The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-23
| AM THE VINE
 YE ARE THE BRANCH Rev. J. H. Mccoy Breaches at First Methodist Church AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE He Says the Disciples of Christ Had No System of Theology, But in
 the Saviour Had Implicit
 and Simple Faith.
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE

The services at the First Methodist church yesterday were we'll attended at both morning and evening services de- spite the weather and two excellent ser mons were heard
 In the morning the pulpit was filled by Presiding Elder J. D. simpson and at night by the Rev J. H. Mccoy.
 large congregation was present to hear the Rev. MT. Mccoy, and freely commented on the eloquence of his dis course. The music was excellent.
 Mir Mccoy took his text from John 15-1, 'I am the vine. ye are the branches" ]" In opening his address. MT. Mccoy refer red to the preceding chapter in showing how Christ was consollng his disciples, who, filled with dismay and consternation heard from the Savior's lips. of Ills im- pending departure. After finishing the announcement and telling His followers not to let their hearts be troubled. MT. Mccoy spoke of how our Lord then de- voted His time to impressing on their minds the importance of the great and life giving mission on which they were bent telling them how 1t was through them He was to accomplish the undertak- ing He had only just begun
 Without Influence.
 These men," said Mir. Mccoy. "were without influence, without friends and had no treasury, yet their Master told them 1t was for them to transform the whole world, that it was their duty to revolutionize society and impregnate it with spirit which was new and foreign. The disciples were dumbfounded, bewil- dered and filled with dlsmay. Were they equal to 1t? Could they carry on a work which had only just begun and was des- tined to be carried down through all ages till the end of all timer" He said these were the questions which came involunta- riy to their minds.
 MT. Mccoy then dwelt on how God s great plan of salvation was to be carried out. God works he said, through hu- man hands, human hearts and human minds and can only be accomplished un- der certain conditions. Can only be &C., complshed as we maintain a definite re- ldtiOhSiIP With StSho (hiibhs
 MT. Mccoy referred to the fact that Christ's followers had no systematic the- ology. Their Lord did not need that. They were simple men with simple hearts and accepted Him without question. Their Lord was their all in all and His charac- ter appealed to them as to all men as ex- hausting all the possibilities of human perfection.
 The Message.
 "The message" said MT. McCay which came to those men while the shadow of the cross was already across the pathway of their ideal. whose im- pending departure had depressed and sad dened their hearts, has rung out through all the long years that have past and will continue to ring out till eternity itself. T am the vine, ye are the branches.
 The preacher then dwelt on the animate and inanimate incidentally referring to the construction of the church building He said as a whole 1t was complete, still each part, coming as it possibly did from different quarter of the union, was also complete in itself. It represented, he said, mecanical unity, but without life though made so meet the conditions of symmetry and harmony.
 He then referred to man. dwelling upon the importance of unity with Christ and the church. "A man." he said, may be good member, charitable. loving and self-sacrificing. but if he is not fin close relationship to Christ he becomes as dead branch on the vine. The relation of the branch to the vine is in this way. the vine expresses itself by fruition, and leafage through its branches.
 It Hangs to the Vine.
 Does the branch go off to gather It's fruit? No, 1t hangs to the vine. In the same sense the mere renewal of your minds through earthly channels, the purchasing of books or prescribing for yourself a regime of conduct is not enough. You must first bring yourself in personal relationship to Him who said I am the vine, ye are the branches Christ depends on us for the expression of His holy spirit which Is to be the sal vation of the world We are Gods am- bassadors. and if I may say 1t reverently, His lips and his voice. believe that the day of salvation Is only relayed because of the imperfect expression God finds of His spirit in the lives and characters of His people. What we need he conclud- ed, 'is a vital relationship with Christ in which shall be voiced His love, Ills life and His power.
 MT. Mccoy leaves for conference today, It is said when he returns he will likely