Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-12-05

Now"-Thcsc nnd Other Interesting Mat
tiers Were Brought out at the Session of
the Archdeaconry of Wilmington.
Tbs subject OF present h;ndrances
and present helps to spiritual growth,
especially rs to present helps, aroused
warm discussion at thu morning
session Of the Arehdeaconry of vii.
mington in Trinity narishhouss Tues
day. The Rev. William J. Hamilton
OF Delaware City, IN speaking Of the
hindrances 10 spiritual growth, said
that one Of them WAS the dividing up
OF Christianity into types of Christians,
such as intellectual, emotional and
practical Christians. He held that per-
feet puise and balance could he secured
only in Christ.
Then the Rev. Hubert W. Wells Of
st. Andrews Church. presented the
matter of helps 20 spiritual growth. He
maintained that spiritual growth was
to be helped:
BY the rew knowledgo Of Gods
visible world where inan's oircum.
stantial place is insignificant and where
bis interior place is enormously ac.
cented; this means the spiritualizing
OF religion.
BY the grounding of religion in love
and in righteousness: not in God s
severe. gpty, not in power.
BY he passing of st Paul, the in
apired setter forth of Christianity as a
reasoned system.
by criticism, that is, the study of
history.
In concluding his eloquent address,
Mr.. Wells extolled the criticism which
brings out the truth and declared that
many material burdens have been taken
from religion and that men see that
love stands above everything. Whvn
men feel that they must unite and do
unite il means that thousand little
differences have lost their accent, until
the issue Of love is seen to he the para
mount Issue.
1t was apparent that the address had
intensely interested the auditors, and
after the Rev. X. J. Hammond had
made formal onening Of the discussion.
the Rev. William McCau''ey Jefferis OF
Calvary Church, took the floor. He
agreed, te said. with the necessity Of
the development OF the interior life.
hut IL must go with purity of body.
The general trend Of The address OF the
rector Of st. Andrews in the view OF
DR.. Jefferis, was OF one sidedness, for
he held it TO be dangerous to look away
from the greatness and sovereignty Of
God. The SPEAKER set forth as helps to
spiritual growth such things as getting
near to God, meditation, prayer, the
use OF the sauraments, the study OF the
Bible ard church attendance. and he
felt that the tendency towards higher
criticism was doing harm, especially in
WOW of the fact that the last word OF,
many important questions has not yet
been said.
Archdeacon George @. Hall also took
occasion to differ with the rector OF
st Andrews concerning his statement
about st. Paul, for Dr. Hall felt that
the great apostle still holds bis place
as mighty force, next only to Christ
himself.
bishop Coleman. who presided added
that he did not agree with Mr.. Wells IL
he meant TO say that St Paul made
errors, for as st. Paul was inspired by
the Hcly Ghost, he could not err. 1t
was possible. however, that persons
might err 10 interpreting st. Paul.
Mr.. Wells replied that st. Paul was
guilty of grave errors in certain aspects
of his writings, which he himself had
adm lifted.
The Rev. II. Ashton Henry Of Trinity
Church declared that there had un-
douhtedly been great change 10 re.
ligious thought in the past hundred
years, and tho preacher is bound to
take account of il. "Who would preach
literal hell now?" he asked.
This question excited DR.. Jefferis,
who wanted to know what Mr.. Henry
meant by literal nell, and declared
that be had preached on hell only Inst
Sunday, and believed that every sin
brings suffering; il not fire, as bad as
fire.
The discussion came 10 q close be.
cause the hour OF reueas had arrived.
At the afternoon session, Former
Judge David 4. Marvel and the Rev.
Martin b. Dunlap discussed "The
Reciprocal Relation of the Employer
and the Employe.'' Commercial
Morality" was discussed by the Rev.
NJ. L.. Poffenbsrger OF Newark, the
Rev. F. NJ. Munson, LII. D., Of New
Castle and fioorgs A. Elliott.
The Church as Leader in the
Things not Technically Religious -
was the subject for consideration at
the evening session. Prof. William Ii.
Richardson OF New Castle aud the Rev
q. Ernest Smith, d. D., of Baltimore
were the speakers Dr. Smith said that
to the church all questions Of morality,
honesty, integrity are religious cues.
lions. 1t is the place of the church
to sanctify every business. 1t should
sanctify politics, because men obtain
power in pc itical positions and use
them for their personal benefit and to
the disadvantage of the people. This
church should lead in all questions for
the moral uplifting of the people. At
the great Episcopal Convention recently
he'd, Il Judge said that the question Of
marriage and divorce was State
matter, that 1t was not a religious
question. 1t is religious QUESTION,
II affects the morals of humanity. II
It isallowed to be only State matter
it will before long affect the stability
OF the nation.