Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-03-20

Bishop Fowler of the Methodist Epis-
copal church at the Fourth Street NJ
E. church last night. The reception
begun shortly after seven o'clock
and a bountiful collation. was spread
upon the tables of the Lecture
Rev. and Mrs. s. T. Westhafer, Mr..
and Mrs. A. j. Clarke and Mrs. w. B.
Hicks, Mr.. and Mrs. Edward Hazlett,
MI. and Mrs. W. B. Irvine, Mr.. and
Mrs. w. ]. Lukens. Mr.. and Mrs. D. c.
List, jr., DR.. and Mrs. r. H. Billiard
were on the reception committee.
There were eight other committees to
whose excellent cooperation the sue
cess of the collation. and reception was
likewise largely due.
About eight o'clock Rev. Mr.. West
hafer, after speaking eulogistically of
the generosity of his congregation,
humorously observing that he had the
pleasure of entertaining seven differ
ent bishops but in none had he found
so much fellowship, kindness, Christ
ian charity and broad generosity as in
Bishop Fowler, who was the M. E.
Bishop of Buffalo, the editor of n of
their best publications, and president
of one of the largest Methodist col
leges, whom he had the pleasure of
now introducing.
Upon the mention of the venerable
bishops name whole-souled applause
greeted him; and his cheerful counte-
nance at once won the reverent atten-
ton of the audience still remaining,
informally, in the lecture ROOM, after
the bishop spoke. As he humorously
proceeded to acknowledge the kindly
reception he had met with, he spoke
of the loyalty of the Fourth Street M.
E. church, from its history as it came
to him, and said that it was the duty
of every man and woman of the
church to give and pray for the better
ment of all within as well as without
the church, that it would not do for
the church board (humorouslyl to
neglect stirring up the brothers and
sisters, and thus let parsimony grow,
as parsimony was the greatest and
meanest of sins. Then in a glowing
description, painting the clear and
distinct outlines of character as sub
timely distinguished from the passing
and evanescent bubble reputation, he
dwelt upon the duty of %upbuilding
character through practice and exam
Pile of the church members. He then
said: at is a great thing to be a
representative of the Lord Jesus
! Christ, a follower Of Jesus of Naza-
reth, to be his type here and show
forth virtues so that should He come
down as He did suddenly among his
apostles, He might say, This is one
of My disciples Aye, it is a great
thing to be a member of the Christian
church and have Christian fortitude
and persistence to the end.
Let us see to it that we do not mis-
represent Christ. And being loyal to
God, loyal to the flag, the church
never finched. 1t is a great thing to
belong to such a church.
1--WE waste so much of our energies
and time in seeking transitory things,
like a hound whose failing breath is
his only reward in following a useless
trail or pursuing a false scent. Per-
manent things are the only mi we
should strive after. Those giving
transient service are of no use. They
leave one worse off afterwards than
before.
I'VE are in the great commercial
age. Ships with cargoes alone are of
use. They cross and recross. Char
acter is the cargo we should have,
should help others to. The police
protect the public in a way; but if it
were not for the moral training. the
Christian backbone, the stamina given
people in the pulpits, no man would
be safe from the assassin's bludgeon."
He %thereupon discussed the neces-
sity of the militant church combating
crime, uplifting humanity, making
men strong in the faith and by their
lives and acts bearing witness to the
truth unto all men. Imploring all to
rise up to a proper conception of the
fading transformers of things Of
earth, of the vanishing vanities of life
so eagerly and persistently pursued
for their unsubstantial and ephemeral
benefits, in a glorious peroration Of
the everlasting life of the immortal
soul of man looking back through the
ages and beholding the sun unhinged
and shrunken in her socket and the
place of earth lost in space and yet
bliss and JOY eternal filling it with
the fruition of the holy vision, he
closed, again rendering his thanks for
the kind reception.
The bishop will preside at the ses-
sion of the conference which opens
at nine O'Clock this morning and will