The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-01-06
MINISTERS meet
Methodists lIs'en TO Sermon
by Presiding Elder Bass.

The regular meeting OF the Providence
District Methodist Ministers association
convened in the Mathewson Street Metho-
dist church. this morning, with the presl-
dent Rev. A. j. Coultas, in the chair.
After brief business meeting the meet
ing was given In charge OF Presiding Ed
er Bass, who delivered the sermon of
the morning. which usually fills the place
OF paper on the first Monday OF each
month.
Previous TO the sermon devotions were
conducted by Rev ]. III. Nutting.
DR.. Bass announced as his subject 'The
Importance OF Bible Doctrine" choosing
as his text Judge ill., Earnestly con-
tend for the faith which was once de-
livered TO the saints"
In part he said: Even in the days OF
the apostles believers needed warning
against false teachers and their errors.
Christians and others might dwell to-
gether as neighbors and I'm the same
households but there could be no true
fellowship between men loving and wor-
shipping Jesus Christ and men rejecting
the Gospel.
THE apostles preached doctrnal SER
mons and wrote doctrinal epistles
Error Is too closely related 20 sin
and sin is too much the enemy of all good
us to toy with or tolerate either.
The present is a wonderful time OF light
and knowledge and progress, but IL ever
right faith needed statement and do
fence it is needed now and needed no.
where more than in this part of the world.
Every kind OF doctrine finds tolerance
and welcome today and nowhere more
than here, in the shadow OF the "a coll
leges and universities and eight theooei-
cal scminaries OF New England. n is
one OF the plausible and welcome delu-
sions that IL Is unimportant what a man
believes II his life Is only right.
Though some men live better than the
logic OF their belief. and thus fall far
below, the tendency Is always 70 conform
our belief 10 our practice.
We all want To appear TO ourselves
consistent whatever we do, we welcome
Justification Of our actions.
ANY man, c.ps"iously out Of harmony
with God is predisposed To accept error.
lie finds IL a task TO square his life with
the standards OF truth, and so he well
comes teaching that is agreeable 90 his
conduct
Truth and error arc essentially and
different ends and different destinies.
without correct doctrine I'm fundamen-
tails the distinctions between morality and
immortality Will disappear.
1t is "A vital matter where the church
puts it, emphasis. II may emphasize doc
trine or experience Of life, or two or
"Emphasizs doctrine only or chiefly and
though there be scholars. logiCians. phil
osophcrs thcre will be bigotry and pcrsc-
cution.
"Emphasize experience only or chiefly
and we shall name the fanatic. the her
NIT or the man half or more than half
nt for tho asyiums.
I'm our day the emphasis is boing
placed ON the life. Picty, religion H.
hoped for in what man does. especially
iu his charities. rather than I'm what no
believes or tho matter OF his dpvotions.
Doing good or true charity so called,
ls Christian. But this Is not the end.
Feediug. clothing. housing the body ie
only The b ginning OF preparatory work
TO be done for fellow men.
The body Is for the soul and not tho
soul for the body"
The regular monthly meeting Of the Free
BAPTIST Ministers association was held
On tho Roger Williams Free Baptist
church this morning. when 20 pers were
urescntrd on the tupir. "A New Testa-
meut Church" by Rev. L. c. Wesley
nud Rcy. - Harrison.
AZ the C0uerceu uOnahst ministers
meeting this morning there was a large
attendance 10 listen. e.. an excellent pa
pur. read bv Rev. H. s. Gould. on Tho
Religious Character OF Abraham L4u-
sgL4s