The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-08-19

have eighty-two members and twenty
eight upon probation, or a total of 110,
being an increase of 40. This though
gratifying is not the chief gain. The
spiritual state Of the church is much
better than before. This is largely due
to the labors of Rev. Joseph H. Smith,
Pentecost Evangelist. $2,751 is the to-
tai amount raised by the trustees,
stewards and societies for church pur-
poses. S173 were contributed for Bene-
VIOLENT purposes, of which 500 were sent
to the India Famine Relief Fund.
There has been a steady growth in the
Sunday School and Senior and Junior
EpWorth Leagues. Again the growth
has been both in numbers and spiritual
power. Two Sunday Schools have been
organized during the year, one each, at
Pearl City and Eva Plantation-these
and the preaching services at those
places have been under the care Of
your pastor and his devoted helper Mr.
G. J. Day. We are deeply indebted to
the people of those places for cordial
sympathy and assistance. At the COM
ing California Conference another
worker will be added as it has been
impossible for your pastor to do justice
to all the work.
The Japanese work, carried on by
Rev. H. Kihara and his fellow laborerS,
has been very succeSSful-three new
fields were opened during the year and
there have been many conversions and
additions to the church. The burden
of this work has been borne by the
Japanese brethren, and theirs, under
God, is the honor. With this my work
among you as your pastor ceases. We
have been greatly prospered and bless
a nfr I'D 1,ry~ txryn ton
months of our labor together. What
ever has been accomplished has been
through and by Him. AS the one
chosen to lay the foundations of our
work in Hawaii, let me remind you of
certain truths and facts.
Your work is to win men from a life
of sin to follow Christ, and raise up
a Holy people in this land We hest
tate not to adopt Bishop Simpsons
motto for our church, I'VE live to make
our church a power in the land, while
we live to love every other church,
which exalts our Christ" You are the
local representatives of a mighty
church, which has been, and is being, |
blessed Of God, because it stands firmly |
by the teachings of Christ and the Old |
Bible, not being troubled with empty |
forms or new theologies. Keep ever |
Of salvation except through the atone |
ment made by Christ. Measure your |
success by the likeness of your lives |
to Christ's and not by the number of |
names on your church roll. Seek We
first the Kingdom of Cod and He will |
see that you succeed. Men want sal
vation from sin-Jesus Christ gives it. |
Preach Him and He VIII draw all men
unto Himself" AS Methodists you are
asked to believe as essentials only
those things which ARE contained in
he Holy Scriptures or may be proved
thereby" Be loyal to Gods word
AS a church, remember that you rep
resent a body of Christians which dis
2ourages and prohibits indulgence in
wines, liquors, attendance at theaters
md dances; gambling Of any kind, des-
ecratiOn of the Lords Day, and other
selfish indulgences, whose tendency is
coward evil. You would not think of
hiding "the Christ doing such things;
lOr are they INDUCED in for the sake
If promoting the spiritual life As a
natter Of fact, thousands are led into
ives of sin through these. Let no one
.ver say that it was through following
our example that he, possibly a weak
II man. was led astray. When We sin
20 against the brethren and wound
heir weak conscience, ye sin against
Christ" I now bid you farewell. l