The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-18
ANEW. ! /: CENTURY
WEEK OF PRAYER
d! in \! THE CHURCHES.
me Week Commencing Sunday, Jan.
4: uary 9, Will be Observed as
8. q Week of Prayer.
CHURCH FEDERATION MEETS
And Elects Officers for tile Ensuine
Year-settlement of the Base
Ball. Gases.

Yesterday afternoon the Federation
of Churches met at the YIN. G, Il
building, with the preEfdAnt, Rev.
y. a. Cunningham, D. D.. .lr'.thc chair.
The members present jY5ere Rev.
Messrs. schwarm, oliphai,, White,
Bigger. Walker, Lynch, Speers, Clark
and Moore. The annual eleIaon OF olIi-
GERS was held, apd resulted as fol-
lows: .ilsq
President-Rev. D. A. Cunningham,
D.. b. -. .e.sE..
3 Vice President--Rev. a. Moore, D. d.
Secretary-Rev. c. Il. Graham. d.. d!
Treasurer-Rev. J. H.. Llttell.
M Executive committee-Rev. Messrs.
Samuel Schwarm. c. L. Clark. r. Il.
Bigger, c NJ ollphant and C. d. Gra-
ham. -. 81
The Federation decided to recommend
the Observance OF Twentieth Century
Week OF Prayer among the Christian
people Of Wheeling and vicinity, the
week to begin on the first Sunday of
the new century, January 6. The fol-
lowing call was ISSUED: t
Call to Prayer:-At q meeting OF the
Federation OF Churches. when the subject
OF the religious condition OF our city and
churches was discussed. II was unani-
mously agreed that we observe In all of
our churches the Week OF Prayer, begin.
ming with the first Sunday in the now
year. and that this week be IL week for
special prayer for our city and our
churches. This communication. prepared
byauthority OF the Federation OF Churches
seeks to emphasize tho need OF this
concerted movement, and especially to
urge on all our churches TO humble them
eeitss before Almighty God and TO cry
nightly unto Him for His blessing. For
know the thoughts that IIthlnk toward
you." saith tho Lord. thoughts OF peace
and not OF evil. to give YOU an expected
end. Then shall We call upon me and ye
shall 80 and pray unto me, and Will
! and find me when yc shall search for me
with all your heart" We stand In sore
need Of spiritual revival The Holy Spirit
Is willing 10 come into our hearts. II only
he shall have room and welcome. but He
will not enter unbidden, nor will He be
grudGlngly entertained Have we not
grieyed the Holy Spirit BY treating Him
with polite consideration while refusing
Him sovereignty over our lives? We feel
sure that conventional religion Is too
much taking the place OF vital religion.
There Is outward proprtety without spirit
j ual experience. or the preacher In rela-
ton TO his auditors. 1t may be said In
the words of the prophet. And. 10. thou
one that hath n pleasant voice, and can
play well on m Instrument: for they hear
Thy words, but they do them not" We
fear that our churches are'seeklng enter
tainment from their pastors, ruther than
desiring, ''the sincere milk OF the word
TINT they may grow thereby Let us look
well Into our spiritual condition. Is there
no reason for alarm? Consider the decline
OF family prayer. and the absence OF ser
lows religious instruction in the home.
Consider the difficulty Of securing teachers
in onr Sunday schools who are willing to
sacrifice convenience for the sake OF this
noble cause. Consider the small place the
church and Its interests occupies In the
thought of our people as compared with
business and with society. Consider In
our midst the Sunday concert. the fake
hotel.' the Sunday saloon and the desc
Grafton OF the sacred day. Is not religion
too much made n diversion rather than
the supreme business OF life? We have
pointed out only n few indications OF splr-
itual declension. hoping thereby TO arrest
The attention OF our people. and to bring
them TO serious determination and pray
Ier. We do not mean to paint too gloomy
a picture. We ARE not unmindfu OF the
fhlthfulness and devotion of many: Of their
answering loyalty and sodly lives. But
aging facts with which We are confronted.
Nevertheless. II thou warn the righteous
man that the righteous sin not and he
doth not sin. he shall surely live. because
soul We may not escape the RESPONSE
blllty OF warning the people. Let MS utter
the PRAYER of the prophet, Awake,
awake! Put on strength, o arm OF the
Lord awake rs In the ancient days In
the generations OF old" Let us draw very
near unto God that We may receive pow
'er for service. "RcstOre unto me the ioT
OF thy salvation: and uphold me with thy
free spirit. Then will teach trnnsErcss-
.ors thy ways and sinners shall be convert
cd unto thee"
We urge upon our officers. our Sunday
school teachers, the heads OF families
yes, upon every member OF our respective
congregations to observe this week of
prayer Then shall on. EFFORTS for the
conversion Of sinners be rewarded. and
God will open unto us the windows of
heaven md pour out n hcsa!ng. that
there shall not be room enough to receive
IT," II Is urged that this call be read IN
all our churches ON Sunday. December -
and that It be printed in our city papers
a committee composed OF Rev.
Messrs. Clark and BritiInGham was up.
pointed to act with the committee Of
Island citizens In the settlement OF the
claims against them. arising out OF the
prosecution OF the campaign against
Sunday. base ball last summer This
means that the legal proceedings re,
Gently brought against the Islanders
,,,p,p,tttoa will itkpIy I'm .lrnnnpl