Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-23
IN THE LORDS HOUSE
MANY SERVICES or SPECIAL IN
TEREsT IN RICHMOND CHURCHES.
REY. ER. SWEEEY'S REVIVAL LETTING
Large Crowds FJOckIng 10 Seventh
Preacber-IntercSting Session of
the CIcricus.
the Glorious

n Even in larger numbers than was ex
y pected. the people iocked Sunday morn
Z ing and evening to Seyenth-Street Chris
u ian church to hear Rev. J. T. Sweeny
n the able divine who for a week now ha
4 been delightlng this congregation will
his message divine. The morning ser
u vice was one Of deep spiritual devotion
and was marked by the deep earnestness
Of the speaker and the close. sympa.
| thetlc attention Of the audience. The
I Discipline of Life" was the subject, and
! ,rong and helpfuf was the discourse.
BULLY 20J people were turned away al
the evening hour, though every space In
Tie church sufficiently large to accom-
nodate nearer was taken. Pews were
placed on the pulpit, in the aisles, anu
Immediately before the altar. To the
thousand people gathered there MI
sweony spoke the Law of God" 1.-THE
Law vi the Lord is perfect. converting
the soul" is the text from the Psalmist
I he preacher read. and" continued he,
law and order characterize every crea-
Ton of the Almighty One. The Heavens
| declare the glory of God and the TRINA
! ment showeth His handiwork.' We read
| lt, however. as plainly written in the
I opening flower, the springing grass. and
the budding trees. Is it possible, then
that Infinite wisdom has made every
hing with which man holds communion
20 abound in and be characterized by
law. and left the great plan of redemp-
,ion whereby man is enlightened, ee-
gated, ennobled and fitted for the courts
Of higher life, lawless and orderless.
like a dismantled bark in an angry tenn
pest. to be tossed 10 and fro by every wind
and wave, and at last forced on the reefs
of destruction? No! Our text states that
there is perfect law for the conversion
of the soul" The purpose OF the SER
mon," the speaker said, was to set !
forth this law In its adaptation TO the |
nature, frailtes, and necessities of man. |
kind" That he did this ably the inter |
est of thousand people chained for an |
hour attests.
OF LINE OF PREACHERS.
Mr.. Sweeny has been in Richmond only
a week, but has greatly impressed him
self upon the people as an able man and
eloquent speaker. Mr. Sweeny is some=
thinS more than mere preacher-he is
that, too. with the honor and dignity that
it carries but he is also man who knows
the world and something of the natures
and the makeup of the people which
live in II. He comes from a line of
preachers Both grandfathers, coming
in much earlier years from Scotland to
Virginia. were preachers. One of the
grandparents was Baptist minister for
twenty-five years, but afterwards became
Disciple. preaching the Gospel in that
faith for fifty years afterwards. His
parents were born In Kentucky, his
rather also a preacher. The elder Mr..
Sweeny began ministry also as q Baptist. |
put ne, too, went 10 the Disciples fold |
and has been preaching sixty-five years.
Mr. Sweeny has several brothers all of
whom are preachers, also Of the same {
-alth His own ministry has been mark
ed with great success. When he took .
he church at Columbus Ind, it num-
oered in membership only 100 but 1.2c0 I
names were on the church roll when he
resigned a short while ago !
A PROMINENT MASON. !
Mr.. Sweeny is a prominent Mason
While Consul-General at ConstantinopIe
e held the second highest in the lodge
here, the pasta in the Turkish navy o
lone being his superior. Among the Off d
ers OF the lodge were Greeks, Italians. |
nd Armenians. While on the foreign n
mbassy he made a special study of 81
Iasonry In the Orient. a
He was Judge Advocate General on "
ne staff of Governor Mount, of Indiana. b.
e has frequently contributed to the j.
lustrated monthlies. and is the author 81
book on the old country. At pre-
mt he is at work on another. the sub
ct matter of which will include many
teresting features which came under
S observation during his three years
ross the Atlantic. In this work he is
ling aided by Professor Grosvenor, of
mherst College, Massachusetts, %
piscoDai Ministers at Droad-Street. j.
In the absence of Rev. DR.. w. G.. U
arr, who is in attendance upon the If
ethodist Conference in Danville. the 70
Ilpit Of Broad-Street Methodist church Dr.
as filled morning and evening on Sun 81
y by ministers of the Episcopal faith. "a
no preached by special invitation, Rev | of
j. GraVatt, rector of Holy Trinity tn
urch, delivered the sermon at the Ia
orning service, and Rev. William A.
lrr, rector OF Monumental, preached in bu
e evening. M
Ohe church was well filled in the morn II
:, nearly every seat being occupied. 90
:. Gravatt took his text from Gala nj,
ms. sixth chapter, ninth verse: "And sic
us not grow weary in well doing for pl,
III |
l. As worldly men grow weary in tu
sir worldly Observation-Disclosures, politics ia
rfare, and such ike-the preacher -
a. so also are the good prone to grow -
AIRY In doing good. He prescribed M,
ainst this faintness Of spirit five anti tai
ties, as follows: l. meditation: 2 ap- int
cation; 3. circulation: 4, supplication; g. \
isecration. The true Christian, said Tn
. Gravatt has always with him the liza
ength Of faith, which upholds him at OF
times and enables him to resist every an
influence that may be brought to G III,
IT against him in his daily life. He Sci
erred to Abraham and Elijah as ex- her
pies OF this strength-Abraham when mes
prepared TO sacrifice his beloved son age
the call Of the Divine Master and yol
jan in his hour OF trial. 80
he sermon was in the rector's best chc
H. and made splendid impression -
N his hearers a aIn
ev. Mr.. Barr preached at night to one Gle
the largest audiences that ever as tai,
lbled within the walls OF the church. to
, aisles were taken up by the over uno
' and many people were unable to OBJ
admittance on account OF the great
wd DR.. Barr selected his text from
4 cts OF the Apostles, taking as his Fo'
me "Christs divinity as evidenced
the lives and characters OF His n,
stiles" o,oI
he sermon was an able and most - -
Iuent effort, and was listened 10 '
rapt attention. ro'
ev. Mr.. Wiley at Union-station. an
". George H. Wiley, of the Virginia Ia
ference, preached Sunday, both -
ming and night. at Union-Station WV
rch TO large CONGREGATIONS His fext cion