davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28

Continued rain had its effect upon
the size of the assemblage at Wesley
monumental Church last night. The
evening had been set apart for an adj
dress by Rev. Wilbur P. Thirkield, D.
D., of Cincinnati, secretary of the
F'reedmen's Aid and Southern Educa-
ton Society, the announced theme be-
ing THE Influence of Methodism on
American Civilization"
The church was not more than half
hlled when the services began, but
some We're coming in during the early
part of the evening. and when the
speaker began his address the audience
was by no means small, and was most
attentive and appreciative.
On the platform were seated Bishop
Gambler, DR.. Thrilled. Rev. A. M.
Williams, Rev. H. C. Christian and
other ministers. The Bishop presided.
The service was begun with the
singing of God of My Life, Whose
Gracious Power" Hymns No. 2O9 and
220 were sung later, all written by
Charles Wesley.
Rev. G. N. Mcdowell led in prayer
and read the lesson for the day.
Mr.. Williams next made the an
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28
From the Russellville News.

From the Russellville News
II you have business cares; II, per-
chance, you are weary and tired of
paying bills or telling the fellow to
come back next day; IL you are fairly
worn out with papers and documents
and things commercial, get away from
the vortex and hurry to the Powered
banks of a blue, noisy brook. Whether
they bite is not material. There's the
good warm earth for your bed and the
bending vault of heaven for your roof;
the bark of squirrel and the song Of
bird for your music, over and always
with an accompaniment played by the
dashing, leaping stream. Close and
undisturbed communion with nature is
better at times than many dollars. II
they chance 10 forget themselves and
bite, catch them, 10 be sure, but II
they disdain your bait. there's the blue
Of heaven and the ripple OF the hasten
Ing current. there's the perfect abb
sence Of eVerything-utter and absO-
Lutte oblivion. One may stand behind
the counter or live In the Office 5es days
In the year and forty years 70 a life
lime, and. perchance, N he Is fortunate,
be may depart from this vale Of tears
leaving something for others % night
over ~ reyel ~. but ~ he never sat
o. the banks ~ such q brook, and
meyer hsaf1 the things that cen he
heard. o. saw the Sights that can ~
seen. be if 3 NiuRgaff'e lie. He lived
on this earth Tor q lifetime ana never
SOW fbs earth
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28

organized menace TO our civilization.
American Methodism stands solid
against rum. By its solid agrees
sive and incorporating standard; by
its numbers and balance of power In
influence in thousands Of COM
munities; by the fearless leadership
of it's teachers, Methodism is the
most feared and the worst hated foe
of the liquor traffic.
What of the Futures
A great historian Of Wesley has said
that John Wesley will exercise more
influence centuries. and perhaps mil
leniums hence, IL the present race con-
tinues, than and other man of his
age" Surely no people ever looked
out on greater opportunity. Will they
prove equal to it? "As goes America,
so goes the world" The followers of
John Wesley in America number H.
500 900 adherents. Methodism touches
every fourth man. The church must ad-
dress itself to the wise solution Of the
problems of the great cities of inmi-
grafton, or temperance, of the lifting
up of the downmost of our people.
Her marvellous organization is not all.
1t may direct life. 1t cannot create
life. Within and through 1t all there
must be the inspiration and power of
the Holy Ghost as the spirit of life,
OF holiness and of power.
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28
BRONZE MARKS
WHERE HE
WORKED
Three Unembellished
Tablets in Memory
of the Greatest of
All Evangelists.

Tomorrow morning the work that
really called the Methodists of Savan-
nah and elsewhere together will be
completed with the unwilling of three
bronze tablets, placed upon positions
known to have been occupied by WEES
ley during his stay in this city.
The tablets are, of course, in posi-
ton, and the inscriptions are well
known, yet there is an interest in the
actual unwilling that will bring to the
several places a great crowd and will
mark the day as one of the most i'm
portant in the celebration which has
now proceeded several days.
The exercises of the day will begin
at Trinity Church, where. at II o'clock,
an address will be delivered by DR.. j.
F. Goucher, president of the Woman's
College of Baltimore, Md. DIR. Couch
ers subject has been announced as
The Coetaneous Rise of Methodism
and Anglo-Saxon Supremacy"
At the conclusion of the address the
assemblage will move out of the church
and proceed In a body to the corner
of Bull and Bay streets, where, on the
Bull street side OF the United States
Custom House, the bronze tablet will
be unveiled.
Three little girls, Julia Louise Smith,
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28
ON THE GOVERN MENT BUILDING.

