The Savannah morning news., 1901-04-25
ONENESS IN CHRIST
DIR. ALEXANDER, SUTHERLAND AT
NEW ORLEANS.
M.E.MISSIoNARY CONFERENCE
DISTINGUISHED DIvINEs IN AT
TENDANCE.

The Address Based Upon Christs
May Not All BE in One Church,
but May he One in Him-BishOp
Thobuin's Plea for Missions-First
Protestant bible Ever Sent to
Mexico ON Exhibit.
New Orleans, April A.-The opening ses-
sion of the Central Missionary Conference
of the Methodist Church, South, at Tu-
lane Hall to-day drew an overlooking aud
fence. The attendance of visitors from
other cities was very large. Bishop e. r.
Hendrix of Kansas City, presided.
On the platform were Rev. James At
kins Rev. Alexander Sutherland, Bishop
Granbery, Bishop Tnoburn, Mrs. E. j.
Lambuth, missionary to China and Japan,
and others. Rev. John Wesley Tarboux,
in charge of the evangelical work in Bra
zil, offered the invocation. Rev. Alexander
Sutherland, secretary of the Board of
aCnadian Missions of Toronto, spoke on
the subject Oneness in Christ"
This theme arises out of the words
spoken by Christ on the night of his be-
trayal, when he prayed, That they all
may be one Some interpret these words
as meaning the organic union OF all
Christs people in visible body. This is
inadequate. Christ's Kingdom is from
within His supreme desire for his dis
ciples could not have concerned itself with
the mere externals of religion. What he
desired for them was unity of spirit. This
cannot be created or maintained by ma
jorty of conferences and synods,
or compromises between opposing fac
tions. 1t is the product of the mighty
work of his spirit. 1t is ineligible to us
upon grounds of experience. Every true
believer has just such union with Christ
who is the head. This unity of true be-
levers with their Lord gives another
phase to the subject of organic union.
AS they are in all churches, to gather
them into one is manifestfy impossible
Who can decide who they are? But he
wishes them to be one in Him. Can we
do anything to forward this? First, we
need a mighty deepening of spiritual life
in the church. Divisions arise out of a
low type of experience. Our religion
may be too superficial. A great deepen
ing of spiritual life is the crying need of
the hour. The bearing of all this
on the missionary problem is manifest
Every revival of missionary zeal
has been preceded by earnest, persistent
prayer and a deepening of spiritual life
Inc choosing ana Sendlng out or mis-
sionaries by the Holy Ghost, as la the
case of Barnabas and Saul, gives the true
apostolic succession. Cooperation in work
for the worlds salvation will give us the
best results of organic union. Christ
said: If 1 be lifted up, l will draw ALI
men, 1t may be men are not drawn
because our preaching does not lift up
Christ. Some have lifted up the church
and not her Lord; the creed and not its
object, the crucifix and not the Christ
But these will not satisfy the world. Only
Christ can do this.
Bishop Cranberry spoke on obedience to
the great commission, "Christ's law of
life to His church,
Rev. John Fox followed with an address
on THE Bible and Missions"
Bishop Thoburn was. the preacher at
night, speaking upon the healing of ma
lions, or the agency of the Holy Spirit
1t was an earnest plea for missions and
predicted that the coming year would see
wonderful results in China. DR.. Suther-
lands prayer concluded the days session.
The main hall is decorated with mission
maps and notices and there is also a mis-
sionary exhibit, to which Bishop Gallo
way has added the first Protestant Bible
sent to Mexico, which also secured the
first convert. Prof. w. A. Hemphill Is In
charge of the large choir trained for the
event.