The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-04-04
TWENTIETH CENTURY LEAGUE
LARGE PUBLIC MEETING HELD IN
TRINITY M. 10. CHURCH.

Prominent Speakers Present-Addresse
by Bishop Vincent, DR.. Buckley nnt
II. II. Benedict-Work Being Accom-
pIished by the League.
The Twentieth Century Wesleyan
league held a grand public rally o.
Methodists in Trinity M, e. church las
evening. The announcement tina
Bishop Vincent and DR.. Buckley, editor
of the Christian Advocate, would speak
sufficed to fill the church to overflow
ing. AS is known, the Twentieth Cen
fury Wesleyan league is distinctly
Methodist organization, it's purpose be-
ing the payment of the debts OF
the Methodist churches of t the city
This was stated by the presiding Off
Ger Of the meeting. John 7. Manson
first vice president of the league, in his
Introductory remarks, in the course OF
which he said THE Twentieth Century
leagues object in organizing was to
raise money, but it has got beyond
that, 1t has now reached its spiritual
side to speak of which I will introduce
Bishop John o. Vincent"
Bishop Vincent in his Introductory
remarks told the story of Methodist
minister of western town who when
his congregation desired to build one
large splendid church, advised them to
build church that could be paid for
at once. They followed his advice and
erected a church plain outside but
beautiful inside and paid for it all at
once. The satisfaction of having a
church entirely free from debt was so
great that it was not long before anoth-
er church, and finally third, the last
church, a magnificent one, were built.
And as they Were built they were paid
for. After telling of this incident the
speaker said: God grant the disciples
of Wesley may have wisdom to do
likewise"
Continuing the bishop said: That's
one way; the other way Is to create
debts I visited church within a few
weeks, a big church in one of the
southern cities, which had been built
by a brother who wanted to make
big record in the conference. He had
built the church all right. but the rec
ord at the conference was not very big
for he left the congregation struggling
under a debt that would be almost i'm
possible to lift even in northern eli
mate. But church debts are not SO bad
after ALL They have their value. AS
we worship in beautiful structure
with the feeling that it is under debt,
comes the reminder that our fathers
when they constructed it believed that
we would be able to meet the debt and
carry on the work Church debts al
ways devolve themselves upon the chill
dren, and when they do the problem
that always presents itself Is, what
shall we as loyal children and good
Methodists do to clear them off. Now
how shall We pay our debts? Not by
an appeal to UNCONVENTIONAL pride but
by an appeal to the force that charac-
terized their beginning. We need a re-
vival of the enthusiasm that inspired
our fathers to build We need Metho-
dism to-day as much as ever. We need
it in a college town: we need it in
commercial center. There was never
time in the history of the world when
vital experience was more needed than
to-day. We need to emphasize our re-
1ations as members of one faith. / look
for big results from this new move
ment in your church. The work of the
Twentieth Century league is Gods
work. We are indebted to your presi-
dent, Mr.. Benedict, for the great sue
cess of the present movement. Now
we have an opportunity to express our
interest in the church as a whole As
lovers of our great faith we are called
upon to give our efforts to the church,
to give our money systematically, to
the uplifting of our great faith
Mr. Manson next introduced DR.
Buckley, who spoke, in part, as follows:
When Methodism first came to New
Haven it was looked upon as curios-
lty. 1t was stared at 1t was talked
about. President Stiles of Yale univer-
sity came down and stared at it, But
It went along just the same, just as it
lees to-day, and before long it ceased to
De curiosity. 1t made revivalist of
I'D David Beacher, and it made Lyman
Beecher one of the greatest revivalists
he country has ever produced. But
-ilCy soy tilelI VhCtIiouiciil llaSu Ntly
much to give nowadays.
Methodists, generally speaking, to this !
lay have many more means Of grace /
han any of the other bodies. We mean
prayer meetings, class meetings, reviv- |
lis, etc. We are always aiming at the
learts of the people. A Methodist |
preacher who can't stir the emotions of |
lis hearers has no place in his sphere.
lie must stir the emotions. Go where
'ou will to-day in the state Of Connec-
lieut. you cannot fail to find a Methodist
preacher where they are able to support
me-
Wherever we so we endeavor to pro-
note revivals. We never reach the con-
iton of a Congregational church in a
ertain town, number of years ago,
which being the only church in the town
nd numbering all the church-goers
mong It's congregation, had reached
tate of apathy so dull that it's pastor
ad to send letter to the head of the
difference asking that a Methodist min
3ter be sent to the town to start re-
ival.
Another reason is that we are strictly
temperance organization Not a min
;ter in the Methodist church dares to