put on shore, and after a careful and
interested survey of the little island
the Clifton started off again
The voyage was then resumed ana
the Clifton made her way out to the
bell buoy and then to the open sea-
The weather had been changeable all
of the way, and the excursionlsts nao
first a chance TO promenade the decks
and next a sudden call to take shelter
under the awnings and indoors.
The excursion was under the man
agement of a committee and Rev. j.
A Smith, as general chairman OF the
Wesley bi-centenary committees, was
on board and assisted in making eV-
erybody comfortable and happy Inc
points of historic interest were mark
ed in passing by those familiar Win
the matter.
During the voyage refreshments
were served and all were well pleased
with this feature of the trip. The gay
could have perhaps been more pleas
ant if the weather had been fine' put
1t was thoroughly enjoyed neverthe-
less. The management had notnlng 70
do with the showers and after the nrst
one or two everybody got used 70 tne
dampness and the remainder OF inc
trip was enjoyed very much.
The Clifton returned TO the CITY az
about Z o'clock and all who had taken
the trip expressed their great pleas
ure and said that despite the ram,
they were very glad they had braVed
the elements and gone for the Yoy-
age
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28

rude shelter wherein Wesley preached
his first sermon in America.
From the Custom House the assem-
blage will move to the small brick
building at the northeast corner of
Congress and Drayton streets, back of
Christ Church. Here Ii is understood
Wesley lived and conducted the little
Sunday-school, and taught and worked
when not at the regular place of hold
ing services. The same simple cere-
monies will be repeated that We're held
at the first place. The tablet is on the
east side of the building, high enough
to be out of the way of vandals. 1t Is
understood that If the present build
ing is torn down and a new one erect
ed, the tablet will be carefully pre-
served and replaced upon the new
building.
The procession will be formed once
more after the unwilling of the tablet at
Congress and Drayton streets and the
crowd will move to the United States
postoffice building. The third tablet
marks the place where the Court House
and church of the early settlers stood,
and where Wesley preached for many
months. The tablet will be yelled as
the others, with the two flags, repre-
senting England and America, and will
be drawn aside by the same little girls.
This win complete the ceremonies and
the Wesley bi-centenary celebration
in Savannah will be concluded.
Arrangements have been made
whereby the speakers and those prom
inent in the exercises during the past
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28
WAS VIE WED BY
INTERESTED
VISITORS
Island Upon Which
Wesley Landed Was
Seen by Methodist
Visitors Here.

The skies were dark and showers
the rule all during yesterday, but this
did not deter a large number of Wis
itors and citizens from going down to
the wharf at the foot of Whitaker
street and getting on board the steam
or Clifton that had been chartered
for the excursion down the river.
The announcement had been made
several times, and the Committee on
Excursion, while fearing that bad
weather might spoil the trip, made
all arrangements and the boat was
ready to leave when the hour ar
rived.
The departure from the wharf was
made with over 300 people, and
throughout the afternoon, even during
the rainy spells that came at inter-
walls, everybody on board had a good
time.
The Clifton was headed down the
river at $3.50 o'clock and the passen-
gers took the greatest interest, be-
cause it was over the route where
Wesley's little fleet had sailed many
years ago.
A brief stop was made in front of
Cockspur Island, the ground made
historic because Wesley landed there
when arriving in America. 1t was not
desired by the travellers that they be
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28

