Smyrna times., 1898-06-08

cOQQ1blOQ IS BuuS u6scTlDeu Dy
D'Aubigne: "The church had opened
vast market upon earth. From the
crowds of purchasers, and the shouts
and Jokes of the sellers, it might have
been called fair, but a fair conducted
by monks. The merchandise that they
were extolling, and which they offered
at reduced price, was called by them
the salvation of souls" The puriica-
tiOn of the church was the end sought
by Him who redeemed it with his
own blood, and to accomplish this
work he selected a man of splendid in
tellect and rich and broad culture.
Martin Luther was first trained in the
schools of Magdeburg and afterwards
at the University of Erfurth. Here he
mastered the philosophy of the schools
and by his close application, gained
for himself as MelancthOn says, the
admiration of the entire university.
The Reformation led by Luther has,
in the purity of Protestant Christian
ity, shed its gracious blessing through
out the nations of the earth.
Alas! the church like the individuals
has been prone to wander from its de-
votiOn to God 1t was so during the
old dispensation, it has been true in
ours. More than hundred years ago
many of the ministers of religion in
England were apathetic and skeptical,
the spirit of irreligiOn pervaded all
walks of life, society was sick at heart
and the church seemed to have little or
no power to help.
Again God has a great work to do.
It is the spread of scriptural holiness
through the world The man selected
to do this work was John Wesley, who
xtroc troipa6 IN EDO1on6'o host uOiVar-
sity. So highly were his attainments
esteemed that at twenty-three years of
age he was made fellow of Lincoln
College. So well was his work done,
that he has commanded the admira-
tion of brilliant scholars. Lord Ma
caulay has said; ellis genius for gov
ernment was not inferior to that of
Richalieu." 1t is the judgement of
Mr.. Leckey: "If men may be meas
ured by the work they have accom-
| plished, John Wesley can hardly fail
to be regarded as the greatest figure
that has appeared in the religious his
| tory of the world, since the days of the
| Reformation. Henry Buckle calls
| John Wesley ''The first of theological
statesmen" and Dean Stanley spoke of
! him as Zone of the finest examples of
| Christian Culture this country has
ever produced. With John Wesley,
was associated in his work, host of
cultivated men. There was his brother
| Charles, an Oxford man also, 'sweet
singer of MethOdism." There was
Thomas Coke, also an Oxford man,
and the first bishop of the New World.
| He was the author of a commentary
on the Holy Scriptures. There was
Joseph Benson, who also wrote COM
mentary on the Bible, and DIR. Adam
Clark, whose commentary, by reason
of the learning displayed in it will be
an authority for all time.
In 1884, the Methodist Episcopal
| Church was organized, and at the same
time Cokesbury College was projected.
1t was opened in 1887, with twenty-five
strOyed by fire. 1t was soon rebuilt,
only to be again consumed by the
flames. Through the first Methodist
College did not live long, among its
students were some who became prom
inent men. Samuel White, who rep
resented Delaware in the U. S. Senate
from 1901 to 1909, and Asbury Dickens,
who was secretary of the U. S. Senate
1886 to 1861, were educated at Cokes-
bury College.
The spirit that early founded this
college has ever lived in MethOdism
In 1922, Augusta College in Kentucky
was chartered. In its early faculty
were the brilliant Henry Bascom and
John p. Durbin, and among it's first
students was the now venerable Bishop
Foster.
| Wesleyan University was located in
Connecticut in 1881 Allegheny Col
lege, at Meadville, Pa, was founded
in 1917, and Dickinson College, at Car
Isle, Pa, in 1783 Both of these Col
leges were controlled by the Presby-
terian Church, from their founding
until 1888, when they passed to the
control of the Methodist Episcopal
church. Indiana Asbury Univerity
was founded in 1887. The Ohio Wes-
leyan was opened in 1894; Genesee
College, now Syracuse University, in
1849
The Methodist Episcopal Church
owns and controls 230 institutions of
learning, among which are So colleges
and universities, 26 theological semi
naries and 63 classical seminaries,
these have grounds and buildings val
, ued at S17, 1872, sol and an endowment
{ of $12, 299, 601, making a total of $29,
432, 102. In these institutions there
are 3, 143 professors and teachers and
sos students. 1t is the fashion in
: some quarters to sneer at Methodism
{ as being devoid of culture, the indi
vidual who does so is either guilty OF
| falsehOOd or of dense and criminal
Ignorance; 1t is the glory of oul
church, that her mission is to the
masses. Like her Lord, she has the
{ message of mercy for the world. 1t is
+ the duty of the church, not only tC
maintain the institutions of learning
! but to provide assistance for those who
3 are unable of themselves to enjoy theil
! | advantages. The Board of Education
3 was organized to do this work, and the
contributions of the church, through
this Board, reach the poor but worthy
students in the form of loans, which
, they are expected late in life, to pay
back to the Board, and which are again
: loaned to others. This is the meaning
: of "Children's Day" in our church, the
collection taken to-day will be applied
to the purpose of which 1 have JUS
spoken. Last year the Board aided
1l,754 students, representing twenty
I four nationalities; the amount expend
! ed in this work was $75, ,088.17.
= These young people are real heroes
a they practice economy and self-denia
and the help the church affords then
now, will by and by, return in richest
blessings upon her own affairs and pull
pits and pews.
If it were a magnificent thing fol
Michael Angelo by his skillful chise
to bring an angel out of the stone
he found in the streets of Flor
ence, covered with dirt and filth, and
!; so give it perpetual value as work
of art, how much more magnificent is
. the work of the church, which converts
: these young men and men into beau
tiful angels of mercy. These are
trophies of Redemption and their value
can be estimated only in eternity.
Mr.. Spurgeon has beautifully sug.
- gested: "They build their studios OF
Calvary, there they raise their obser-
a vatories and scan by faith the lofty
things of nature. They have studied
| N tha (Ao-1a,, of ii 4 -,