The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-05-23
NEW PASTOR BREACHES.
REV. IT. c. G1FF1N'S FIRST AD- DRESSES AT EPWoRTH CHURCH

Features of the Various Services Yes- terday-sIade Most Pleasing Impress sion Upon His New Congregation lIessrs. Northrop and Jonh T. Manson Addressed Sunday schOOI-Reception Next Wednesday,.
 Rev. William G. Giffn. assigned by the New York East conference in March to the pastorate at Epworth M E. church in this city entered upon his labors in that charge yesterday morning.
 MT. Giffn has been on a tour through the Holy Land in connection with his attendance at the meeting of the great international Sunday school convention at Jerusalem. He arrived on the Grosser Kurfurst last Thursday At the morning services yesterday a large audience was present.
 The young minister took for his text Matt. 5:S: Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God
 A pleasing impression was made up- | tered in the service. As the pastor in his prayer craved the divine assist ance in his work in his new charge, and divine cooperation i'll the work of pastor and people together, hearts in the congregation were stirred with a resolve to renewed activity in Chris tian work.
 The sermon outlined the beautiful quotation taken for text. More than is conveyed to the casual heart, does that word blessed" mean. It is bless edneSs, blissfulness. They are blessed because they are pure in heart. Our of the heart are the issues of life. When the heart is pure, purity perniaates the whole life. The man whose heart is pure cali stop for moment now and then in thls present life md see God. See Him in the Bible perhaps for the first tune, see Him in the bright, sunny spring nIorning, see Him -A nature. A magic hand sweeps back the curtains, and the man sees God. In a little while the scales will drop from the dust cov- cred eyelids, and the soul will pass on, out from the dimness and haziness of this world, over into the brightness and light of the eternal morning, and there see God, see His as He is
 The eloquent, thoughtful, powerful sermon held the close attention of the audience from the opening words to the end of the final prayer.
 At the Sunday school exercises at twelve o'clock another large audience gathered in the Sunday school rooms. |The full school--cradle department, primary department, main school, adult class-was united, while many friends not members stayed to the service.
 On the platform were Superintendent K. E. Northrop, Assistant Superintend ent Harry Henderson, Rev. W. G. Giffn and John T. Manson, superintendent of Grace M. D. Sunday school. Exercises were given by the school aAd addresses by Messrs. Northrop, Manson and Gif- fin.
 Again an inspiring impression was made. MT. Manson extended the greet ings of Grace Sunday school to the new pastor and to Epworth school, and gave q very interesting address with the
 keynote Sunshine. Men are happy and they accomplish things when there is sunshine in the heart. Without cour- age, sunshine, a disPosi.. -a to look up and not Sown, nothing can be accom- plished.
 The Epworth league service at half past six o'clock was le0 2 George Fl. service
 At half-past seven o'clock another large audience greeted the new pastor. The text was from the sixth chapter of John IF am the bread of life"
 The pastor carried ms audience Eacross the seas to the Holy Land, where five barley loaves in the hand of the Master had fed multitude. As pFeaQ IS q uuiVeESdi ileeu ul humanity, so Jesus Christ Is the u1fversal need of the human soul. Mohammedanism or Buddhism, or Brahmaism. or Confu- cianism can never be more than local religions. The religion of the Christ has in 1t the elements sufficient for the needs of the whole race and is destined to dominate the globe The members and attendants at Epworth feel that the choice of Mir. Gifhn for this church has been an appointment guided by the divine wisdom.
 On Wednesday evening. of this week reception will be rendered to the new pastor in the church parlors from eight until ten o'clock, to which all members and friends of the church are invited.