The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-29
WESLEY BI-CENTENNIAL
MethodiSts Planning for It's CeIe
bratiO1

tian, who spoke ON ",rhe Spiritual
Uses of Anniversaries" Rev. C. A.
Jackson, whose subject was THE
World Wide Influence of Methodism;"
and Rev. DR.. A. NJ. williams, who
spoke on wesley and His Labors in
Savannah
Christian on Anniversaries.
Anniversaries" said Rev. Mr.. Chris
tan, do not belong specifically to any
people or country. Wherever men have
been pioneers in thought, patriotism or
religion, and have incarnated in their
lives unselfish devotion to the race,
they have challenged the admiration
and love of their fellowmen. And the
usual form of expression has been.
some sort of annual recognition.
THE uses of this anniversaries will
occur to all. If it be the anniversary
of the birth of a great and unselfish
thinker, 1t is to inspire love of knowl-
edge and aspiration for nobler things;
If it be a great patriot who laid his
life unselfishly on the altar of his
country, it is to awaken love of home
and of native land; If it be a pioneer
in religious thought, 1t is to deeply inn
press on every mind the great princi-
Piles which he lived and taught.
why a Bi-centenniaI.
This meeting is called, looking to
the celebration of the bi-centennial Of
the birth of John Wesley. The spirit
ual uses of this anniversary ought to
be many. The Methodism of the world
ought at least to be brought in living
contact with the great principles for
which John Wesley stood. This
opens a field of thought upon which
not five-minute address. but a book,
and even a respectable library might
be written. Attention is called to this
one use only: 1t ought to. bring the
entire Methodism of the world face to
| face with the fact that John Wesley
was the greatest revivalist of the ages;
that he saved England from dead for
malism, and put in motion a revival
| influence which has circumnavigated
the very globe and has lasted ITS
years.
IF the celebration OF this bi-centen-
4 NAL of his birth can bring the mil
| lions of his children all round this
globe to his faith in Christ. to his un-
| dying devotion to the salvation of lost
men; If ii can inspire our children to
an imitation of his great and unsel-
fish life, 1t will be worth all that Meth
odism shall put into IL. -
MAY the pastor of this church i'm
dulge the hope that the church stand
ing monumental to him may be touch
ed with the revival power that made
him the most conspicuous man, save
Paul, in the history OF the Cross.
To Try for Low Rates.
Rev. Mr.. Jackson said he wished to
speak of Wesley not as a reformer,
though he had accomplished one of
the greatest. reforms, but wished to
speak briefly of three of his character
istics that appealed most to him: Wes-
ley's industry, his charity, and his
ractlrrecffon and taa ching 0f fha dOc-
trines of the consciousness of saliva
ton and holiness unto the Lord.
OF Wesley and his Iassrs in Savan-
nah, Rev. Dr. Williams said there was
little to say to his audience as the
subject is one that should be we'll
known to them, though not so well
known as he hoped and expected it
would be by the end of this year.
He impressed on his hearers, however,
the necessity of marking the places
in and about Savannah that are espe-
cially and peculiarly associated with
Wesley and his work, and said he
hoped the proposed celebration would
bring about a revival of the things
and thoughts for which John Wesley
had stood.
Before the conclusion of the meet
ing Rev. Mr.. Smith announced that he
would request the presiding elder of
this district to hold the district con-
ference in Epworth Church just be-
fore the date of the bi-centennial so
that all the preachers of the dis
trict, as well as the laymen, might be
in the city in attendance on the cele-
bration, and stated further that a
special effort will be made to secure
from the railroads reduced rates from
all parts of the country, to the end
that Methodists from every part of the
country may attend the celebration.