The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-24
DURBIN IS POSTMASTER
FINE ADDRESSES BY SANAT0RS
FAIRBANKS AND BEVERIDGE.
DR.. Joshua Stansfield, DR.. h. W.
Kellogg and F. E. Gavin Respond
to TOasls-Reception Held.

love of God to man, by reason OF which he
ever stands with outstretched arms ready
to help and TO save. Just what may oe the
mode of operation of the mystic power by
which God regenerates the heart OF man
and purifies IL, just what may be the char
acter of theprocess viewed from psycholog-
ical standpoint. We may not know; neither
is ii important that we should know.
Whether John Wesley ever really knew
just the how Is immaterial, but he did
know. and thousands of men have known
as absolutely as they know that the earth
is beneath them and the sky above, that
the love OF God may enter a mans heart
and transform him; that he can and does,
In fact, become new man with new
standards and new hopes. new aspirations
and new aims; Wesley Grove home 10 the
people the fact that they might indeed
hearts and lives. 1t was a message OF
comfort and consolation, of inspiration and
hope. To the sorrowing and heavy laden,
to the downcast and overburdened. IL
taught that the hand Of God was reach
ing down TO them, that IL they but look
up they could clasp their hands in that Of
could feel the heart beats OF the Creator
answering to their own. To the weak and
fallen, for whom there seemed naught but
darkness and despair, II brought the light
of new day and strength for battles yet
to come.
MESSAGE TO PEOPLE. ~
ITO immense concoursss @n5s
message was thundered almost as of old God
spoke from Sinai's heights. To the little
wayside gatherings il was whispered in
tones low and sweet. 1t was sung at the
firesides and in the cottages in Charles
wesley's beautiful hymns. The voices OF
Whitefeld and Fletcher took up the refrain
and swelled it to chorus loud and clear.
Wherever il went IL preached the univer-
salty of the rights OF God. the equality
and brotherhood of man. 1t taught that the
religion of Christ Jesus was not merely a
fine garment with which TO be adorned on
the Sabbath for few hours, but that IL
was living, vitalizing force, a quicken
ing power 10 rule and govern the daily lives
of men-that the great purpose OF this re-
ligion was not TO maintain a respectable
church establishment where, in a cold and
formal way, intellectual verities might be
discussed and moral platitudes sent forth
was measured by the stipend paid. but that
both the priesthood and the people should
be so filled with the love of Christ that Ii
would make them active, jealous aggres-
sive workers. finding in their everyday sur
roundings and associations abundant oppor-
tunity 10 exercise the Christian virtues for
which they were striving-doing the work
which they found at their hands bravely.
manfully. cheerily, unselhshly. SO that
whether the sphere OF their life work was
broad and far-reachng, or narrow and
confined the Christ love exhibited in IL
should beautify and glorify IL.
Wesley sounded anew the gospel note
that the highest and best aim in life was
not to save ourself. but TO save others He
felt Goes love 10 man and the reciprocal
love OF man for God: but this does not
mean that man should be absorbed I'm
love of God that he becomes lost In the
contemplation of the deity and oblivious
of the things about him. Love for God il
best manifested by mans love for man;
that love which opens the heart OF man 10
his brothers need. which broadens his
horizon and makes him ever watchful OF
his brothers. welfare, which leads him 10
count as his brethren not those alone who
are bound to him by ties of blood or kim
ship, not merely his personal associates
with whom he is brought into daily per-
sonal relations. but all who are made in
the image Of God and bear the stamp OF
Gods divinity upon them
A MISSIONARY
"John Wesley's was essentially a mis-
sionary message. He bore the good news
to the people. He did not wait for them to
come after IL, but IL was ever a message OF
love and unselfishness which he carried. In
it there is no thought personal gain or
aggrandzement; while this missionary
spirit still lives and should live in every
Wesleyan church, and we should rightfully
extend the knowledge OF truth TO other and
darkened lands, We should be sure that no
spirit OF commercialism enters into our
aims. and that love OF gain and extension
of trade or commerce should not be per-
mtted TO contaminate the missionary spirit
nor warp IL from its lofty purpose.
mo man need hope TO maintain his place
as "A Joint nelr 10 the Kingdom by hiring a
substitute at the price OF his pew rent and
10 cents week in the penny collection
God demands of every man his personal
service. He demands that he be endued
with the spirit OF love and true charity-not
that charity which gives that IL may not
look mean by not giving. not that charity
which with gruding heart doles out from
its abundance a scanty pittance to relieve
the wants OF one pressed down by poverty's
heavy burdens, but charity In that nobler,
that higher sense that spirit OF love akin
TO the divine which moves the heart with
generous pity and kindly sympathy 20 ex-
tend helping hand in time of need and
retoices in the giving. That alone is true
charity which gladdens the heart not only
of him who receives. but OF him who gives
3 well.
He taught men not only how 10 die. but
even more important than that, how TO
live so that by reason of his teachings they
should be better husbands and fathers.
truer wives and mothers. that they might
by reason thereof be the better equipped TO
do well their part I'm life I'm whatsoever
sphere IL lay; so that whether one might be
the governor OF a great State or a senator
or representative in the halls OF Congress
he should be possessed OF a more sturdy
mination TO guard the rights OF the people,
a more unselfish devotion 10 their interests
and not his own. by reason OF his having
drunk freely from the fountains OF truth
which Wesley opened TO the world. And
yet. IL Is not really accurate TO say that
these fountains OF truth were opened BY
Wesley.
NOT NEW. BUT OLD.
"The heart OF his messages was not new.
but old II had fallen first from the iips
of the Savior himself as lie walked the