The record-union., 1898-07-23
METHODISTS IN CONVENTION
BI-COUNTY CONGRESS HELD AT
SHASTA RETREAT.
A Three-Days' Session at Wh1ch
Interesting Topics Were
Discussed.

The Bi-County Congress of the M. E.
Church, representing Shasta and Sis
kiyou Counties, held its first annual
session at Shasta Retreat from July
10Th to 22d. The meeting was called
to order by Rev. r. Bentley, D. d.,
Presiding Elder of Sacramento Dis
trict. who delivered the Introductory
address. reviewing the various rehglous
gatherings of the district.
During his remarks DR.. Bentley said
he had thought this beautiful retreat
ought to have a practical mission, ana
out of that idea grew the Bi-County
Congress, which might be a great bless
ing to Northern California.
Organization was perfected by elect
ing Rev DR.. Bentley President; Kew.
r. E. Wenk, Secretary, and the appoint
ment Of committees on music and pro-
gram.
Rev. d. S. Wigstead then read pa
per on THE Relation of Preaching 10
Rewards and Punishments." The
speaker named the various duties de-
volving upon the minister, and lald
special emphasis upon the importance
and solemnity of the subject or Whlcn
he was speaking. The doctrine OF lu-
ture punishment may be Objectionable
to the people, but its Importance makes
it necessary to preach upon a theme
so clearly taught in Scripture. The
responsibility Of living was a proml-
nent thought of the paper, and the dis
cussion that followed only added to the
strength of this feature Of it. The
mere escaping punishment should not
be the most important idea, but the
doing wrong ought to be taught as a
thing to be Stunned. Said one speak
er: "A man asked me what sort of
place hell is-where is it? l answered,
Anywhere out Of heaven. Punish
ment had reference as well to the
present as to the future. The literal
hell of our fathers is not believed IN
now, yet the figurative language or
Scripture has just as much literal
meaning as the older ideas. "Breth-
rem, don't make hell too easy Make
it all Christ made it." We must meet
conviction by conviction. We must
impress upon people that God is. AS
Garfield wrought a conviction upon the
mob that Gods government exists, so
as a basis of a great revival Of rellg-
ion we must work a deep conviction OF
Gods government upon the minds OF
men.
Then followed a symposium on the
Holy Spirit. The first paper was read
by Rev. w. F. Warren on Relation to
Personal Conscious Salvation" Those
who have been most influential IN
preaching the Gospel, he said, We're
men personally conscious of salvation.
This is the work of the Holy Spirit. The
reader quoted a number Of Scripture
passages on the theme. The Holy
1, Of
every step of the way. The Holy
Spirit only can help us to understand.
Whence come our priceless illumina-
tions? From the Holy Spirit. The
Holy Spirit bears witness with our
spirits to personal conscious salvation.
Depend on the Holy SPIRIT. Honor the
Holy Spirit by expecting him TO do
honor to Gods word.
Rev. w. II. Johnstone read the sec
ond paper on the theme, Relation to
Efficiency in the Lords Work" The
disciples had been with Jesus three
years and under His constant instruc-
ton But the work of Christ was 10
be carried on. How was it to be done?
BY tarrying at Jerusalem till they were
endowed with power from on high"
Tuesday evening was occupied by
Professor Josiah Keep of Mills Col
lege with lecture on Hawaiian Vol
canoes" The lecturer visited the ISL
ands in 1892 For wonderful beauty
and grandeur the equal Of the Sand
wich Islands cannot be found. He
spoke of his trip to the top Of the Pail
on the island Of Oahu, beyond which
the descent is very precipitous and the
island spreads out in charming valleys
to the ocean on the other side. The
Pail Is probably the remaining part of
an ancient crater, the other part hav-
ing sunk beneath the sea. On the
island of Maui is the volcano Haleak-
ala, which is the largest crater on the
earth and is 10000 feet in elevation.
When Professor Keep visited this vol
cano it was in active eruption, and the
Professor described the topography Of
the great pit with clearness and its dis
play of burning lava by night with re-
markable vividness. On the island Of
Hawaii is the mountain of Mauna Loa
1900 feet high, on the side of which,
at an elevation Of 1000 feet is located
the crater Kilauea, the pit Of which is
called Haleni oum'ou. the house of
eternal burning.
SECOND DAY.
Wednesday morning the devotional
exercises were conducted by Rev. John
Tamblyn of Klamathon
Rev. ]. E. Wright Of Redding then
gave his subject, postponed from the
day previous, Possibilities, Privileges
and Conditions of the Endurement OF
Power" The power Of the Holy Spirit
is not the same as the influence of one
man over another. y minister might
be successful as a man. but that Is not
ell the power he might have. The en-
duement with the Holy Spirit makes a
man master Of the situation-of himself
and his work. 1t means not destruc-
ton, such as cutting away or blowing
up, but control of circumstances. Priv
ilege far surpasses duty. We may
be blunderers and make a thousand
mistakes, but God has allowed US to
be co-workers with him. One of the
conditions of enduement of power is