Evening star., 1903-06-28
ADDRESSES AND SONGS
NOTABLE EXERCISES HELD YES
TERDAY AFTERNOON.
Clereymen of Other Denominations
Join in Praise of Great Reformer
Services Of the Day.

whose membership numbers 1ar into tne
millions. In many cities large public meet
ings were held yesterday in celebration OF
this event, and probably in every Metho-
dist church in the world the significance OF
the day was made the occasion for special
services. The observance of John Wesleys
birthday anniversary was not confined to
the churches of the Methodist faith alone,
but in many instances pastors of other de-
nominations Joined in paying tribute to the
great reformer, preacher and organizer OF
the eighteenth century.
The principal celebration of the Wesley
anniversary in Washington took the form
of a large mass meeting, participated in by
the members Of the three branches or
Methodism in the city-the Methodist Epis-
copal. the Methodist Episcopal South and
the Methodist Protestant churches. The
exercises were held in Mount Vernon Place
M. E. Church South. beginning at 3 o'clock,
and the edifice was packed to the doors with
those who had come to listen to the pro-
gram of addresses and songs. The audience
was notably representative of the ecclesi-
astical circles of the national capital, In
that clergymen of nearly every denomina-
ton In the city were noticed In the gather
ing.
Scene at the Church.
The exercises were presided over by Rev
DR.. H. r. Naylor, presiding elder of Wash
ington district. and the speakers were
Bishop c. C. McCabe of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, Major Elijah w. Hal
ford, U. S. A., and DR.. F. T. Tagg of the
Methodist Protestant Church. On the plat
form were seated those who participated in
the program. while in the rear of the pull
pit was the large chorus composed Of the
chors of number of Methodist churches
throughout the city, under the direction
of T. Zimmerman
Florence Ball at the organ. feature or
the musical program was the singing OF
old Wesley hymns.
The interior of the edifce was hand
somely decorated. Suspended from the
ceiling directly in front of the pipe organ,
was a large scroll, the body of which was
composed of daisies with fringe of ever
green. This large floral piece bore the
words THE World is My Parish in red
letters. Streamers of evergreen and other
foliage extended from the ceiling over
the pulpit to the sides of the galleries and
to the floor and all the pillars of the
church were covered with green. On either
side of the platform were tall banks of
palms. with flowers of white set against
the green background, while ferns. trop-
ical plants and cut flowers were displayed
in profusion across the front of the chan
eel
Following the singing of an anthem by
the chorus the audience arose and with
great spirit sang Charles Wesleys famous
which Rev. DR.. F. M. Bristol offered
fervent prayer in which he asked for
revival of the old Wesley spirit In the
churches Of the land. Rev. A. Norman
of the 11th chapter Of Hebrews. following
which Mr.. John Duffey sang Fear Ye
Not, Israeli" with great effect. for the
offertory.
Wesley as an Evangelist.
DR.. Naylor then made a brief introduc
tory address, and introduced Bishop Nc
Cabe, who told of John Wesley as an
Evangelist In the beginning of his ad-
dress Bishop McCabe said that the mother
of John and Charles Wesley believed In
starting her children on the right path.
II do not believe that such boys and John
and Charles Wesley can be reared In
worldly homes said the speaker, In
homes where there is a passion for dress
and worldliness. In the atmosphere Of
such a home there Is lack Of solemnity
and purpose The speaker sketched brief
ly the boyhood of Wesley and his early
school days, and told Of the organization
of the old Holy Club of Oxford. which
was the beginning of the Methodist move
ment. He cited many incidents in Wes-
ley's career as an evangelist, ana men
toned that in the last ten years of his
life more than twice as many people were
converted to Wesley's faith than in the
forty years preceding that period. In
conclusion the DlShop SalQ.
Wesley did not plan his life. He was
simply led on, step by step, accepting obe-
diently and reverently the divine leadership,
until ne became the greatest evangelist OF
his age and one who ranks in history with
Paul and Luther There Is no way to meas
ure the value of his life. There is no way
to estimate the fruitage of It, Both are i'm
measurable. He was divinely trained,
divinely guided and divinely helped in his
work; and surely the God of John Wesley
has not forsaken His church, nor will he
forsake 1t; but other men will be raised up
to meet all the great crises of history, not
only in the church, but in the nation, until
the great divine event. which seems far
off hut Is growing nearer every day,
shall occur-the conversion of the world to
God. God never leaves His people without
leaders.
There should be revival of the Wesley
evangelism. The whole church should be
turned into company of evangelists COM
missioned of Almighty God to bring the
world to Christ during the twentieth CEN
tury."
Major Halford Speaks.
The audience and choir then sang Jesus
Lover of My Soul" without the organ,
after which Maj. Halford was presented by
the presiding officer. He said in part:
'"rhe people called Methodists should not
be amenable to the charge of race suicide
They were born to an heritage of fecundity
beloved President Susannah Anneseley,
who became the wife of Samuel Wesley
and the mother of John and Charles, was
the twenty-fifth child of her father, and
she herself bore nineteen children, of whom
John Benjamin was the fifteenth. So by
nature as well as by grace, Methodsts are
accustomed to deal with large figures and
are In no wise excited over the fact that
in this bi-centenary Methodists number
nearly 100000 and more than 20 600 600
are under their direct teaching
John Wesley was Gods masterpiece for
his age, prepared and fitted for the task
that was to come to him. The hour and
the man always meet. The spirit of Wes-
ley was the careful cultivation of CEN
turies. The fruit of laborious and con-
scientious husbandry blossomed and fruit
ed In him. Small men failed to under
stand him in his own day, but he lived
to see himself triumphantly vindicated, and
in his humble truthfulness even to be as
tonished at his own mighty achievements
Religious Work in Philippines.
With reference to missionary work in the
Philippines and the duty of Christian
America as relating to those islands Major
Halford said:
New questions are before us; new
problems have arisen. But a little time
has elapsed since the nation was jostled
Nf nlpaA