The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-04-19
.ELABOR /,
CELEBRATION.
Arrangements: Just Completed
for Bi-Centennial Of Wesley
SEVERAL BISHOPS COMING
Exercises Viii Continue Through Four
Days-Many Distinguished
Ministers to Par. ,5ss &
ticipate.

t4E
s&s Elaborate and impressive exercises VIII
distinguish the celebration IN this c'tS$
4 next monsh or the bi-centennial of the
birth Of John Wesley. founder Of Metho- s'
dls1n. XII q
81 THO arrangements for the event, wn!ch
: ,Ylll be made one OF f1most unusual I'm Y
l,ortance. have just been completed. ano
the first; definite announcements we're
made yesterday. For four days. 1be ginning
I'm The 4midc OF next MONTH the distinc-I
tive doctrines OF Wesley Will be proHia1-
gated from local pulpits, sermons VIII
be preached, mass-meetlngs and special
services viii be held, and every effort
\ viii be made to make the influence sot I,
4 NJ ethodism felt throughout the commu-
,,ity.| Three bishops OF the church, posi-
{bly four. ali distinguished men, VIII be
S. rresent. and two or three Of the most
widely known ministers in the denomlna-
4ion Will be there besides. n
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. .
The celebration OF the anniversary Of
II the birth Of Wesley IS general throusl.- al.
out5the world this year. AT some eason
az the a anniversary year Methodlsts every
where will Ket together and do honor 10
him from whom their distinguishing doc
4 trines descend I The exact date would pc
June nth, hut since this comes IN mid
summer when the heat and the summer
Inactivity would interfere, ca riier months
ARE being chosen. Witness that, Tor in
Il stance. held recently In Carnegie Hal.
New York. where President Roosevelt
q YIN { in attendance. and where Mcthodists
gathered In immense throngs. 81
IN Immediate connection With the cele-t
hration there goes the thank offering of
last year, when s40,0oo,0OO for education
missions and other pu urposes Was raised
by the Methodists the world over an
achievement which Edward Box. editor
n OF the Ladies' Home Journal. declares to
he the greatest, of its sort accomplished
4 hv any denomination The South raised
]1er quota and gave 1t to education; the
North to education, missions and
churches: England to the same. and to,
the erection or a great Central House,
near Parliament, which will be the great
center Of Methodism In the world, such ms
Z Is Westminster Abbey to the Episco-
pal Church. Il IA Ig SS III I tt,
These two circumstances-the thank
offering last year and he celebration this
Z year-sepva to make the revival among
Methodisn, already a wonderful factor in
Z $llenomfnatIonal life, ono OF the notable
events Of the new twentieth century,
\ Throughout tho world the bi-centennial Is
belnR 2TlaQe tIef CCEHSlONi IOf's aggressive
movement for Methodlsm. and the spirit
OF John Wesley, whom historians have
variously styled "the founder Of Metho-
dism and the preserver of Anglo-Saxon
religion e the saviour o the established
y church. 1.-THE most apostolic man that
the Saxon race ever produced"-the
spirit OF John Wesley Is abroad in the
land. sit,
e THE BC,IlI4EBRATION HERE.
+ nP
mittecs ol the most prominent Met hodist
ministers and Iaymen in Richmond have
been at work on the details for the cele-=
bratinn here, and they have. MS stated
above, Just succeeded in getting things
into shape Tie first definite statements
were given out yesterday,
\ According to. the arran sements OF, tAcse
committees the celebration N Richmond
vii be somewhat after the character Of
the great centennial OF Methodism f. In
4 Richmond observed some five years ago.
The celebration will begin on May nth,
and will continue through the e0tll--for
four days There will be many meetings,
and services and many addresses.
On Sunday morning, hefl7th,tlr every
Methodist church Of Richmond there will
Il he a Wesley service. Many Of the pas
Will discuss the same theme, "John Yves.
ley each man selecting some particular
striking phase In the life of the great
preacher. At o'clock in the afternoon
there will be mammoth mass meeting
held In Centenary Methodist Church. II
IL more than likely that this ono church
wil by no means accommodate the crows
Arrangements. therefore. have been made
for an overflow meeting at the Grace
Etreet Hreshytcrian Church, just across
the streht. II too many como to Cente-
nary, they will be sent over to Grace
Street where some distinguished speaker
will be on hand,
Tho address at the Centenary meeting
Will bo delivered by the Rev, ]. @. Kilgo
Dr Kso p, Is one Of the most sas pregress,yy M 4
men In tho denomination, He has spoken
here once before, and his eloanence Is
known III this seetion, HeaGis Va horn
Southern orator, His subject will be The
3 Hvarge eisntion Idea Of Methodlsm.''
On Sunday night thcros will DO four mass
raaatinus In which the various congyega-