The times., 1899-05-15
WITHIN THE PORTALS
OF WESLEY CHAPEL
CommemoratiOn Exercises the
Feature of the Day.
Seventieth Anniversary of the
Founding Of the Church.
4 Large Attendance, mt Roth Morning
and Evening serviccs-Dr. Buck
ley's Address.

Exercises in commemoration of the
seventeen anniversary of the founding of
Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church
were commenced yesterday at that church.
and will be continued each evening during
the week. closing next Sunday with a plat
form meeting. which will be presided ever
by Mr.. Justice Brewer. of the Supreme
| Court of the United States. The features
| of the exercises were a sermon during the
/ morning services and addresses in the
evening by the Rev. James NJ. Buckley.
! LII. D., editor OF the "Christian Advocate"
! and Postmaster General Charles Emory
Smith. who presided at the meeting last
| night.
The services both morning and evening
were attended by congregations which
| taxed the seating capacity CT the spacious
/ auditorium and galleries of the church.
The rostrum was tastefully decorated with
cut flowers and beautiful palms. while from
| the ratings of the galleries a profusiOn OF
| the national colors hung in graceful folds.
! On the rostrum with the Rev. DR.. j.
Fred Heisse. the pastor of Wesley Chapel,
were Postmaster General Emory Smith,
the presiding officer; Rev. DR.. Buckley.
the principal speaker OF the evening;
| Rev. A. H. Ames, President of the Lucy
| Webb Hayes National Training School.
and Rev. ]. Z. Rankin, President of How
ard University.
| The meeting was opened with prayer by
| the Rev. DR.. Ames, after which the Rev.
! DR.. Heisse presented Postmaster General
Smith as the presiding officer. Mr.. Smith.
| after acknowledging the compliment. said
| it was his intention not to say anything.
but that since he had arrived at the church
he had been requested to make a few re-
marks This he willingly consented to do.
he said. because the occasion reminded him
OF the last time he had the honor of pre-
siding over similar ceremonies. 1t was. he
said. in ST. Petersburg. Russia, when he
| was delegated there, the occasion being
the fiftieth anniversary CT the establish
ment of what is known as the Russian
American Methodist Episcopal Church in
that city. Mr.. Smith spoke OF the famine
In Russia in 1891 when the American Gov
ernment sent five shipicads OF food to
the starving people and upon Americas
representative at the Russian capital ask
ing the Emperor how the provision should
be distributed he replied: Through the
Methodist Chapel 1t is the best means
for such distribution that l know of"
Mr.. Smith also referred to tne decorations
saying that 1t was plain to see while the
congregation were remembering their God
In presenting the Rev. DIR. Buckley, Mr.
Smith said: ''If we had more such editors
as he in secular journalism there would
not be such tinge of yellow in the daily
press. but more of the white truth"
The subject of the Rev. DR.. Buckley's
address was ''Denominationalism versus
Bigotry." which he discussed in very
general manner. pointing out what might
be considered errors practiced by several
| religious denominations. His argument
was forceful and logical proving conclu-
siyely that there is no place in the world
today for bigots or bigotry. The family
name for all believersiin Christ. he said,
is Christian. no matter what our de-
nominational name may be-
The music during the evening was by
the Wesley Chapel Choir, under the di-
rection of Mrs. Grace Dufour Brown
During the offertory Praise Ye the Lord"
4 was sung in splendid voice by Mr. r. R.
Rodrck. ..i
The services held yesterday morning
were interdenominational in character.
as Rev. J. Fred Heisse. the pas
tor. received the congratulations of many
ministers not affiliated with the Methodist
denomination. and Rev Byron Sunderland,
d. D., and President Rankin of the How
ard University, occupied seats within the
chancel rail, together with Bishop Hurst
Bishop McKendree, and Bishop Wilson
At the beginning of the service the pa=tor
read q letter from President Mckinley,
congratuating the church on its anniver-
sary and expressing regret at being unable
TO attend the services.
The sermon was preached by Rev James
Buckley. editor of the christian Advo-
cate" the official organ of the Metho-
dist Church. Mr.. Buckley took his text
from the fourth chapter of the gospel of
st. John: Other men labored and We are
entered into their labor" In his open
ing remarks the speaker said:
1T seems TO have been a mystery to
some people how Christ, being born as he
was, of humble parents and receiving only
such education as they could give him and
he could acquire himself, should have OBJ
tanned such hold on the people despite
the influence OF the greatest men of the
time backed as they were by all of the
teachers and the soldiery and the laws Of
the lands But they did not and do not
get back to the cause of it all. Christ
was teacher of the people and they heard
and believed him. In him was union of
human knowledge and divine wisdom He
was a tower of human strength and di-
vine energy and spirit. In him were con-
tained all the qualities that go to make
human goodness. combined with divine
purity. The miracles performed were dem
| onstrations of the supernatural. whose OBJ
ject was to command attention, while with
eloquence and wisdom, this strange blend
ing of man and God spake to men always
as God and never as man"
Mr.. Buckley then traced the history Of
the Methodist Church from its beginning
to the present day. He told the various
forces that served to make up the doctrine
of Methodism and the fact that almost
every other denomination was in meas
ure responsible for the principles of its
| 1T CAN'T PE DONF