettled, it is hoped |
by Us all that the darkest part of the |
night OF depression and distress is past,
and that the morning OF o brighter day
of prosperity is dawning.
Better still, the religious faith and |
hope OF our people survived the shock
OF war, though there was in all parts OF
our country the decentralization which is
its inevitable concomitant. The growth |
Of the leading denominations OF Chris
tians has been rapid and steady.
Mighty revivals of religion--rsvivals in
the true sense of the word, revivale that
changed the lives OF mutitudes and
wrought moral revolutions in whole
communicative blessed tho nation
in the north. south. east and west.
From 1866 to 1894 the Methodist Epis-
copal church, South. has made clear
gain OF nearly 100000 OF communi-
cants. Other denominations OF our iel-
low-Christians have, during this period,
bad rapid and continuous growth,
hough mono in ratio quite aa great.
We ought to have done better. but We
thank God this day as we look back
upon the way by which He bath led US.
but on all sides we still hear the in
Jury. Waterman, what of the night?
There are, think, few intelligent and
ievout Christian men and women in
)ur land who do not think that the pres
o.
The larger part of tho human race ia
IT'LL cropping in the night of heathenism
That night has been long, and why?
Because God uses human agencies to
'pread the gospel, and these agencies
have too often proved unfsithiu. Be-
sause the truth OF the gospel has been
corrupted. Because the resistance has
been stubborn. Because the church has
been weakened and it's resources wasted
~ needless diversions. Because 10 has
Employed carnal weapons in its spiritual
warfare. The night has been long but
he morning cometh. What are the
.rounds OF this expectation, and what
IRE the signs of it's fulGllment?
This very restlessnesn OF which men.
ion has been made is sign OF the :
lawninG of the morning of brighter
ay. The sleep OF indifference 10
'roken. Millions are inquiring Watch
nan, what OF the night? This awaken>
ng Ia beam OF light that heralds the ,
avn. great company OF elect souls
re watching. waiting. praying for the !,
lltilment OF the promise. Another ,
round oil hope for the speedy coming !
I the latter day glory is found in the !
crrelateo facts that while the church
Q q whole is growing stronger the
'orld is practically becoming smaller.
he enda OF the earth are brought to- il
ether by steam and electricity. II the Y
likado OF Japan or the emperor Of /
hina were to accept Christianity today d
very reader OF your enterprising Los v
Dgeles daily newspapers would know d