Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-05-07
Talma8e
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Dhf
ToIm age. ID. ID.

| q w ~ ~
Los Angeles, Cal, May lon the
occasion of the assembling OF the
Methodist general conference Of 1901
the preacher welcomes the delegates
and points out the rise and growth OF
Methodism and the secret of Its far
reaching influence upon the religious
world today. The text is Ezeklel XVI
7. IL have caused thee to multiply ~
the bud of the field"
Nearly twenty years ago was WIN
my father In hotel in London when
q deputation of Methodist ministers
and laymen waited OIL him. They said:
"Will you not preach for us at least
once before you return to Americas
There are thousands and tens OF thou-
sands of people in London who nave
for years been readers OF your SER
mons. and they want TO hear your
voice and touch your hand. They nave
n right to make this demand. You are
part Of them, and we cannot go until
you consent to preach ut least once
We were on our way to the continent
to meet my mother and sisters, VINO
had preceded us there some months
before. mo-" answered my father.
81 cannot at the present time. am
mentally and physically worn out. Ihe
doctors have told me l must hold up.
[ am going to the continent, where my
iDs will be closed, because | do NOT
understand the French and the Ger
man languages. But II you wish,
will preach for you when | return.
"Where would you like to preach, doc
torY With that my father turned
and said. "As / am to preach but once
l have but one desire. and that IL 10
preach in John Wesley's pulpit"
"Why do you want to preach IN City
Road clapelT l asked, after the dele-
cation had departed. THAT church
holds only a few hundred. why not
90 to one Of the great buildings, IKE
Joseph Parker's church or Exeter nail,
where you can have an audience Oh
thousands OF hearers" Because,
was the reply, II consider that. CITY
Road chapel is in some respects the
most sacred spot in all Europe. That
is the place where John Wesley Is
buried That ls the pulpit from which
went forth a mighty power which is
felt in every land today. The innu-
once OF that pulpit is potent In every
Methodist church and meeting mousse
and Sunday school the world over, AT
fectinn the lives of twenty-five millions
of the human race, who every LORD
day assemble under Methodist auspices
70 worship God and study his woru.
John Wesley built City Road chapel
He spent the latter part OF his station
ary ministry In City Road chapel. ana
his presence is enshrined there
wesley Everywhere Respected.
Lord Macaulay, In one OF his essays
declares that John Wesley had a great
or natural genius for government than
had Richelieu. The great historian De
loved that In these words he was CIV
ing the eminent divine the highest
nraise but could see that my father
estimate far transcended that OF Ma
csulay. and that he held Wesley IL
higher honor than that Of any states
man. living or dead. The whole CHRIS
tian world Is in accord in that est
mate. and as 1t recognizes the achieVe
ments Of the church which John Yves
ley founded 1t thanks and praises Got
for that benefcent life.
The name Of John Wesley Is every
where respected by the good ana th'
true Therefore is 1t to be wondered
Mt that our people, no matter 10 wisi
Protestant church they belonged, nan
ed with joyful acclaim the news tina
! the Methodist general conference o
1904 was to assemble In the City o
the Angels? This conference open
jts session during the coming week
We, as a people, look forward 10 II
sessions with interest and hope. w
believe that by close touch thi
conference will bless ali Protestan
churches. no matter to what denomina
ton they belong. 1t is appropriate o.
this Sabbath day to bid the incomin
delegates welcome. 1t Is also -appro
priate to state some Of the reasons wh
the little band Of followers with whlc
John Wesley surrounded himself ha
grown in numbers until today 1t ou'
numbers In membership every othe
individual Protestant church In Amer
lea and In the world.
First. her genesis. In order to STUD
the marvellous multiplying power G
llethodism let us analyze the cond
tions attendant upon her birth. W
must find upon what troublous water
her cradle was rocked and search OF
the place Of her infancy, even as III
EGYPTIAN princess found the futuT
emancipator Of the Hebrew race sieeI
ing in willow basket among the Du
rushes of the river Nile. Every gret
movement In history has been the pro'
uct Of the condition Of the time or II
birth. God In his providence has o
= dained that the prevalence OF unrigh
eousness in a nation shall SO stir IL
souls Of his people that they will gait
er In his name around the standard
some leader whom he raises up to wi
ness for him.
Birth of Methodism.
What were the conditions OF the n
e ton at the time Of the birth OF II
e Methodist church? Did she come In
the world as a protest to the sins
corrupt English court? oh. yes.
no time of English history have bri
cry and debauchery run more RI
than during Robert Walpole's oecupa
e cy of the English premiership. He WI
tho author Of the famous and hatef