The morning news., 1899-09-04
TRUE CHRISTIAN IDEAL
REV. J. d. CHAPMAN TELLS OF THE
NORTHFIELD CONFERENCE.

Mighty Aggregation of Christian
workers Gathered Together to
Learn the Right Methods and to
Imbibe the True Spirit of Doc
trine and EndeavOr-A Complete
Surrender to the VIII of the Su-
preme and Dependence Upon Him.
Personalities of Mr.. Dwight l..
Moody and the other Leaders OF
the Work of the Conference at
NorthGeId.
The services at the Duffy Street Bap-
tist Church last night were unusually in
teresting The pastor, Rev. John D.
Chapman had just returned from the
great conference of Christian workers at
Mortified, Mass, and gave to his congre-
cation at the evening service some ac-
count of the manner in which the evan
gelistic meetings there had been conduct
ed.
Mr.. Chapman said that for many years
he had been anxious to attend one of
these meetings al Mortified and to par
ticipate in the spiritual advantages that
were to be had there for the mere attend
ance and hearing. For an equal number
of years he had been disappointed in his
ambition, and had welcomed the oppor-
tunity, this year presented, of hearing the
great evangelist, Moody, and his almost
equally great co-workers deliver their
talks and lectures upon the vital subjects
of Christian living. He had gone North
with high expectations, but everything he
had hoped for had been far surpassed
The speaker then gave some description
of the scope and meaning of the annual
meetings at NorthheId. Starting eighteen
years ago, in a modest sort Of fashion,
with few speakers and few worship3ets,
the conference has steadily grown until
this year from 1000 to 5000 Christian
workers were in attendance upon and
prodted by the meetings
The conference stands primarily for four
great principles, purity, a life surrendered
to Christ, a life filed with the spirit, and
that spiritual condition in which God
works in and through the man. These are
| the Christian IDEAS that are sought to be
| inculcated constantly and that are so sue
cessfuNy urged upon the attention and
| brought TO the notice of the thousands who
| listen to The eloquent words of those who
] SOule lIOIl the WOTin emu 10 Diln8 NuS
message of the true gospel.
The conference is undenominational and
| international. 1t teaches the broadcast spirit
| of Christianity and is do ng much to bring
! together in Christian unity those who are
| striving to Go the Masters work in The
! world. There is no feeling of narrowness
! and no discussion of Vexed problems The
! whole idea of all who attend the confer
| ence speakers and listeners, is merely to
| learn the highest and purest ideals of their
| religion.
One of the themes touched upon by MI
| Chapman was the conception of true Chris
| tian effort, based upon the belief that the
! man should not work for God, but that
! God should work through and by man.
In other words, that the whole heart and
soul of the Christian should be so thor
! oughly surrendered to the work of the
| master that he would be without voition
of his own. but that through him the God
| i6eal and the God work should be natural
ly evolved There should be a complete
| surrender of the mind and the will to the
| dominion of the spirit.
MIR. Chapman gave also a description OF
the personal characteristics and the work
of the principal speakers al the conference
| and of the work that they did there. Mr.
Moody was described as the great general
in charge of the enterprise, through whose
marvellous personality and indomitablt
vieor and energy it had been carried to a
| successful conclusion and bade fair TO in
crease and gather greater usefulness In
| coming years. The other evangelists were
all Englshmen, but of three different de-
nom nations, MIR. Selwin is of the Church
of England, Mr.. D. Campbell Morgan OF
| the Congrega tional Church and Mr.. Meyer
a Baptist. 1t is a bright example of the
Christian unity the future holds in store
said MIR: Chapman that Mr.. Meyer
Baptist minister, is the pastor of Con
| gregational Church in London. He is a
preacher of wonderful ability, a mar
whom every one is drawn to irresistably
and whose work is of value scarcely TO be
| estimated.
Mr. Chapman returns from Mortified
| greatly improved in health, and, as ht
says himself. in mind and spirit uplifteC
and renewed. He speaks in enthusiastic
terms of the good work that is being done
al the conference. and of the interest thu
it is exciting all over the country and tbs
world. It's influence for good increases
with each year, and more and more oi
the ministers of the country and other;
who are actively interested in the prosecu.
| ton of Christian enterprises, meet al
Mortified and learn how this work may
| best be done, and how TO go about it it
the spirit that renders its success assured