The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-09-19
INTERESTING SERVICES.
Now Being Held In the Church of the
Good Shepherd, chesapeake City.

Good Shepherd, chesapeake City.
A series of services are being held in the
Church Of the Good Shepherd, Chesapeake
City, which will long be remembered for good
Mr.. j. r. Matthews is the Missioner" and
he is lay preacher of undoubted power
Some who came to scoff, remained to pray,
many find it easier than before to lead a
truly christian life and all feel that they have
met with man of God. There comes with
it too wider vision of the things worth hav-
ing and an open view of theway that "slopes
from darkness up to the eternal city," A
most cordial invitation is extended to all to
come-rich and poor, high and low, good
and bad, old and young will be welcomed
and they will be glad they came
The following extract from the Southern
Churchman contains an eloquent yet not
overdrawn tribute to Mr.. Matthew's innu-
ence as preacher:
When the session opened at the Virginia
Theological Seminary in the fall of 1893 a
young man entered the preparatory depart
ment, having come from Chicago at the sug-
gestion of the Rev. Floyd Tomkins, then rec
tor Of st. James church, in that city.
Diminutive, in size, an Englishman, with
strong accent, or rather a brogue that made
his conversation attractive in its quaintness
his manner modest and retiring. he soon at
tracted attention among the professors. who
recognized his clear, logical exact powers of
thought and reasoning. together with the
fact that his depth of learning in some mat
tiers was very profound.
Though this young man was just at his
majority it is not an exaggeration to say that
his knowledge of the Englishmans Bible
from cover to cover was quite equal to any
fully equipped theologan in the land, and
not a mere theoretical, passive knowledge,
but in his hands the word OF God was indeed
the sword OF the Spirit, and he a mighty
swordsman, who welded the keen Damascus
blade with a skill too rarely seen, alas. among
Christian teachers. The Rev. Thomas Semmes,
OF Warsaw, Va, who was then student at
the Seminary, became intimately acquainted
with the young Englishman, and soon dis
SN'SiN" thV "'pth VI Iltly anu Dreuutl
his knowledge and, l may well add, the
height of his faith. and as it gradually deve-
lopedthat he could preach, what a revelation.
He preached, not as many preach. in tame
platitudes rounded sentences, neat quotations
logical treatises, smooth discourses of gentle,
orthodox, soporific influence, but he preached
by the might and power of Gods Spirit. the
truth of Gods Scripture with fire that sug-
gested the preaching that we rea' of in the
Acts Of the Apostles. and as he unfclded the
truth with perfect logical sequence those who
heard realized that there were no dry bones
of parchment theology about this young man
OF God, and the vitaizing power of Christ's
salvation opened mp like Il clear picture to the
vision of those who sat under the eloquent
presentation of the gospel message, as much
needed to-day as 1900 years ago on the banks
of the Jordan-viz., repentance, conversion
ship, (which were the necessary conclusions to
be drawn from every sermon.
John II. Matthews was born in Manchester
England. and when mere boy was appointed
a lay preacher in the English Church by the
Archbishop of Canterbury, and worked on
faithfully for several years.
Through American friends he came to the
United States, and spent Several weeks in
Illinois and Wisconsin, and desiring to pursue
a course Of study for the ministry he came to
Virginia, directed. as 1 have said, by Rev.
Mr.. Tomkins, in Chicago, now of Providence,
II. |.
1t is sufficient to say that he took the
double preparatory course in one year, and
was the only man in the second-year course
who stood and passed the examination in
Greek. | became acquainted with Mr. Mat
thews at the Seminary. and at the suggestion
of Rev. Thomas Semmes invited him to come
to my parishes MEADE and Johns, Fauquier)
in the late summer of '94 and hold mission
services, he having n license from our good
Bishop Whittle, who had discovered his
powers.
but feebly express it-old men and young
men and children heard the truth and
grasped it with JOY and thanksgiving.
Returning to England in December 1894,
he began course Of study at Oxford; work.
ing for the degree Of Master of Arts, after at
tanning which he will complete his studies for
orders. He came to me again in the summer
of 1895, and held missions for me at my
churches in Fauquier and Loudoun. and also
at The Plains and Marshall, at Leesburg and
Oatlanls and Mt Winchester and other noints
and is now at Oxford continuing his study.