The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-14
BISHOP PREACHED AT WESLEY.
LARGE CONGREGATIONS HEARD
REV. WILLIAM w. DUNCAN.

Church Should Grow-A Missionary
Church Is the Kind That Love for
Christ Demands.
large congregation was at Wesley
Monumental Church yesterday morning TO
hear Bishop William Wallace Duncan. An
appeal was made for Grace Church, and
the congregations of all the Methodist
churches of the city had been invited to
attend the service.
Bishop Duncan is an excellent preacher,
and those who went expecting TO hear
an interesting sermon were not disap-
pointed. He preached in a manner TO Sc
cure and hold the interest of his congre-
cation. His text was taken from Cor.
514-15.
After the sermon collection was taken
for Grace Church. The bishop announced
the way in which the debt was incurred
in building the church, and said the con-
gregation, though small, had raised $1,000
of the $3.50, to which it amounted. The
Methodists and others present responded
literally to the cause and gave $3.50.
Bishop Duncan also preached at the
night service. His congregation was not
so large, though it may be that his SER
mon was more thoroughly enjoyed. The
Bishop is a striking figure as he stands
in the pulpit, and his force and strength
impresses those who see him. His fea-
lures strongly resemble the prints of John
c. Calhoun, and the power of that great
orator is suggested in the Bishops deliv-
cry.
The night sermon was drawn from the
text found in Cor. 1868: "Be We also en-
larged." Said the Bishop: 1.-THE work of
Christianity in the. human heart is never
completed. A man may become nearly
perfect here, but that very perfection adj
mits him to something better. A Chris
tian never dies. He may change his
abode, but the work commenced here on
earth is completed in heaven 1t will
never know any point of final termination.
l feel sorry for the man who says he
has all God can give him on earth. There
is nothing in which one can be more mis-
taken than in his estimate of Christian
experience. One can believe what he
chooses and may feel as he likes. He can
feel contented because he thinks he has
religion, when there is everything to pro-
duce anything but content and to stir
him on in the work of the Lord. / say
again that the work of divine grace in
the human heart that occupies the proper
attitude toward the Lord and Master is
never completed"
In many parts of his sermon Bishon
Duncan referred TO his Wife He has
strong views upon the rights to which a
Wire is entitled, and his congregation lis
tened and enjoyed much he had to saw
upon them. The Bishop said he has a de-
sire created in him constantly to love his
wife more and more, this desire seeming to
grow out of his knowledge of her great
love Tor him. Her love for me is a mys-
terry have never been able TO fathom. All
of you men don't understand how vo1r
wives love you as they do; if YOU think
you do, then you don't love your wives.
When Paul." said the Bishop. "calls
the whole church together for enlargement
he is only anticipating what has been the
universal experience of the church
Where there is stagnation there is death.
Enlargement must be had, for a dead
church is monstrosity, something that
pretends to be what it is not. It does
more harm to religion than theater or a
bar room. Ii has no right to continue as
a sepulchre of good works. / have never
seen such a church, but records show thew
have existed
You all know the story of a great
church that now has it's gospel tents
spread in every land. Years ago there
arose two parties in this church. One
wanted to introduce missionary work
while the other vigorously fought il. The
missionary spirit prevailed, and those who
resisted the effort have hardened in their
smells and now live as warnings to us. A
church that is not missionary is NOT a
cnurch. II man loves the Lord he loves
Him to the ends of the world Mission
AIRY" means enlargement and the growth
ana development of Christianity.
thinking for themselves has been the
trouble for long time with great mass
OF the people. Bishop Potter once listen
ed TO some of the views expressed bv ono
of these people who are called free think
ers. You do not think me derangaj.
Blshop?' asked the man. why, certain
iy not, sir" the Bishop answered. The
man was very proud of this and later
referred to the Bishops Acknowledgement
in his presence. why, my FRIEND snil
Bishop Potter, you are, of course not
deranged. The word implies a previous
arrangement, and this you have never
had" Why do people want to think for
themselves that have nothing TO think
with? There is nothing narrow about
Gods word until it comes to deal with sin.
and then it makes no compromise or
treaty.
Bishop Duncan made another plea for
Grace Church. He was successful in rails
ing large part of the necessary money TO
raise the debt. Referring to those who get
rich by Withholding their money from
those dependent upon him and the chart
ties and benevolent organizations il is the
duty of everyone TO aid, Bishop Duncan
said: "A man getting rich at the expense
Of his wife and children from whom he
withholds the necessities or comforts of
life, and at the expense of charities he
should help to support is stealing. He is
stealing in just as blameapie a way as the
man who runs his hand into till or robs
a bank vault. Enlargement and growth
IN his fortune should be proportionate to
the sums he spends for the comfort of his
family and in the support of charities and
benevolenceS."
Bishop Duncan drew a strong point of
difference between the benevolent man.
-bene volo, and the benehcent man. the
bene facio. The benevolent man wishes
you we'll while the beneheent man takes
you and gives you food and clothing"
The Bishop used the love a man bears
the members n his family and btz a..t..