Church, south-Founder of Missions
for the Slaves"
To the heroic missionary zeal of this
man of God, Methodism and American
civilization owe an unspeakable debt
of gratitude, for through his leadership
Methodism began in a larger way her
Christian work among the blacks OF
the South.
1 ask you to consider this work of
American Methodism among the black
people, not primarily from the point or
view of the Kingdom of God, but to
estimate the effect on our civilization,
of educative and redemptive influence
of this missionary work on the millions
of American negroes.
Fortunate indeed for this race and
for the civilization of America when
there came upon it the strain of these
millions fresh from slavery without
preparation for citizenship. that quar-
ter of million had been trained, even
though crudely, in religious discipline,
doctrines, and moral ideals. The rec
ord of the negro race under the circum-
stances is one OF the miracles of his
tory. and of all the single contributions
Of Methodism to the civilization or
America, the gathering Of three mil
lions of these black people into well
ordered church life and Sunday-school
generation after emancipation, must
take important rank among the largest
and most far-reaching achievements OF
our American Methodism.
Reform Movement.
The influence of American Metho-
dism in the moral reform movements
that have shaped out civilization is
beyond the estimate. In this form OF
leadership the church was simply ful-
flling the spirit of John Wesley, who
declared, the purpose of God In raising
up Methodism was Not TO form new
sect, but 10 reform the nation, partic-
ularly the church"
Methodism. therefore, touched our
civilization on its moral side. II was
not given merely 10 other worldllness
IL had to do with the life that now Is,
the whole man In his various rela-
tione And so II follows that the tes-
tlmony Of Green is especially true OF
the Methodists OF America. "MethO-
dlste themselves were the least result
Of Methodist revival The noblest re-
suit OF the religious revival was the
steady attempt which has never ceased
from that dav 20 this 10 remedy the
quill. the Ignorance. the physical SUI
ferlng. the social degradation OF the
prOAigate and the 80or." This wac
Certainly the outcome u Wesiey's
teaching DO al the good you can 20
the bodlfs ana souls " men" The
fact 81, Nefh0dlem, through ~ classes
was 40 Organized philanthropy. Meth
ofisfs came a. EyMsafhizo, rot merely
with human conditions. bgf. through
thene cl0Ne rsiaflonas they fsmpafhlzfe
Ths American saloon IL ne greatest
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28
AT NORTHEAST CORNER CONG RESS AND DRAYT0N STREETS

perience in which "the spirit answers
to the blood and tells me 1 am born
of God"
These itinerant preachers threw their
very lives into the task-men who as
Stevens says, 'Iabored as if the iude-
ment fires were about to break out on
the world and time end with their
day." They counted not their lives
dear unto them. And at what cost
these wide, rude, sparcely settled re-
Sions were saved to civilization and re-
ligion may be realized when we know
that in these hard years of conquest
one-third of the Methodist preachers
died before they reached thirty years
Of age, and fully two-thirds before
twelve years of this trying itinerant
life had passed. They sacrificed their
lives, but they saved a civilization.
The Methodisrn of John Wesley not
only saved civilization, but by its
loyalty and patriotism. its education
ideals and achievements; through the
influence Of its press, and It's leader
ship In moral reform movements, has
been the most potent organized force
IN shaping the civilization OF America.
Influence of MethOdism.
when the influence OF Methodsrn on
American civilization IA recorded one
Of rs most significant triumpbs must
be found ~ its Outstanding Of mill
lions Of American negroes, and ~ re-
Ftraining. uplifting. redeeuinR innu-
enoe 81 MefhOdism IN nftinR these mil
lions for the duties Of freedom and civ
ilizafion tbaf were suddenly thrust
upon them.
with reyeTeuf heart aDd uncovered
head. / have stood before that plain
slab in fhe chuFchyaFd ~ colup bla,
y. o., which bosK6 90 ltf face 4 SIM
pie inscription william capeft.
Bishop " fbe Methodist EDlscgpai
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28
WHERE VISITING MINISTERS WILL TALK.

Old Methodist Church.
1
BY Gambler a
a este
j. F.
w. n
nj Epw tia.
3 c.
Ier, on he
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28

