The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-04
N ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Delegates to the NJ. E. Church
South Convention.
A SERMON BY HENDRIX
abraham. the Friend of God" the Sub
ject of the Bishops Di~scourse-His
Faith Was Firm Amid the
Severest OF Trials.

The annual conference for Montana of
the NJ. K. Church South will convene this
morning at . O'Clock at the Idaho street
church. Bishop L. r. Hendrix Of Kansas
City. who is to preside. arrived i'm the
city yesterday and will call the confer
ence TO order at the hour mentioned. The
opening ceremonies will consist OF de-
votional and communion services, follow
ed by the organization of the conference,
appointment of committees and kindred
business. which will occupy the remain
der of the morning hours. In the after
noon there will be preaching by Rev. Jo-
sept Whiteside of Boulder and in the
evening by Rev. ID. h. Price of Helena.
The members of the conference who ar
rived yesterday were: Bishop +. II. Hem
dirk, Kansas city; Rev. w. H.. Kincaid.
Stevensville; Rev. $. r. Tabor, Rev. Jo-
sept whiteside. Boulder; Rev. W. q.
Forbis, Clyde Park; Rev. r.. $. Clark,
whitehall; Rev. A. A. Walker, Deer
Lodge.
Bishop Hendrix delivered a very inter-
esting sermon to a large congregation at
the Idaho Street church. He took for his
subject. Abraham, the Friend of God"
and i'm part said:
Men called Abraham the friend of
God. Those who knew the patriarch knew
his great work. noble spirit. love, works,
faith. steadfastness and fidelity to truth
and righteousness called him the friend
of God. God called him His friend be-
cause of this faithfulness and his devo-
ton and his never-moNing faith. God
stamped him as His friend. The Hebrew
race universally honor him as the friend
of man and the friend Of God.
1.-THE Mohammedars honor Abraham "a
the noblest man who ever lived. Abraham
walked and talked with God. Egyptians,
Chaldeans and all nations honor this
friend of God. We are not responsible for
our relatives, but for our friends. we
some times speak of giving up things for
religion: byit gain we everything. The FIRST
condition of friendship to God is faith,
for without faith IL is impossible to please
God. We are responsible for our wills. \
bad man Wills not To believe in God-he
will not believe. \ good man would feel
awful to think there was no God. lie
wants TO know more of God. as he feels
the security. the blessings, the joy OF "A
bright. glorious faith; he longs TO be
nearer To God.
Nearer. MY God. to Thee; Nearer Ia
Thee Moses in his best days, when God
was so near him. cried out, show Me Thy
Face The man who loyes truth is listen
ing for truth; the man who loves sin is
looking for sin.
abraham was always listening foI
God; always seeking to know of purity
more OF love ana more u Sb'u " bt9N'"
upon his fellows. This man, who was thc
friend of God. owned only a small bury
ing spot of earth, hat he owned all above
Il. How few can stand the transplantinE
from city to country, from county To city
from the ranks of the world to th'
church. Abraham's faith stood hfn
amidst the sevcrest trials and ordeals
His faith was demonstrated ny his works
The tree grows by it's leaves and by worl
Of love and good deeds and by outward
visible work for God Is faith proved.
'The condition of friendship to God 1
purity of life. Gods friends must be pure
Blessed are the pure In heart. sin scar
the soul. The friend of God must keel
his soul pure. must he pure in thought
purc i'm purpose. pure in all holy aspira
lions and walk humbly. Lord, who shal
2 abide i'm Thy tabernacle; who shall dwel
In Thy holy hill?
".H that walketh uprightly and work
eth righteousness and speaketh the trutl
in his heart .
mo man can please God unless he !
obedient To His government and keep
, His law. To be obedient to law is 10 pleas
} God. A man who is incapable of sufferlnl
is a monster. God loves man and suftere
for him and gave His Son TO suffer l
mans stead
+. The bishops description of Abraham
: supreme trial when God called on him I
, offer his son Isaac was beautiful. In thi
; act he said Abraham saw the heart o
, God and learned more of the redemption