The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-09-04

AIN NNA HN"N was WHO NMM MNU
long been uninterrupted The work was
born under the sky baptized by the tears
OF the lowly, hailed by the new SONGS of
tens OF thousands under the dome OF Cod
u went with Christ after the lost sheen.
and swept the very dust for the lost Jewels.
10 did NOT reach down from an attitude of
stih condescension and patronage. but
reached ont from the universal level of
human sympathy and chidlge love. And
DO proved by It's GRAND and result that he
Who wants the souls OF men enough 10 20
after them in Chrsts way can have them
This is the method OF the eyangel for
which the world Is aching and starving.
This "a the idea of service upon which
alone rests the power of Christ, Friend OF
Sinners. and of whom always the common
people hear gladly when lie is truly tod.
The Indifference and the contempt of men
at large for the Z rch is at any given time
the reflection Of Che Indifference and con-
tempt Of the church for men at large The
sign of the apostle is the sign Of the sickle.
And the other power was over and
through the intensity with which they
bore it, the cleaness and directness Of the
message itself. i uttered the, Two tund9l;,
mental words, repent" and believe
with an accent Of imperativeness that
smote the frivolty and inhuman superb.
ciality OF the age. Again 10 TRANSPORTED
the possibilities Of the lowliest man. IL
said what many only thought and dared
what many only wished It's business was
20 convince England that every man nau a
soul and that life was an immortal stair
way. up or down! II taught Of a Twins
God and the powers of an endless life i
reviewed that standing article Of the Ref
ormation. Justification 10y faith" II car
ried the truth afeld and again it lifted the
naAkaVa1 vane all - kR4uhaI fhn 90 II
trod the bottom OF human longing, and
while it arraigned sin in fearful terms, IL
brought the news of hone and jov. No
wonder that gusto came with the rain upon
the barren land. No wonder that turbid
emotion ACCOMPANIED the flood of feeling
Many things always are rent when Satan
ia cas- out. Always such upheayas 'trry
stubble upon their currents - such tides
swing loose unanchored spirits. But par
ody is a counting proof of mower, and the
forces of eternity were shaking people to
it's centre. Much was unweicome when all
WIS unreadv.
What real prophets have not met opposi-
tion! These men were Shut out o. the
svnag0gues" OF the establishment. They
faced a frowning world" They knew all
indignities. Mobs led by squires and clergy
men dragged them through horse ponds and
howled against their lives Nothing was
too foul to fling at them with hand and
tongue. Not a man of all the bishops save
Samuel Butler took their part. But despis-
ing hardships and dangers, they grew, and
upon the church that disowned them they
put an indellihle mark Being DETAINED,
they entreated and they lived to see opin-
ion chPnke .'V,.7ycseAs Easass g, eFs7s
What diocese waited this apostolic man
John Wesley He touched two hemis.
pheres. Nav, all the ends of the earth,
and his hand is stretched out still In l766
Metbodism began in America. Wesley at
his death declared, "The best Of all. God
is with US" There were then 3l3 of his
preachers in England; in the United States,
los. Now in Great Britain there are 700,.
ono communicates. in Canada 100000 in the
United States 100000, who recur to that
new Pentecost. AT length in 1876 Dean
Stanley unveiled in Westminster Abbey a
tablet with the shining profles Of John
Wesley and Charles. Tardilv but at last
did a state church-which in their day
knew not the time Of its visitation at.
test the reflex influence of its prophets and
own work so grandly donel
In John Wesley tremendous toll ard
rare gift for organization and order and
the loftiest spiritual enthusiasm and a sim.
Die purpose to do one thing were united in
the proportion Of genius. Great he was by
any test. Time is stern criterion and by
that estimate Wesley survives as Paul does
and Luther and Lovola. He is of the few
who make eras. He had large sense and
system. He wrought with mighty industry
for half century, No moment was
wasted. With giant energy he preached
800 times year for fifty years. And vet
with this passion for work he had a pure
and calm mind Self-denying, refined,
sweet tempered, considerate. he had the
scholars vision and a sanity heart. "In
seventy years" he said, I have not lost a
nights sleep" II save all I can and give
all ! get" Make all you can bv industry,
save all YOU can by economy, give all you
can by lberality" Thus he was rich to-
ward God. Peculiarities he had; let small
souls count them. Strifes there, were, hut
who cares for the logical differences be-
tween Wesley and Whitfield. since both
preached the evaugel of holy and imme-
diate decision. Thank God for that good
home at Epworth and for that Susannah's
sons!
Let US all see that religion is not in ru-
brio and rite, but in devoted hearts and
lives, unsophistcated by the brides of Gus.
tom, undaunted by the oppositions Of ho!-
low tradition, instant to serve tireless to
effect results believing Godl For one may
have all the apparatus Of regularity and die
a starveiing, Power is granted onlv to
those who will pay its whole price! Love
is catholic when it is apostolic and can NJ
ter Wesley's "All the world is my parish !"
The methodical in Gods service are the
| Conruerors.
Oh, let me eav ~ you Wes'ey's great
text. Seek We the lord while He may be
found; call We upon Him while He is near!"
Emulate such a man! Ard considering
the issue Of totally surrendered life, iroi-
tate its faith. 1t is success. 1t is t~'umph.
It is attainab.e. Let me quote Wesley 3
hvmp:
Give to the winds thy fears
Hone and be undismaved;
God bears thy signs and counts thy tears