The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-06
CONTINUED from First Pagel

o'clock the conference sermon was
preached by Rev. Bishop Stephen NJ.
Merrill, D. D., LII D., of Chicago. After
prayer by Rev. DR., Mains of Philadel-
phia Bishop Merrill announced his text
as Corinthians XIV, So: The theme was
1.-THE Resurrection" The sermon was
a fine one and in substance he said:
Every now and then man springs
up in the college, in the theological
schools and even in the pulpit who ask
How are the dead raised up?' He asks
it with the claim of modern thought
and investigation, but with skepticism.
But we shall let no light on the resur-
rection from this source. What we
learn Of the resurrection must come
not from science and nature, but from
the divine revelation. There is no light
on the resurrection that does come di-
rectly from God. 1t comes from de-
partment that we can never under
stand. 1t is mysterious; it's mystery
we can never explain. We can admit,
and With advantage to our faith al
most all that the skeptic claims. But
faith does not end where mystery be-
gins. We cannot understand the
growth and development of the flowers,
but we believe in it, and If our skeptical
friends will not believe what they can't
comprehend they will have very short
creed indeed.
I'VE are in a world of mystery, and
we believe in most of them. How are
the dead raised up? / don't know any
thing about it. The Lord has never
revealed anything about it to me.
accept the fact and receive the testi-
mony. The testimony that the flowers
grow commands our belief; so does that
of the resurrection. l believe in the
testimony that God raises from the
dead, and know nothing of the mode
and care nothing for it.
IF this was a fact of nature and
science could not vindicate it we would
declare it not justified, and rightly so.
Colleges to-day are teaching that we
must accept no definition of miracle
that makes it violation of the laws
OF nature. But whatever our modern
discoveries along the line of research
we must not lose sight of the omnipo-
tence OF God. A miracle is just as
natural to God as anything else. have
studied the objections advanced against
liiS ASo'tl lCSliCl eillu IeNG illcI llollS
that does not limit the power Of God
Gods pleasure produced vanity in the
material world, and there is no limit to
His power in the resurrection.
Shall we come forth again from
the grave with this Identical body, de-
crepit, imperfect and bolded by ages
in the tomb? There are many chemical
objections to the theory. Would not
such a body be as mortal and as corrup-
tible as our present form? We shall
all be changed-a change in personality,
in mortality, in compatibility and in
weakness. Everyone's body viii still
be his own body, his own personality.
There can be no resurrection without
death, and death, the last enemy must
be destroyed in the resurrection. There
must be lapse of time between the
death and the resurrection, a space to
show that both are not identical and to
allow the change to take place We
shall not all be dead at the resurrection,
but some Of us will have lain in the
grave for centuries, but there will be
lapse of time between death and resur-
rection. Our resurrection will be ac-
cording to our class, the good or the
bad; a resurrection of the living and
resurrection of damnation. The death,
the sounding of the trumpet, the resur-
rection of the body, the judgment and
the final decision of the final destiny of
the world will be all linked together in
point of time, and the time is coming
In that day shall the resurrection be
consummated and the final decision
made. / am glad that the resurrection
is part of our doctrine. l am glad
that in this day of philosophy, of
science and reason, we dare go just a
little bit further than the sphere of
either, and affirm the doctrine of the
resurrection.
AT SATURDAYS SESSION.
The auditorium of the Methodist
church was well filled Saturday morn
ing at the fourth day of the conference.
Routine business was the order of the
day. Bishop Merrill was in the chair.
Alfred S. Hagarty of Plainville was ad-
vanced to the class of the fourth year.
Edgar G. Teller, nov in the west was
continued in the third year. George w.
Carter was passed the list of effective
elders. Clarence T. Wilson was con-
tinued in the class of the third year.
Ernest C. Carpenter of Clinton, Alvin
p knell of Bridgeport and Gilbert p.
Thurston of North Amityville, l.. l.,
were called before the conference.
they being candidates for admission to
full connection with the conference.
Bishop Merrill addressed them in a
few we'll chosen words and then asked
them the usual questions, which were
| answered satisfactorily. Bishop Mer-
rill said the Methodist church has the
largest and richest ministry of all de-
nominations; that while other denom-
| nations have not sufficient ministers
| to fill all the pulpits, the Methodists
have more men than places, and that
many of the preachers in other
churches have been educated in the
Methodist institutions.
He said the ministers who come into
our conference are prepared to sustain
and uphold the doctrines and policy
of the Methodist church. This view
of the church policy depends upon how
we look upon the ministers.
| After the bishops address the reports
of the examining committee on the
work of the applicants were read and
action was taken in the three cases
Mr.. Carpenters application was laid
over until Monday for action; Mr..
| Thurston was admitted to full connec-
| ton and to deacon's orders; Mr.. Knell
was admitted by unanimous vote after
| q lonor discussion