Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-06-19

ENDEO.
The f1ftieth anniversary Of the Chap
line Street Methodist Episcopal church
was celebrated with most interesting
and impressive ceremonies by the mem
bers of the congregation yesterday.
1t was in every particular one of the
most notable events in the history of
the old edifice and was attended very
largely by the members, of the denomi-
nation throughout the district, their
friends and the former pastors of the
church. The programme of the day
included many beautiful and appropri-
ate musical selections and addresses by
a number of prominent clergymen.
The interior of the structure pre-
sented beautiful appearance, having
been tastefully adorned in streamers
of the American hues; red and white,
the colors of the Epworth League;
ported plants of many different spe-
cies, bouquets and maple sugar foliage.
Very conspicuous among the floral dec
orations was large cross composed of
fifty bouquets, representative of the
anniversary, and which occupied a
place at the altar.
THE OPENING EXERCISES.
The Sabbath school was called to
order by the superintendent Elmer E.
Grimes, at $3.50 o'clock There was a
full attendance of the scholars and
some pleasing exercises, appropriate to
the occasion, were rendered. An adj
dress was made by Rev. j. l.. Clark,
who spoke of the membranes of his
Sunday school life and also gave some
good advice to the members of the
school. Rev. A. Dillon also made a
few instructive remarks, recounting
many happy incidents that had oc
Cured in the early days of his life and
how he had profted by them.
At 10:30 o'clock Rev. James l.. Clark
of Tarrentum. Pa, delivered the an
niversary sermon in the auditorium and
was greeted by an immense congrega-
ton. His remarks were attentively lis
tened to and in part were as follows:
ANNIVERSARY SERMON.
Text: l Kings, IS chap. II; Is.
II,
Prophet and King-Elijan and Ahab,
upon one of the public highways OF
ancient Palestine, presents to our minds
one of the most interesting, striking
and dramatic scenes in Scripture his
tory. Israel was face to face with the
greatest crisis in the nations life The
most degrading and revolving form of
1dolatry held triumphant sway. The
covenant of their fathers was forsaken;
the affairs Of the Most High were
broken down; the prophets of God had
been slain with the sword, or driven
to unknown hiding places in the noun
tain cover; and the people had every
where reparted from the old and true
faith.
Sin is the source and cause of all
the trouble in this world This has
been SO from the beginning. 1t is not
my purpose upon this occasion to dis
cuss the origin of moral evil in the
earth of the universe. My business to-
night is to deal in positive realities and
practical principles. Gods word is the
man of my counsel. That word | shall
endeayor to preach to you. TO the
Jaw and the testimony; if they speak
not according to this word, 1t is be-
cause there is no light in them"
"As with Israel under AhaD, so with
us and with our land and nation to-
day, the transgression of Gods law,
the wanton disregard and disobedience
of the Ten Commandments, the
trampling under foot of righteousness
among men, as if it were an unholy
thing, these things have brought upon
clashing of one interest with another,
the warfare of opposing elements in
society; the wide prevalence of crime.
far-reaching moral disaster and all
kinds of trouble. Our trouble is not
in this or that monetary standard, not
in the tariff or free trade, not in over
production or under-consumpt but
in that we have to an Alarming degree,
forsaken the commandments of the
Lord and followed the leadlngs of the
carnal mind, the glitter and show of
worldliness, the lusts of the flesh and
the fieeting vanities of earth. Tho a
professedly Christian nation, we are in
full T
PARTNERSHIP WITH EVIL.
Under the shadow of our church spires,
we are legalizing business worse than
war, famine and pestilence combined.
We are licensing a wrong which eclips-
es every other calamity under which
we suffer We are fostering a traffic
which produces more idleness, misery,
poverty, shame, insanity, disease,
crime and death than all other evils
put together. | say 1--WE" advisedly.
For ours is government of the peo-
pie, OF whom we are part. In those
olden days the throne was the govern
ment. But in this country the scep-
ter of authority and power is swayed
by the people. God places the respon-
sibility just where it belongs And
what shall | say of increasing Sab
bath dissertation, the laying aside OF
the Golden Rule-for the rule of gold
The mighty struggle of the two great
forces in the industrial world. showing
itself in the strikes and lock-outs, and
injunctions and riots. The world is in
trouble because, largely, it yet lieth
in wickedness. Sin has entailed upon
humanity all its ills and sorrows. BY
disobedience sin has come into the
world and death by sin. The wages
of sin is death. When lust hath con-
ceived it bringeth forth sin, and sin
in its consummation bringcth forth
death.
THE preacher should be the prophet
4