The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-12

AC IONc Cd0 was hcll
Sunday morning. This service began
at $50. and it was conducted by Rev.
A d. Belts. Many helpful testimonies
were given and the entire service was
marked with the love Of the conference
for Rev. w. G. Norman and the sincere
sorrow felt over his sudden call from
time To eternity.
SERMON.
Bishop Smith preached an able. help
full sermon on THE Church." taking as
his text the confession of Peter as re-
corded in Matthew 16: 1919.
The following are but a few of the
thoughts that were suggested in the
excellent III
Christ had reached the zenith of His
popularity as Il public teacher just a
short time before the events recorded
in this text occurred.
He preached the greatest missionary
sermon the world has ever heard when
He fed the five thousand with the five
LOaves and two small fishes.
Shortly after this miracle our Lorf
took His disciples away to a quiet place
away from the crowd hat wanted to
make Him king. Sometimes God has
10 TAKE us AWAY IIOlIl our associates III
order 10 save us.
1t was While He had His disciples IA
this great place that our Lord estab-
iished His church and announced its
charter.
The Christian church does not cor
sisit of the number Of members Or or
ganizatiOns it contains.
The Christian church is founded on
character. and there are certain points
of character to be considered in his
Onne~ ton.
There must be first the right cOncep-
tiCn OF Jesus Christ. He is never any
bigger to any man than the conception
Of hat man makes Him..
In the next place there must be the
true revelation Of Christ. He came to
reveal God to man.
This opinion of Christ must be ones
own conception and not that of an
other.
There is a certain revelation of Christ
which must come through the heart.
Reason has its realm. but some reve-
Ation must come through faith which
can be experienced through the heart
alone.
Reason always looks back while faith
looks forward.
Men can be saved by love alone. We
san know God only as we love Him,
and we can know men only as we love
them.
We can be no more to any man than
he win let us be
We are too prone to have our own
way and have God approve 1t whereas
We ought to be willing to approve
Gods way and follow where He leads
exclusively.
The church founded on the right con-
ception of Christ will stand forever. No
force can shake the hurch founded on
his conception of Christ. and it will go
forward to victory.
We as His followers are the material
out of which Christ builds His churches
Let us he true to Christ under all cir
cumstances, and thus do our part in
advancing His church in the world.
At the close Of the sermon Bishop
Smith ordained as deacons the follow
ing: J. FL Holden, G.. R. Road as
travelling deacons, and E. NJ. Snipes.
G. a. Jones and w. H. Brown as local
aeaCOnS.
AFTERNOON.
In the aft noon the memorial ser
vice was held. Since the last confer
ence three preachers have died. The
memoir of r. J. Moorman was read by
L. l. Nash. that of -. o. Green bv w.
h. Moore and that of w C. Norman
by !. n. Cole. Rev. E. a. Yates. d. d.
presided over this service.
After the memorial service the sacra-
ment of the Lords Supper was admin
Sstered.
NIGHT.
After a sermon by Rev. j. c.. KilgC.
d. D.. in FiFth c+~o0t church ~ night.
Bishop Smith ordained as elders tbs
following: G. IS. staring. j. L. Old.
and ]. c. Humble as travelling elders.
and J. w. Hoyle as local elder,
MONDAY.
Conference convened at $50 O'CLOCK
with Rev. ]. c. KilgO. d. D., in the
chair. Devotional exercises were con-
Quoted by Rev. R H. Whitaker, D. ID
The minutes of Saturday afternoon
session and Sunday afternoon memorial
services were read and approved.
REPORTS
The report of the following boards
and committees were read and an
proved: The committees on Church
Prosperity, Books and Periodicals, the
Sunday School Boards. h Board OF
Education, the Epworth League Board.
the committee on District conference
records, the committee on Bible Cause.
DIR. KILGO TALKS.
J.. C. Kilgo addressed the conference
after the reading of the report OF the
Board of Education. He spoke with
special reference to Trinity College and
said hat no true Methodist ever criti-
cized Trinity College or it's administra-
ton unkindly. He then told the con-
ference that this year for the first time
m the history of the college no finan-
eiaI support is asked from the confer
ence for the college. He stated that
the insurance on the college nov
amounted to 81, 900 annually. He told
of the Trinity Guild which has just
been organized, and said the object Of
the guild is three-fold:
1. The advancement of education IN
general.
Q. Tho advancement Of Trinity College
in particular.
3. The collection of an assessment OF
NOT less than one dollar and not more
than two dollars annually.