nolncement of services for Sunday. He
spoke of the Love Feast, or Experience
meeting to be held in Wesley Monu-
mental Church at 8 o'clock this MORN
ing. The appointments for the morn
| ing service in the churches was given
/ and the special exercises at p. m. ana
$3.50 o. m. were told of and the people
| invited to attend any or all services.
Bishop Gambler i'll few we'll chosen
remarks introduced the speaker of the
evening Quoting the words of Frank
| lin at Philadelphia that the God VINO
| notes the fall of a sparrow must be
sought if a nation is to rise, the Blsh-
Cd said that the rise Of Methodism had
exerted a wonderful power upon the
world, and especially was this true OF
| the influence of Wesley upon Amerl-
can civilization.
1t was a pleasant duty, he said, 10
introduce a man who had lived ana
| la bored in Georgia, but who was call
ed away. He presented Dr. Thirkield.
10 speak upon the influences of Meth
odism upon the American civilization.
DIR. ThirkieIds Address.
Rev. DR.. Thirkield came forward and
spoke in part as follows:
As he was sailing away from these
Savannah shores on Thursday, Jan.
% 1898. John Wesley wrote in his
| Journal. 81 took my leave of America
though if it please God, not forever
The theme assigned me by your cons
roittee is. 1.-The Influence OF wesley
and Methodism on the Civilization or
America"
civilization has to do with political
and social organization ana oroer'
nrogress in knowledge ana In the re-
| finements and moralities OF peoples
with their entire life as II relates u
| self m mental. moral and social ad-
yancement. We are, therefore, to hold
An view. in the enlargement OF our
tbenoe not merely the bearing OF the
HSethodist movement on the religious
/ iife of the nation, but its influence as
| - otfects the whole life-civil, POLITICAL
intellectual, social,
MethOdism and CIVILIZATION
pafarring to America. we may ASK
-, doee II come that this civilization
~, General consent Of man leads the
,,:orIdo That Herbert Spencer prophe-
"a mat The forces that are mouidlns
~ nat,onal life would produce a CIV
Ii-ation erander than any the worm
~ ever known? And that the nloss
astute and comprehensive stunehe az ~
! orr civilization since De Iouqus,T,Iiie
has testified that American -
tion marks the hiBheSt N..Isad9
which the race has YET at'1 ~ given
What better answer can De sNs"
~. wnS ~ mai word Of one OF the fore
' sa'ot ~ the secular journals OF our clV-
,i,,o,ion which has affirmed that no
l nansjS observer win deny that what ,,-
e ever Of good there may be ~ our VI
American civilization Is = p ao5 now
I 51shrstisnlty. The motives ana pyn
~ ~ ,yorking for the cleansing ana Up
s ,.g, @0l ~ o9r social life are Christian
hiuhs ol s, ~ Nv general consent,
, Ms.nS0i ifs doctrines and p9lty, me
nao gis genius - its organ iliS sn5
md llfe-has done more ~ ., Ill., ,bae
/ uplift the ciyihzaue.n, ~ S''''
sny other Organized ioi,'
''' sa,lmg . cisiiisnt''n'
Roth ny DO doctrine ...,,, ees,,ispee
nefhodism was proileeh'ie.''t...s. i',sfieb.
49, tank 81 aaNlnF flFl ...,.,..,,,
tQf tht t.@ III Methodist n9Frinrnt
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28
Color Line north and south.
New York Telegram to the Clevelan'
Plain Dealer.

New York Telegram to the Cleveland
Plain Dealer.
A reader of a New York newspaper
contributes a card in which he declares
his belief that there are some IorIIis
OF race prejudice ranker in the North
than in the South, and relates TINS IN
eident: Recently Southern slrl III
Broadway car rose instantly and gave
her seat to an old colored woman, VINO
entered the car carrying two large
bundles. Relating the incident after
ward the girl said: I was afraid my
actions might be misunderstood IN New
YORK but did not know what else 10
90. The writer saw daughter OF an
eN-Confederate cabinet minister come
up with an old colored woman
stranger on a street In Baltimore. ana
larry heavy basket for her for tuii
olock, till she deposited her charge ana
her basket on street car"
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28

What nearest thou?" Hear? I
hear the laundering tread of the COM
ing millions that will ascend these
mountains, descend into these valleys,
and hold these prairies away and
away to the setting SUM-" A true
prophesy, and in it's fulfllment lay the
peril of a new civilization.
Now civilization has roots. These
strike deep and hold men with the
strong and vital grip of local institu-
tons and ideals. An emigrant race
cannot carry these roots with it. 1t
snaps off this vital connection with
old environments. Herein was
Americas peril. Away from the stand
ards of civilized life, away from the
restraints of law and order! away from
the constraining influence of home and
the enlightening influences of the
church; separated from the ideals of
the family and higher social life. there
was positive danger of the emigrant
masses in our great unsettled West
degenerating into barbarism, a low,
coarse, immoral civilization; danger Of
permanent decline in morals and re-
ligion among emigrant peoples who
were the makers of new states and
empires and the shapers of new civil
ization.
Appeal to Conscience.
The Methodist preacher came with
his appeal to the conscience. With his
hope of a real heaven. With his warn
ing to flee from the wrath to come. He
made his high appeal to the conscious
ness of immortality in every man.
In great revivals, coarse, hardened
men to whom the appeal of the intel
lect was vain, who would not hear the
argument for miracles, saw before
them living miracles of penitence,
miracles of grace, miracles of trans
formation through q strange, super
natural power. Hardened men, with
natures burned to a crisp in the heat
of devilish passion, they sat before
their very eyes, subdued, purified,
touched with the power of an I'M
earthly life-bearing witness to an ex-
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28
THOSE WHO HAVE
GONE ARE NOW
PRAISED
DR.. ThirkieId Discus
SEES Methodist Influ-
ence and Touches
Whiskey Question.

