The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-05
A CLASS is CONFIRMED
BISHOP FRANCIS CONDUCTS SERv-
ICES AT HOLY INNOCENTs'.
He Addresses the Class of Ten Young
People and Then breaches
Sermon.

Services at the Holy Innocents' Church
began yesterday morning with a confirma-
ton service, a class of ten being confirmed
by Bishop Francis. AT the conclusion of
the service the bishop addressed the class
on the Importance Of the right Of confrma-
ton. He said that many people thought
that when they had been confirmed they
could rest perfectly safe, without any fur
ther efforts to right living. He said this
was a mistake, as confirmation was only
the beginning of right living and only i'm
posed a greater obligation for greater eff
forts for Christ. There were many people
in the church who had received confirma-
ton who were not living the right kind of
lives. and consequently they were a greater
detriment to the church than if they had
never been confirmed, because more was
expected of them. To some people confir-
nation is but a mere form, a mockery,
and it is because they do not realize what
1t means. He said that when a person
was confirmed he should from that mo-
ment dedicate his life to the Savior. He
should do all In his power to make the
world better. both by word and deed. Much
good can be accomplished by setting an ex-
ample of right living, for the world has
great respect for a man who practices what
he breaches.
At the conclusion of his address to the
class the bishop spoke to the congregation.
The text was taken from the gospel of the
day-the first Sunday in Lent-St. Mat
thew w. /: "Tnen was Jesus led up of
the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted
of the devil" The bishop said that this
first temptation of Christ was suffered by
Him man, and not as a God. He said
He put himself under the limitation of a
man, and did not avail himself of any di-
vine power to resist the temptation. If He
had yielded to the temptation He would
have been taking these things into His own
hands but He submitted to the divine will
of God and yet resisted.
The application made by the bishop was
that man should submit to the divine will
of God. even though IL came in the form of
a temptation. He said that many times
it was Gods purpose to tempt us, and II
resisted the temptation We would come
out of the ordeal stronger and better than
before. The bishop spoke of Christ's sec
ond temptation to throw himself on the
mercy of God when there was no reason
for 1t. He said Christ's resistance OF this
temptation taught us to be self-reliant. He
said many times we were disposed TO blame
God for putting temptation in our way.
but that He did ii for our good. TO make
us strong in our faith. He said there was
no sin in temptation If 1t was overcome.
but If we allowed it to overcome us, then
we were responsible, for the power was
within us to resist, even as Christ resisted
the many temptations to which He was
subjected. He said that we should live
with an entire submission TO Gods will
and be strong enough within ourselves,
knowing God, to resist all temptation. He
said that for every temptation which was
successfully resisted Christ gave us a
blessing even as He was blessed after He
had tasted forty days and nights and re-
sisted the temptation of the devil to turn
stones into bread In conclusion he said
that IL would be wise for us all to remem-
Der that Man should not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceedeth
out of the mouth Of God"
At the conclusion of the sermon the
bishop held a holy communion service, in
which he was assisted by the pastor. Rev.
Francis c. Woodward.