The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-04-19
IN CITY HALL.
Easter Sunday As 1t Was Observed BY
Methodist Conference.

Methodist Conference.
Large Attendance at All of the Three Ser
vices-Bishop Mallaiieu's Morning Ad-
dress-Ordination of Elders and Dea-
cons-Appointments of Ministers to be
Announced Monday Evening.
Easter Sunday will long be remem-
Eered in Portland by the Methodist of
this city and surrounding towns. Pro-
badly there mas never teen such a large
gathering OF people of the Methodist
faith under one roof in Portland and
surely City hall has never seen much
larger crowds than it held yesterday
morning, afternoon and evening. At
the mornin session every seat in the
house was occupied and many people
were obliged to remain standing during
the four hoRrs of the services. The
crowd in the afternoon was even larger
than that of the morning, while at the
evening session many people were turned
| away from the hnll. Special trains from
| Gorham and other places brought into
in town all day, attended all three of
the services aud returned home on late
evening trains.
The first session of the day commenced
at o'clock and long before this hour
had arrived nearly every available seat in
City hall was coupled. The conference
love feast was conducted by Rev. George
Il nj nH M "a
hour. The congregational singing was
awe inspiring in its volume and strength.
| the Whol5 audience uniting in singing
the well known hymns. The morning
service proper commenced at 1890 O'Clock
and was opened by prayer by the Rev.
Dr. Eaton OF New York. Then followed
collection for the benefit of the super
anuatsd pastors by which sl29 was
realized. Bishop MalIalieu delivered the
morning sermon and spoke for nearly
two hours. He took for his text a part Of
| the Sth verse of the second chapter of
Philippians, Yea, doubtless, and l
count all things but loss forthe excel
lency OF the knowledge of Jesus Christ,
my Lord" He spoke of Paul and his
char aoteristics which were we'll iilustr NJ
ed by this text. He was man who uev-
er acted without thought and reflection
and whose acts were never influenced
by impulse. He had Therefore not acted
without knowledge ana mature consid-
Grafton in subscribing to the apostle
creed which ia comprehensive symbol
of the Christian faith. The bishop then
proceeded to discuss this creed. taking
| up each clause in turn and speaking at
| length upon each of them. He said
| among other things that there is better
evidence for the autnenti ITCHY OF the Cos
pei according to Matthew, Mark, Luke
and John. ON WI ich the church bAses
re nj i- fn- uanIy
| or Roman classic. They constitute body
| of unimpeaohable history. For over 1900
| yeara these gospels have stood the most
malignant, unrelenting and shaTpest
criticim and the endeavors of men to
prove them false, nut all such efforts
haye been IN vaiu. In them there are
no blunders or inaccuracies
| There was something strange about
Jesus and when he was cruciiied the old
| world tremhled to its very foundation.
| Wise men have attempted for centuries
| to relegate Jesus Christ to the realm of
| myth and legend. But today he stands
in history ms q real parsonage and we be-
lieve in the fact that he lived as surely
az we do that Lincoln. Grant or Alaxan-
| der the Great lived. He is the colossal
| figure In history whose shadow has hesn
| thrown over the world for 800 years and
| moro and whose influence has been felt
| by mankind for centuries. In the resur-
-ection of Christ we know that We too
are TO be resurrected and this is why
the celebration of Easter means so much
t. u.s. Every question that the Chris
| tian wishes to know may he answered by
J the Bible and there Is not a heartnoha
| d sorrow or broken heart that Bible
cannot sonth and mend. Sod have mercy
on the men who are trying to tear the
old Bible to pieces. TIE world needs
every hit of this blessed book and finds
6av Ht1n io
wreck and il God don't save US we are
loss forever.
The bishop spoke of the drink traffic
and its curse to mankind. "a clond
hangs over this country to-day, said he,
"worse than the cloud which darkened
the sky during slavery times. Now
and then there is a flash Of lurid light
ming breathing Gods curse. Ben cath this
cloud l see men marching OH to graves
of shame and dispair. Their ranks are
being recruited by tens of thousands
more. This is the army of the victims of
the drink habit God sweep them of
the earth into better life. " The bishop
said he had ceen hopeful for Maine aud
its pronihitory laws but that it 100
seemed falling backwards. He said,
Let's sweep the ram shops of the earth
AID again have one streak of blue sky
in the dark cloud that overhangs this
country"
Following the bishops sermon which
was at times very fiery and eloquent,
class Of young men were ordaiued an dea-
cons. the ordination services being per-
formed in a very impressive manner by
the bishop. assisting by the presiding
elders, Rev. G. b. Palmer Rev. ]. B.
LBphnm and Rev. II. NJ Emerson.
This class consisted of seven and was
made up as follows: John A. Fore.
Bowery Beach; Dwight Faulkner, Kit
terry; j. =. Bounds, Locke Mills; |. L.
Hoyt. Bath; Ii. l: Nichols, Kennebunk-
port; r. A. Rich BucEfeld; W. Fl.
Parry, Andover.
AFTERNOON AND EVENING SEES.
SIONS.
At the afternoon session there was a
big attendance. The bishop, assisted by
the presiding elders, ordained William
Woods and Wilmot Lord as elders, after
which Rev. W. A. Spencer, d. d.,
preached most interesting and eloquent
sermon. Dr.. Spencer ia most effective
speaker and held the large audience
spell honnd for nearly two hours.
1t was announced at the afternoon