The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-06

One of the most handsomely decor
ated churches yesterday was the First
Methodist. The rostrum and pulpit
was transformed into bed of flowers
and ported plants. There were Easter
lilies. azaiias, margarites and pansies
in profusion. Above the pulpit was
lettered in white, Awake and Sing;
Christ is Risen" Suspended from a
chandelier prettily ornamented in
green was a white dove, while from
several bowers of green in the different
parts of the edifce birds warbled glee-
fully as If joining in the songs of
praise over the risen Savior. A cross
of pure white lilies and a pillow of
pansies were also among the features
of the elaborate decorations.
. The musical services preceding the
sermon were of a special nature appro-
pirate to the great day. Professor Pc
derson's orchestra was in attendance
and rendered several instrumental Sc
lections. The anthems sung by the
choir were. King of Kings" Sieupher;
Resurrection Hymn" Neale; THE
Day of Love-" Roeder. Mrs. Plummer
sang charmingly The King of Glory"
by Wesley.
The sermon by the pastor, DR.. Beans.
was devoted to missions. The text
was taken from Mathew, 10, s: Free
ly We have received; freely give
The doctor laid down as a founda-
ton for his discourse that the gospel
of Jesus Christ was the only remedy
for the worlds woe. Compared with
this gospel. every other religion is but
as a star to the sun.
He then spoke of the mission work
being done by the church, particularly
in fo-eign lands. and giving statistics
Il show the progress made. During
the past year 5000 conversions were
accomplished in heather lands. The
conversions, it should be remembered,
keeps pace only with the amount of
light shed and the number of active
missionaries sent over.
Replying to some of the objections
made against foreign missions, he
termed the crv of those who wanted
home in spite of everything. a hoary-
headed humbug. The answer given by
a noted missionary when confronted
by similar objection was that if the
apostles had not gone away from Je
rusalem and preached the gospel of
truth the world would not be so far
advanced in Christianity today. The
reply of the missionary is applicable
with as much force now as ever. Then
the statement that missionaries are
needed at home is a deplorable ad-
mission that we have heathens in the
midst of a Chrishanized land.
There was also another thing the
people should bear in mind. OF all
money raised for missions about one
half was expended at home. In Utah
It was even a greater difference. The
NJ Z. churches of this state last year
contributed SeS7 to missions. The books
of the missionary board showed that
during the same period $4,000 had
been expended in the missionary field
of Utah alone. In other words for
every dollar contributed last year,
twenty had been expended. Replying
to another objection he asserted that
95 per cent of the money contributed
for such work reached its beneficient
destination; hence there should be no
objections on this ground.
The greatness of the work was ap-
parent. Missionaries in every foreign
country are appealing for help. The
doors to the fields are standing open
and need but more workers and
liberal contributions If the Christian
men and women of this country alone
would spend 10 per cent Of the amount
wasted every year in worthless lux
uries it would aggregate something
like S60,000,000 a year Rich church
members die every year. but often
leave nothing for the cause of God. A
wealthy woman died recently. She
was a member of one of the fashion
able churches in New York city In
her will she set aside Isl 500 for the
care and maintenance of my dear little
dog. Dot" \ wealthy Presbyterian
spent 100000 in a corner lot, leaving
the church nothing. Six hundred mil |
lion dollars is spent annually for to-
bacco. and this money worse than |
wasted. The wealthy churches in New |
York spent about 100000 on Easter |
Sunday in floral decorations alone. but |
their contributions for the saving Of
the world falls far below this.
In concluding the pastor said that |
money was the greatest need of the |
hour so far as the successful Chris |
tianizing of the world was concerned. |
The chariot of the gospel rolls on dol |
Oars.
At the close of the sermon a special |
offering was taken up for foreign mis- |
sions and several hundred dollars were
contributed.