The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-14
BISHOP JOYCE breaches.
Masterly Obscure on Sanctifying
Power of the Cross.

Power of the Cross.
Meridian-street Church perhaps never
held a larger audience than that which
gathered at IL o'clock yesterday to hear
the sermon of Bishop Joyce. The house was
packed to the doors and hundreds of peo-
pie sat in the aisleS or stood in the lobby
the stairway leading to the gal
lery. Every inch of available space was
filled. Although the morning was warm
and the church seemed close and sitting
the great audience remained through the
entire service. The people seemed to catch
the spirit of the hour and sat for more
than an hour and drank i'm the golden words
of Bishop Joyce.
The chief digntary of the church in In
diana perhaps never preached with better
effect. He seemed unwilling to stop when
his time was up and so expressed himself
but men i'm the audience cried "go on, go
on" He did go on and on and stopped only
when his great voice trembled with weak
ness and he almost exhausted. 81
thoroughly believe" said he, that the
spirit of God is in this house this morn
ing
The services were beautiful in their SIM
plicity. There were elaborate decora-
tions in honor of great preacher Only a
vase of freshly cut roses each side of
the altar. The music, though of a simple
character, was beautiful and appropriate
The swelling notes of the great organ filled
the house with their mellow tones while the
audience gathered. Then Mrs. Fugate and
Mr.. Smith sang The Vesper Hour" with
fine effect The prayer of Bishop Thoburn,
the missionary, who has spent the best
years of his life in Oriental lands, was an
eloquent appeal to the Almighty that His
blessings might rest on the people. He
invoked divine guidance for the President
of the United States, for the Governor of
Indiana, for the King of England and for
the Governor General of Canada. He asked
that Providence might smile on all the
English-speakiRg peoples of the world.
SUBSTANTIAL OFFERING.
| The Offering of the morning was substan-
tial and was for the aid of superannuated
minister's The Rev. Joshua Stansfield, pas
tor of the church, presided at the service
and read passages of Scripture. Looking
out of the great audience, Bishop Joyce
spoke of it's significance and wondered if
! there were those who had never confessed
| Christ. .If there are" said he, Il hope the
spirit of God will open your hearts that
you may surrender to him this morning. -
The sermon was a mastery discourse on
the sanctifying and empowering power of
the cross. The central thought was that
through the giving of himself for the
world redeening. Christ arose to kingship
and power. In mis- talk the bishop made
plain the idea that Christ. in oroer to be to
the world what He ought to be, must be
able to satisfy the worlds deepest need
and sorrow. The bishop held that Christ
is not an accident. He sitteth on the cir
Gle of the heavens this morning the Judge of
every one of U.S." The bishop selected four
words of his text and based the principle
part of his discourse upon them. lie took
! the word cross and talked of it, Every
body" he said, has an image before him
when the word is mentioned. But this is not
| the thing that lies at the base of the word
| cross / am not concerned about the ma
| terial phases of the cross. What we are
most concerned about are the things that
were accomplished during three hours of
| agony on that cross. From that day 10 this
! the Church of Jesus Christ has preached
the truth that now the way is open from
the brink of ruin to the very heart of God
| TO receive His blessing and forgiveness"
From the cross the bishop passed on to
| the word ..shamc." In the crucffxion of
| Christ he said, neither angel nor man can
| fathom the depths of agony-the shame of
| that day. 'It was for us. my friends that
/ He suffered the tortures of shame" The
| bishop then talked of the word endured.
| and said that from the time Christ woke in
! the manger in the morning until the skies