The Indianapolis journal., 1895-08-05
BIG SUNDAY CROWDS
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AT BETHANY
AND ACTION GROUNDS.
BicycIers Almost Blocked the Square
mt the Latter Place-Services the
Coming Week.

A finer morning never dawned on Acton
Park than that yesterday. The rain had
frightened and refreshed everything ami
mate and inanimate. Between eight
thousand and ten thousand peo-
pie were the ground dur
ing the day. The first train to the
ground was the one from this city at 3:25,
which brought five or six hundred people,
but long before that hour vehicles of var
itus descriptions were lining through the
wagon gates and were distributed In the
ample grove which is a part OF the park
The sleeping accommodations of the camp
had been well taxed through the night, SO
there was a large resident population.
At o'clock the tabernacle services be-
gan with a praise meeting, which was led
by Miss Taylor. The house was well flied
and the testimonies followed thick and
fast as in the days Of the olden time of
which SO much is hear on Acton camp
ground. The train from the east brought
another large load Of people, who soon
found their way to the square, crowding
the pavilion and massng at the openings
in way to make ingress or egIess some
what difficult. So many bicycles and
bloomers were everywhere to be seen that
one unacquainted with the object of the
gathering might have been led to inquire
If bicycle race was the attraction of the
day.
The speaker for the 1890 preaching serv-
ice was Rev. c. w. Tinsley. pastor Of
Rushville NJ. E. Church. Mr.. Tinsley is a
young man who has risen rapidly in the
conference. The subject Of the sermon
was The Unique Christ'-the text, Mark
iv, Al. The speaker began by saying This
nv aEI Ifz IA
ciples in the first century, Is no less q
marvel now. He Is unlike all other men.
What other has ever been able to form
dreams OF ambitious youth are never real
lied. Men are surprised by successes and
by failures, but Jeus never knew a surprise
began His Fathers business and His dying
cry was 1t Is finished He filled out the
fuil programme Of His life as no other man
a religious teacher He taught as one hav-
ing authority. Other teachers have used
reason and logic, but Jesus never used a
tained more than all human reasoning
combined. He told what He knew and saw.
Unlike others, His teaching is incapable
monopolized all religious truth. The great
and wise men Of His day were such only
because they caught visions of Him who
since His time are great with the light
borrowed from Him. How marvellous that
the wisest have never been able to add
He He is s'a unapproachably distant III ant i from ali
other leaders of human thought. The
world to-day is not up to His teachings
laws. doctrines and the lives of men. but
have never passed away. How did the
carpenters son obtain such knowledge? He
was the prince of scientists, for He never
contradicted truth. He left nothing to be
discovered of fundamental truth. He Is
peculiar as 9, founder of religion. for His
tial to His doctrine. Paul said we preach
Christ He is creed-a doctrine-a life.
The Christians creed is the man, Christ
desu The Who Is ke so enf H
WIN lead the world like the day star Of
the morning."
The music Of this service and of the aft
ernoon was led by chorister George Gadd.
Of Grace M. z. Church. OF this city. His
choir, about thirty strong: lis Is made up
joyed the hospitality OF their leader and
his wife in dinner on the cottage lawn
OF OF he cSor SANG at the ei morns serce
and a male quartet composed OF Messrs.
Gadd. McElwee, Faivall and Marquette
Coultas. who read from Matthew vii. 24-25,
but said this would not be textual ser
mon. but that his remarks would
ment m of DR.. G. G. Mcconnell to the
effect that Christianity has undergone
metamorphoses. experiencing first first an & age
condition of mysticism or experimentation.
and that II Is now in the practical state
DIR. Coultas could indorse this only In part.
and would first substitute the word church
for Christianity, as the latter Is essentially
the same in all ages, for II Is the life of
God in the soul of man. and Will never
change. The church has always appealed
to human conduct. but has been and Is
more conscientious than courageou The in
spired writers taught that faith without
to the time when the church looked moro to
matters of doctrine than Of life. and yet
correct theory bears an important relation
to a correct life Men will only receive that
which is confirmed and establised by reason.
What is truth is being asked as 1t never
has been asked in the past. Perhaps there
digging. but it is not possible for a man to
live right unless he In some degree believes
right. The Doctor expressed belief that
church memberships should be opened TO
investigators after truth, and that .ntel.f-
gent dogmatism and ecclesiasticism are in
state of revival. and that organisation is
a necessity to the church OF God. He also
spoke of these forces as probable af< <ncies
that would operate to bring the Roman
Catholic Church to break with Rome. and
become a broadened catholic church.
With regard to mysticism or experiment
alism, the speaker said that men have been
inordinately self-centered and delighted In
making maps of their emotional experiences,
and might profitably have sung about a
ineyer-dying world to save instead of dwell
ling IN a self-consc.ous state OF soul ex-'
animation.
we have PASSED the time OF the witnessing
of the Spirit but we are learning that there
is such a thing as applied Christianity. as
believes that the pulpit Is as important as
ever but must have subsidiary influences:
The church is working up to the use OF
mind power and is utilizing the laity. and
learning that they are Of the apostolic Sue
cession and that women may soon be seen
and heard on the floor OF 9enerai Confer
ence.
cises in the tabernacle.
Acton Notes.