The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-04-08
FRIEND OF CUBA.
DR.. j. M. Driver Utters Patriotic
Sentiments.
The Eloquent Methodist Divine Welcom.
ed 10 his New Charge by Two Crowded
Congregations Sunday.

Three was great outpouring to
the Methodist church yesterday at
both the morning and evening SER
vices. The ushers had difficulty to
find seats for all the people, and it
has been long time since the church
has held such crowd. Everybody
wanted to see and hear the new
preacher who had succeeded DR..
Line on such brief notice, and an.
parently none were disappointed UNI
favorably. At the morning service.
Presiding Elder Stafford oficiated
and introduced DR.. Driver as the new
pastor. The Doctor proved to be all
that he had been represented-b
scholarly and eloquent, energetic and
enthusiastic. He won the hearts Of
all with his opening prayer, and held
rapt attention during his "morning
meditation" as he called his dis
course.
In his prayer, DR.. Driver made
supplication in behalf of President
Mckinley, that he might be strength.
ened and guided by wisdom and
patriotism in this critical moment in
the nations life. He prayed that a
way might be found for peace with
honor, but If this could not be he
prayed that the righteous cause
which the United States was cham
pioning might be successful and that
the Spanish tyrant might be forever
banished from fair Cuba.
Dr.Driver preached an eloquent ser.
mon upon the theme of the ira Ms
figuration of Christ. It was a fine
discourse, delivered without notes,
and number of lessons were drawn
from the subject. During the course
Of his remarks, DR.. Driver took &C.
casion to predict that the time would
come when the opera and the drama
would become valuable helpers. in the
field of religion, and that the greatest
literary men. orators, musicians and
geniuses of all kinds would lay their
talents at the feet of their Lord to be
used in His service.
At the evening service, DR.. Drivers
theme was "The Hidden Hand He
spoke more words for the cause of
Cuba, deprecating war, but feeling
that if it must come, as seems likely,
the redemption CT Cuba from all its
centuries of misery and misruIe
would be glorious achievement for
the arms of this country. He eulo-
gized President Mckinley, and spoke
Of his patriotism and GOODNESS under
the most trying circumstances, and
spoke of the duty of patriotism. The
congregation was unable to restrain
itself and broke into applause.
DIR. Driver also spoke words of
praise for DR.. FL. A. Cleveland, with
whom he was acquainted, and for DR..
Line, the departing pastor. He COM
plimented both.
DR.. Line spoke few words of fare
well, saying that he will leave for his
new field of labor with no Ill feeling.
He spoke of the friendly relations
which have existed between himself
and the church. He expects to leave
Thursday.
A feature of the evening service
was request made by DR.. Driv er
that the ladies in the congregati on
hereafter remove their hats. He said
that at the morning service he had
noticed members of the congrega tion
striving with difficulty to obtain a
view of their new pastor, by growing
their necks around the edges of the
hats in front. The ladies took the
request in the proper spirit, and the
forest of hats came off, opening up a
view OF the pulpit for those in the
rear. This if great Improvement.
and one that the other churches
could we'll afford to follow.