Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-12-12
A Great Day
For The Methodists

stanily growing interest, seemed 4
reach the climax Of power In the sci
vices Of yesterday.
Beginning with the Sunday school
when young people and children
bowed at the altar TO express III
aspiration or their hearts for God am
n holy life. each service Of the dal
was marked by large congregation
and by an interest on the part Of tn
people which has been rare in th'
history OF any Las Vegas cOngrega
ton.
Evangelist Handcnschicld Is n mar
OF seemingly ~inexhaustible resources
The work accomplished by him In q
single day, 10 vigorous song and
speech, IN four successive services.
which would have utterly FRUSTRATED
the average man, seemed only 10
prove an extraordinary reserve Of
| physical and neryous energy
AZ the close Of the day Of rcmarka-
Bile labor, he seemed TO stand as
strong aud fresh beneath the burden
IN ih6 Soldiers nrmor as a. the be.
Elnhi1g 0f the day what has been
had tho past ten days Is only a fore
taste OF greater things which may he
expected all this week,
While each sermon yesterday was
characterized - wonderful impres-
alyoness and .tB effectiveness was
shown by the choice Of many 10 seryc
the ChrIst the evening address es.
pecially was a marvel OF power TO
persuade men OF tho rightness and
manllne6s OF oonfessing Christ before
tho world. True courage Is the prin-
oiple that n~ctuates every manly and
Christly life. The man who IA con
ylnccd that Christ "a the Son Of Col
and the Saviour of individual men and
who from the fear Of man, Will not
confess and serve him, liz not honest
az heart and Is a coward In fact,
There viii be no towards In heaven.
The man who believes that Jesus
Christ emptied himself Of the possea
sions and fame and comfort and glory
and alteration which he enjoyed with
the Father on the throne Of the uni
verse, and yet will not yield him, be
fore the world, the recognition and
reverence and obedience which are
due him, Ii an migrate. The only rea
son for the failure Of such a man to
acknowledge the Christ is a want or
true courage.
The greater Is this ingratitude and
want Of courage seen to be when one
marks the responsibility OF man for
his fellow. Each man who In wrong IN
his relation to christ, by his Influence
carries others into this wrong rela'
ton. DR.. Horace Bushnell saw his
responsibility In this particular and
met Il. He was d teacher In Yale at
a time OF a religious awakening
there. Although he was not an athe.
LIST, not an infidel, he was disturbed
By doctrinal unrest concerning Christ.
The students under him were pro
fonndly affected by the religious
movement In the university. His
great manliness. his b~enevolence. bis
social feeling. caused him extreme
pain In view Of the fact that ne
seemed 10 stand In the way OF the re
lIgious reformation OF HIS own pupils.
He paced up and down the room med
itating on his personal duty and H.
nally faced this propositions Il do
not doubt the distinction between
right aud wrong. am sure on this
point. am | willing TO act on this be-
lief? | have perfect confidence that
there Is q distinction between right
and wrong. Am willing to throw
myself over the line between right
and wrong. towards the side OF right,
and hereafter consecrate myself IRE
yocahly. utterly, hffectionateiy, to the
following Of the best religious light
possess" He knelt down and made
the conservation. He rose With the
light ~ a star In his soul. 1t Is a
fixed natural law that II VI yield ut
terly 10 God, God will stream into MS,
nr. Bushnell yielded obedience to this
law. God gave him the light that
led him into al experience OF in.
ereasing brightness and, having
thrown himself utterly on the side OF
right. he led the hesitating young
men OF the university 10 Christ Men
In this city hold a similar relation To
their fellows VIII they have the
courage to meet n7
In response TO the stirring appeal
many stood for prayers and a number
came forward 20 the altar of surren-
der.
Services every night at 80 Bible