The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-05-14
"E.-oUR BIRTHDAY-L.g
1889 May 1881"

ssss
The front OF the pulpit was filled with
flowers, the fragrance of which penetrated
to the extreme back Of the church.
Bishop James Fitzgerald OF this confer
ence and President of the National Epworth
League, preached in the evening, and Pastor
Lowrie and the Rev. Mr.. Young assisted In
| che services. When the Bishop was intro
duced, the members OF the League waved
handkerchief and gave him a CORDIAL vel
| come. He said
THE BISHOPS ADDRESS.
"Our minds today go back to May IA, 1859,
| when a number of men met and considered
a proposition to create the organization
| known as Epworth League. | have no doubt
| Init that the circumstances of this meeting
| are remembered by the most of you. At that
| time there were in the Methodist Episcopal
Church a number of societies or associations,
| five of which were more prominent and Two
| Methodist Alliance, having its headquarters
| in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Oxford League,
| whose HEADQUARTERS were in New York. The
! representatives of these five societies came
| together and concluded that the organiza-
| tions should consolidate. There are many
| persons who think that up to this time the
Methodist Church had no church societies.
They forget these five lust referred to, and
at the time it was agreed to consolidate we
had the oldest young peoples society IN the
country.
.sThe General Conference in 1876 favored
the organization of the Oxford League which
| finally by the sanction of the conference,
developed into the Epworth League. In
| consequence the Epworth League instead OF
being a new society is the consolidation OF
| five old ones. The characteristics OF the
League all had existence prior to the consoll-
| dation. The name EpwDrth was happily
| selected and it was suggested by a junior
league which met at Epworth rectory. We
| often hear people ask why this denomination
has a society. In reply | ask why has the
| denomination a Sunday school, why have
we denominations at ala Some say wouldn't
| it be better to nave the great force OF all
| denominations in one Observation-Disclosures
| society. Now, I am an intense denomina
| ~tionalist, but at the same time | love all
other denominations, and | say tonight that
| if / could bring into the Methodist Church
| one denomination or all denominations |
I would not do so. / want them to remain
where they are and as they are except to
! increase in strength.
THE BISHOPS ELIEF
81 believe that Christianity is better q d
yanced by denominations, and for this
reason ] believe In denominations IN Sunday
| schools and leagues or societies From this
| Epworth League will come young ministers,
and through its influence they viii be thor.
\ oughly equipped for their work They will
have the same systematic training In their
| work as q clerk in a large business house re-
| ceives in his. | believe the Church of Jesus
\ Christ is one, and that the different denom-
nations are only departments. for are not
we working for the same endl Each de-
partment Is doing its own work, therefore
| would keep them separate. SO that they may
| work side by side. The denominations in
| the Church OF Jesus Christ are, Distinct
like the waves, but one like the sea-
'sThe three great objects of Epworth
| League are, first, for the attainment Of in
| teligence and piety; second, for the attain
| menf Of holiness of heart; third, to enccur-
| age works of mercy and help. This last men
| toned object is q special feature of EpwOrth
| League. We don't want you to think that
| God converted you simply to get you to hea-
| ven. While that was the principal reason,
| vet God converted you to use you. He has
something on the line OF mercy, on the line
of help for you to do every day
Bishop Fitzgerald concluded his sermon
| by entreating all to do all the little acts of
| FOOD that they could. He said, Don't wait
| for some chance to do q great act, do the
little things"
Pastor Lowrie to the Leaguers.
Pastor Lowrie of the Emory Methodist
Episco pal Church preached, yesterday morn
| ing, to a congregation largely made up of
members OF Epworth League. 1t was the
| anniversary Of the birthday Of the League,
| and the Pastor devoted considerable time to
| it. The subject Of his discourse was, "Who,
| How, Why In subdividing the subject,
| the Pastor asked "Who are these Young peo-
pie of the Epworth League, and what do
| they representa- He spoke at length on the
organization of the League and the work
| done by it and then passed to the second
subdivision Of his subject-"How to care
for them He answered this by saying in
the Christian home and Christian Church.
Pastor Lowrie spoke feelingly of home in
influences and how they may be exerted for
good or bad. earnestly asked all to make
their home a Christian one so that the
| young would receive the benefits from such
surroundings.
The third part of Mr.. Lowrie's sermon was
why Care for Them" The Pastor said
the members of the League should be cared
for because Of what they are now, and for
what they are going to be. He said that
the League opened a door to all kindssof use
fulness, inc that it made it possible for
/, everyone to do some good action daily. The
moral influence of a society such as the Ep-
worth League was of inegtimable value. 1t
prepared one for contact with the world,
and fortified him against temptations; it re-
fined and elevated the members, and it in
stiiled good thoughts in the mind which
even time could not absolutely efface.
Ccntenaryss services.