were scriptural, simple, preachable,
The message of the preacher was
threefold and set forth-first, salvation
from sin, free and for all, on simple
Taith; second, a salvation you can
Know, here and now third, a saliva
ton to which you can testify.
Of these doctrines were born and in
spired the men for the moral and spir-
ltual conquest of nation. They were
saved-often from the depth of despair
from which Calvanism was poWerless
10 ltt them. They knew they were
saved. And they testified to ii. 1t
was the apostolic method-witness to
Jesus and the resurrection. And this
doctrine of assurance they sung:
That which we have seen and felt
With confidence we tell.
And publish to the sons of men,
The signs infallible.''
The story of their evangelism reads
like chapters out of the Book of Acts.
The special adaptation of the Meth
odist movement to America was in it's
appeal to the individual The unit of
civilization is the individual This fact
, is emphasized in a democracy Not
bound by set FORMS not given to &C.
clesiasticism, Methodism struck out
for man. Its preaching emphasized
the worth Of the individual soul.
Adaptation to Democracy.
The very genius and spirit of Meth
odism gave it special adaptation to a
democracy. Methodsm worked to-
wards the democratic ideal. 1t was a
great leveller, not by dwelling down,
but by levelling up. 1t put hope and
divine strength under the feet of men.
1t was litter up of downcast people.
Who can estimate the influence of the
numerous churches in isolated COM
munities-the preaching in houses, the
free, active exercises of the talent for
public speaking in the class meetings
the raising UP of an army of lay
preachers and workers? Think of the
influence OF all this in popular educa-
ton in the civilization of a new de-
mocracy. The raising up of thousands
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28

ALTA Jackson and Sarah Carson, will
perform the duty of drawing the rib
bons, which will bring away the COM
bined folds of the flags of the United
States and Great Britain. 1t is prob
able, although not announced, that one
of Charles Wesley's hymns may be
sung as the flags are drawn away. On
the spot thus marked once stood the
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28

of our preachers in as many COMMUNE
ties gave leaders and teachers and
people accustomed to think to speak
on the higher levels. This created a
leadership which has given Methodism
a large place in shaping the civil and
evangelical life of entire common
Wealths.
How can we ever estimate the impor-
lance of the itinerant ministry IN Gre
ating n spirit Of unity in this widely
scattered republic. Like shuttles, they
few backward and forward in the ma
tional loom, weaving together in one
organic whole the isolated and widely
scattered communities-weavin closer
and closer the many colored strands
of our national life" Stead even IN
sists that in developments OF haplts
Methodism rendered modern democracy
possible.
A Georgia Missioner.
Let us not forget that every spot
pressed by the feet OF John wesley
sometimes bare feet IN oraer 70 WIN
hovs who had no shoes-are on these
soufhern shores John Wesley was IN
Georgia with Oglethorpe at the FOUND
inc ~ this colony, and thus through
~, early touched the civilization OF
America. He called himself q Georgia
missioner" Here Wesley and whit
feld we're intent, not merely win
touching the religious life OF the iso.
Ole. but started movements fof hoclai
tsfterment. They labOred for the poor.
Hsre Whitfield founded his orphan
N' Peril ~ Sew west
what a prophetic scene was that in
- M ~ Henry Clay when. on q
igttlag crag On the highis of ne Ale.
eharlss looking 0gf foWafa the silent
- empfy prairie ~ the great West
~ incilnea ~ head as n listening %
~ far-away sound. sslq BE friend,
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28
IN PLACE AT THE CUSTOM HOUSE.

week will be in carriages with MEM
bers of the committee.
The bronze tablets were prepared
with great care and while their story
is not told in a great many words, 1t
is enough for all students Of history.
The tablet on the United States post
office building is on the Whitaker
street side, this being a position where
1t will be most often seen.
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28

potb BY DO doctrine ane , l,'.,'r'g.ss
,,l.Sesisw was pr0YdebuaNg sfs,l'i'
49, go III ssWns . ciPilltsi -,
20, o. aoeir'nes u Msthoeisi i'.y''''''" ~
The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28

NlNN p E"HttHAAf
glysps psia, fiYer
tna kidney Al
nsnts ~ nR-
laris, Fefer aud
aeus. - eieaif
Casa,