The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-02
SUNDAY AT BETHANY.
The Assembly WOrshiped Under the
TreeS-The Sermon


The Assembly Worshiped Under the
Trees-The Sermon.
Yesterday was a glorious day a. Bethany
Park and the assembly worshiped under
the trees in the groves which were Gods
first temples" With the exception of the
two sermons and the morning Sunday
school the day was given up to the much
needed rest which the weeks great activ-
ity had made imperative. The attendance
was very good, there being about a thou
sand people on the grounds. Bethany Park
is an ideal place for pcnics and many came
from the surrounding country and lunched
under the trees and as an added pleasure
enjoyed the lectures.
AT o'clock the Sunday school was held
in the tabernacle; T. j. Legg was superin-
tendent, Kate E. Whistler assistant super
intendent and S. 6. Nen, secretary. There
We're fifteen classes with an attendance of
three hundred. AT IL o'clock one of the
best sermons the assembly has ever had
the pleasure of listening to was delivered
by Rev. MIR. Newman, of Detroit Mich,
who spoke on the Mission of Jesus" THE
story around which l am going to speak,"
said the minister, lis found in the opening
verses or the fourteenth chapter of John
II was the time of the great passover feast
IN Jerusalem. The roadways leading to the
holy city were thronged with the pilgrims
that hastened to its shrines and the hill
SIDES about 1t We're darkened by the tents
and booths where they dWelt Hitler also
came the Master and the twelve trusty dis
clpies. In an upper room they ate the pass
over together. AT its close the Master chose
and consecrated the symbols Of his broken
Dody ana pOured-Out blood. Then laying
a as ms outer garments and in the garb
OF servant He taught that excellent les
son of humility when He washed their feet
ana bade them be humble and helpful 10
each other. Then reclining upon His couch
He spoke of His departure Their hearts
grew heavy and their faces were fallen. He
had been with them for three years. They
Him. How could they let Him go? Then
1t was, like low sweet music lulling to rest
the tired heart and weary brain that the
words of the Master fell upon the listening
be troubled"
Here the speaker read the first eight
verses or the fourteenth chapter of John
Philip said SHOW US the Father and it suf-
1iceth US" In that word he gave voice to
the cry, the bitter cry of humanity's bur
dened heart. Show US the Father, help
US TO understand to come nearer to God"
In that word Philip spake him better than
he knew, for in the thought of God and In
that thought alone can the heart of hui
manity find fullness of rest and complete
satisfaction The minister then illustrated
how empty are all of earth's honors, glory
and fame compared to the spiritual bless
ings which alone satisfy the cravings of the
SOUL Bent and at the close of his life"
said the minister" Mr.. Blaine in response
to the request CT a reporter, who said, Tell
me the happiest time of your life" replied:
When L was young lawyer, obscure and
alone, earning my little fee of s. and go
ing home to my wife, secure In her love,
| was happier than ever in my life There
is something in the heart of man that can
not ind rest hunger that
cannot be quenched until at the
FOUNTAIN OF eternal tenderness and
love: Jesus said in answer to
Philip, Have l been so long time with
you and yet thou hast not known me,
Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the
Father. How sayest then show US the
Father?' In that word Jesus gives utter
ance to the purpose of His coming into the
world 1t was to reveal the heart of God
to show us the love of the Father"
Rev. Newman then read a number of
passages of Scripture showing the work of
Jesus, closing with PauPs message to Tim
othy, Without controversy great is the
secret of the likeness of God; God was
manifest in the flesh" In a word Jesus
says that God has hung up in human his
tory the likeness of himself in the person
and life of his SON AT this point the
who brings out the old family album and
says as she turns to one of the pictures,
This is a good likeness of my boy"
misunderstanding among men has been
one of the most fruitful sources of sorrow,
suffering, despair and death. Homes are
broken up, tenderest ties are severed, hap
pineSs wrecked, lives made Wretched by our
misunderstanding of each other, but the
most fearful, the most fateful misunder-
standing that has ever darkened the pages
of human history is fearful misunder-
standing of God. AT the time when Jesus
came into the world il had lost the real
vision of God. Men had two extremes from
which TO choose. The Jew, starting with
the true conception of Jehovah, had lost
from il all tenderness. all heart; his God
was great angry Vindictive, partial being.
The Jewish rabbis taught that he cared
no more for the whole Gentle world than
he did for the smallest wrapplngs of the
little finger of a Jew. They alone were his
chosen g
and Strictest account. The Jew approached
his God with downcast eyes and aVerted
face. in fear and trembling lest for some
oifense, fancied or real, he should give Of
Tense and be smitten to the earth. Out
. from this thought of God had gone all ten
dernesS and love. The Gentle had null
tiplied him gods until he came at last to
have a god for every star that shOne for
every wind that blew, for every bird that
winged it's flight, for every fish that swan
in the sea, for every beast that trOd the
earth or reptile that crawled upon its sur
face, nay not content with worshiping
these, he made him idols out of stone and
wood and bowed to them. In Athens. glOri-
city of Athens, the city of the violet
crown; in Athens, the home of philosophy
and art. of literature, harmony and song
in Athens a heather writer said 1t Is
easier to find a god than a man." And
after building affairs 10 every god they
knew, fearing lest some might have been
overlooked, they built another altar and
known God" And this multitude of heath
en- divinities fought, tasted. lusted strOVe
and contended much as did their subjects
upon earth They were, in fact, but the
bGser passions of human kind lifted up and
made immortal. Between these two you
might take your choice. l do not wonder
Jesus said Let me show you my Father:
let me brush away that tissue OF untruth
which centuries have been gathering about
Him. and show you beaming and kindly
the face Of your Father" He came to re-
veal God as an object for our clearer, firm
er faith; He came 70 reveal God an OBJ
iect of our tenderest reverence and wor-
ship; He came TO reveal God as an object
of our truest hottest love, and this He did
by showing US the love OF the father heart
toward us"
Rev. Newman is an eloquent and magnet
speaker and never has the assembly ape
preciated a minister so much. In the after
noon a. W. Conner. of Danvile addressed
the assembly. and in a few well-chosen
words told why he was a Christian. In
the evening excellent musical pro-
gramme was rendered at the tabernacle.
salvation Army on the Knobs.
Special to the indianapolis Journal