The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-05
THE BISHOP BREACHES
RIGHT REV. E. w. WILSON AT DEx-
 TER AVENUE CHURCH.
A Splendid Sermon on Divine Relation chip Was Delivered to Union Methodist Congregation of
 M0ntg0mery.

That inner consciousness of divine relationship which impels to perfect holiness and righteous living on earth was the theme of an able sermon deliv- cred by Bishop E. w. Wilson, of the Methodist Church South, who occupied the pulpit at the Sunday morning ser vices of the Dexter Avenue Methodist Church.
 The large congregation which crowd ed into the church in spite of the in element weather represented union of the congregations of the Court Street and Dexter Avenue Churches.
 Bishop Wilson's text was read from Paurs Second Epistle to the Corinthi- ans, seventh chapter and first verse, as follows: Having, therefore. these promises. dearly beloved. let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. perfecting holi- ness in the fear of God"
 After defining at length "the prom ises" of God which were communica- ted by the Apostle Paul in the previous chapters. Bishop Wilson exnorted the Protestant masses the world over to return to the ways of the Father and allow Him to talk with them in the sonship and fatherhood which seems to be fading among the sensualities of the moderns.
 The Bishop declared to the congre- gation that he had not come to re- proach them but to stimulate them to an appreciation of the immediate con- sciousness of our Father which Is taught by that ambassador of His faith, Paul.
 Che of the most cogent dicta of the sermon was that the Protestant church must stand apart and not to be re- garded as an integral fraction of the secular body corporate. The church is not of the fabric of man In his rela- tion to the worldly things but Is built on perpetual faith in the promises of the Almighty. one of which Is to walk with you" and this walking with you sets one alright in the du- ties of the secular world.
 The speaker deplored the perver- sions of this exalted faith that are now being practiced by churches Preachers nowadays are approached by an applicant for the divine relation ship. What shall do to be saved?" is answered by many of the brethren in a manner that is an insult to God. The church is not to rectify the mind and create the faculties alone but to bring about a state of holiness in the sVui thdt VIII ain at perfect relation ship with the Almighty.
 There is Q potentiality in every man" said Bishop Wilson, "whfch makes him capable of intercourse with God. It Is an element in the economy of the gospel and 1t Is our duty to awaken 1t in the soul of man. thus starting him upon a life of conscious ness of Him which moves all the high est duties"
 This unmistakable appreciation of the divine relationship. bringing about love of one another was held up by Bishop Wilson as the most available traits of the Protestants to dis tinguish them from the numerous other creeds of the earth. He chal- lensed the apostles of Confucius and many of the Romish churches to dis pute this point.
 The Bishop congratulated the mem bers of all the Methodist Churches in Montgomery and their pastors on the beautiful union that exists. He noted the absence of Jealousies which often in one community disturb the oneness of the whole church.
 At the end of the sermon a colIec- ton was taken for the payment of A part of the debt incurred by the Forest Avenue Methodist Church recently erected.