The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-20

sosrs sAicxs. thereby se.nauxu-assng pea
- uEceA He LAID stress On funda-
si eect<snes. - insisted on thorough
80 cssD Christian exreriszscs: - tia
- s11rcn set xpa-t deacons. men fasl
- ma the holy spirit. for specific Ard
49, sAaf caufr1 work 80 did he set
men u ike character and expers-
snee ior iocas ministry: hs tntrctuesd ths
Of apossesso tines. BY the name
80 Nse-fease I sset rot carticn'arsss ~
DO Ne ned 10 advance In he sarne
ssaons Consider. arst. the general
sssIxs eneA Should you or I. who are
eIisseie % fas a. years, church rank. etc.
concerned, plan and work 70 become
: essesatsf Should the man seek The Of
OF shenid these who minister In
esaces wais on the Lord unsi1 the
noy spirit shall give direction. e. He
ZIG wnen He satd: separate the Earna.
"a anc saul for the work vnereunso I
aAss sailed them"s Should not . like
- prevail tn selecting mon Tor
49, n the gtft Of the general confer
enesf am very certain that this method
Ill not cause friction. neither win Il
Iander the spirtsua, work Of she church.
one thing more In this connection. II
care efvays taken to cause the LEGISLATION
OF she conference TO conform to the sim
pHcfsy OF the Gospel? do not mean 70
% understood as believing that the things
- which I have limited widely prevail.
ous tnere should not Be- even a trace Of
seii-eeekin6 Or Of Questionable worldly
methods.
second-The annual conference. IN
there too much stress placed on getting
Ga With the business In an orderly man
nef. on being able TO make q good report
~ 70 the Items each preacher II required
70 make . statement Of In open confer.
encey Would IL not be veil 10 se, apart
certain seasons Tor soul searching. and
TOT seeking the endnement Of power. Can
We not make each OF our annual gather
inxs . season or genuine revival. These
things we're done by our fathers In the
ministry. thank God that there are
indications OF . backward movement in
this direction. Mallaiiea Joyce McCahe
and others Of our chief pastors have at
tained enviAble netoriety In this direc-
ton AT one OF the Nebraska confer.
ences. where the beloved McCahe pre-
sided. sn eminent lawyer was so convict
ed OF sin that at midnight he reused his
preacher guests 20 pray for him. and
more than fifty were added to the church
a. result Of the conference revival. Oh,
Tor touch Of the old-time power In con-
nection with all OF our conference ses-
sions-
Third-Tne membership and adm,nlxtra-
ton In the local churches. Il there as
much care as in former years Ia receiv.
ing members? Is not the desire for MEM
bers-perhaps . real desire to get men
on the Lords side-sc absorbing that
many are admitted who give no satisfac-
tory evidence or being born again. Il
there not an Increasing per cent OF men,
bers who are weights rather than wingsf
Are there those who cannot endure faith
ful preaching who demand entertainment
rather than sound doctrine from the pull
pit? II the esprit du corps Of Methodism
equal to what II was In former times?
How many there are who hold their
church vows so lightly that II some little
thing does not please them they jump the
fence into new pastures; how many do
things contrary TO the order of tho
church and the pledges they solemnly
took upon themselves Thus they bring
sorrow to loyal hearts, lose their own
first love and weaken the cause they
have vowed to sustain
II discipline too lax among Us, Is Il
= fact that there Is no effort to enforce
discipline unless there is actual immoral
tty? One cause OF the efficiency Of tho
societies In Mr.. wesleys time Ii to be
found In the rigid exclusion OF those who
did not live up to the standard. Perhaps
We ought not to exercise the weeding-out
plan according to his mode. but can we
not. In q uiider way. accomplish like
results7 Would that our entire member
ship were Spirited and Spirit endowed.
Would to God that we might all. and al
ways. be diligent In business. fervent In
spirit. serving the Lord. "An at it: al
ways at it." Again: Ought we not 10
pursue our mathematical studies far
enough to count our numbers correctly,
and not make an over-report to the con-
ference? I think that our church might
re-read the history Of Methodism on some
OF these points with profit.
Fourth-The spiritual work Of the
church. Personal spiritual life Is main
tanned by personal and full use OF the
means OF grace and by converstng with
others about the things Of God. Do we
use these means up to the measure OK
priviiese7 Do we converse with each
other, and with the members OF our
nocks. about spiritual things as we have
opportunity? Do we have q passion for
souls? Do we, In season and out OF sea-
son. seek to save men? Do We lead our
people out on aggressive Inca Our "a
theirs" emphasized the higher life:" do
VET They were not afraid 10 say EN-
tire sanctification," or holiness" and 10
preach along that tine. pointing out the
privilege OF personal experiences. and
urging their members to 50 to perfec-
ton Do we avail ourselves OF the d.
vine provision for clean hearts and holy
iivirgr Do we wisely and in . kindly
manner press upon our people the priv
ilegs and duty OF going up at once 70
possess this goodly land?
My dear brethren. have thus briefly
suggested some OF my thoughts on this
theme. say again. I am not pessi-
mist ! believe In Methodism. do not
doubt that We have the very best plan
that has been found for doing the work
OF the Lord. and that wonderful results
are daily being accomplished. But I am
very DESTROYS that we be in the very
best condition to use the blessed insiru-
mentality put In our hands. ard that we
hand down this organization unirnpaired
In It's largest efficiency TO those who shah
follow US when our work Is done