The news & observer., 1904-12-04
TOLD THE OLD, OLD STORY
OF JESUS AND HIS LOVE
Recollectons of Wonderful Sermon by Bishop Mar
vim at The Dedication of Person Street
Methodist Church

/ have beA1 thinking for some Tins
that would like for all the "Marvins'
to write to me. Marvin was a name
unknown to mothers until Bishor
Marvin, of the Methodist Episcopa
Church, South went through this
Southland preaching and singing anc
praying, nearly thirty years ago. He
was one of the most magnetic preach.
ers. as we'll as one of the most Godly
men of the last half century, which
accounts for the fact that so many
mothers named their boys for him
Aishops McTyeire and Doggett were
his contemporaries IN The eplscopacy
and they were really great men---ir
some respects perhaps, greater thar
Marvin-but somehow or other the
mothers did not call their boys Me-
Tyeire or Doggett. The "Marvins'
are as numerous as the John Wesleys
used 10 be, and quite as we'll known
in some sections, as the George Wash
ington's ever were. There was quite Il
crop of Bascoms forty or fifty years
ago, and not few -Earlys, but nc
bishop, nor statesman, has had such
a following as Bishop Marvin. Grover
Cleveland had quite a run for q while,
however, are still holding their own, in
Methodist circles. and are likely to
grow with the growth of Methodism.
Is il not strange how much greater
one mans influence is than another's? !?
Two men may be equally gifted, have
almost the same talents; yet one win
attract while the other seems to have
no magnetism.
OF the three bishops who attended
ial Of Tof1o obi lem hoy in
Raleigh in 1876, Bishop Marvin was
the one who made a lasting impress
sion on the minds and hearts of the
people
McTyeire was lawyer like preach
er, who made an argument that could
but convince the most Skeptical. Dog
gett was rhetorical, classical, and bril-
was charming. But Marvin was full
of soul. He knew how to find the door
to the inner man, and when it was
found he walked right in and claimed
kin with the soul, in the name of
Jesus.
/ heard him preach the dedication
sermon of the old Person street, now
Central church, sermon of two
hours length; and, from the first to
the last sentence. men and women
hung upon his words, as if they had
never heard gospel sermon before.
Judge Fowle, who stood outside and
heard him through the window, said
he could have stood two hours long
er without becoming wearied. His
text was Except a corn of wheat fall
into the ground and die, it abideth
alone"
He described the condition of the
world after the fall of man, and lik-
ened it to land in which early frost
had DESTROYED the seed corn, but, after
diligent search a grain was found,
from which one grain came bread
enough to feed the millions.
Sin had blasted the world, de-
stroying all spiritual life. Christ was
the corn of wheat that was to fall
into the ground and die, to restore
that spiritual life
1t were vain for me to undertake
to give the reader even an outline Of
his sermon, from memory; but, / re-
member enough to know and be able
to say, it was the finest, the most up
lifting, presentation of the plan of sal
vation to which / had ever listened.
Old Father Henry Porter one of tnG
saints of that day. who has since been
translated, came out of the church,
after the sermon, almost shouting and
saying: THANK God for the seed
corni Thank God for the seed corn.
Thank God for the seed corn!"
Yes, I'd like to hear frorn all the
''Marvins," for l must conclude, mas
much as they are named for so great
and good a man. they must be first
class folks and good Methodists wthal.
A good Methodist. however, may not
always mean a first-class saint from
the Savior's standpoint, no more than
a good Baptist or a good Pharisee:
but. it must be true that men who adj
mire and try to initiate the life and
character of John Wesley, are trying
to do better and be better than the
ordinary herd of mankind.
l said that Bishop Marvin preached
two hours. A long time for an audi
ence to sit and listen. Rev. Peter
Doub generally preached from an hour
and a half to two hours and J. don't
remember that anv of his hearers COM
planned. The old time people depend
ed more on the pulpit for gospel in
struction than they do now. The
preacher of this day is only spoke
in the wheel. He used to be the whole
wheel, hub and all. His message used
to be heard gladly and cherished as
if heaven sent.
In these days of books, periodicals.
magazines, Sunday newspapers, Ep-
Sunday Schools Missinary Societies
and dozens of charitable and Iraterpaf
associations, the people have, or think
they have, very little need of preach
ers; and not more than half of them
20 to church regularly; many never
go at all Their papers suit them bet
ter than the preachers; because they
can read them without shaving and
putting on Sunday clothes; and il they
nod it makes no difference, even
should they snore.
Scores of men are depending for
salvation upon fraternal associations
which teach, as all of them do, good
morals. / know men belonging to the
Masons (and Masonry | suppose,
stands at the head of all the fraternal
institutions) who are expecting to be