The news & observer., 1905-12-03

SuDe9lntendentS and teachers being
requested to attend it.
Question was called: who are re-
ccived by transfer. etc., ?"'
Answer: E. S. Hursey. from the
Montana conference; j. j. Rem, from
the Western North Carolina Confer
ence; p. l.. Kirton, from the South
Carolina Conference.
The names of those eligible to full
connection, were called, as follows
Robert E. Hunt. C. NJ. Lance. S. r.
Nicks. j. w. Hoyle. w. r. Royal,
V. A. Royal. d. A. Futrell. l.. E. Saw
yer and c. A. Jones.
The Bishops charge.
They were addressed by Bishop Wiz
son. who explained their duties and
what Christ expected of them and
what men must have. He told them
never to think they could improve on
apostolic preaching or the early Meth
odist ministry, for they had but one
thing to do, to save souls by preaching
Christ crucified; they were men Of
prayer, consecrated to the service Of
God. and the result of their ministry
is Methodism today. There is one
supreme obligation on the preacher.
Bishop Wilson said which must be
done in preference. even at the cost
of all else the obligation to God to
preach the gospel of Christ, with no
personal thought or selfish motive.
From the very beginning Methodism
has proceeded on this principle, and
the Methodist minis ters We're. lil<e
John Wesley. did not trouble them
selves about the forms of the church
of their day. nor did they consult flesh
and blood. but their sole object was
to save souls. and like Wesley, they
were men of one book preaching
nothing except what came from the
word of God. There was not a more
intelligent man in his day than John
Wesley; he was a highly cultured and
scholarly man, and Methodism deman-
ded great learning in its inceptioE.
When you speak of the necessity for
refinement and intellectually, and the
broadening of the mind. ] point YOU
to that best example, John Wesley.
of far reaching power and extraordi-
nary intellect.
The Methodist church does
not simnIv expect but de-
mands that the men enter
ing the ministry in the church give
themselves wholly to this work and
to nothing else: without complaint
and if it does not please him he must
remember that ii pleases edo; the
minister must give his heart, his tai
tents and faculties entirely to the SER
vice of the Lord for the sole purpose
Of saving souls. John Wesley never
took a man into his connection unless
the man gave himself unreservedly
10 God Bishop Wilson spoke efo
uuently of the heroic element of the
patriarchs of Methodism who had
been the foundation stones of the
upbulding of the church, and said
they had worked gloriously, but they
did not live in easy places. Bishop
Wilson told the applicants for connec-
tion to remember always that there
were people to save to whom God had
sent them. He told that If this world
were all it might be we'll for them
20 strive for earthly fame and wealth.
but they must labor for the eternal
reward and not forfeit it for worldly
enjoymentS. They must go to their
charges willingly and ungrudgingly
and if they have treally taken the
apostolic ways they will be content in
whatever state they find themselves
They must please Christ, and if they
turn to the world for support and
praise they will fail. The fundamental
principle of the Methodist ministry
he said. is self-renumeration, and 1t
is essential to a faithful ministry.
In speaking of the discipline of the
Methodist church. Bishop Wilson said
that book is the wisest, most marvel
Gus book in the world with the sole
exception of the Bible. 1t is a wonder
in craftsmanship. he declared. 1t is
not small thing to be a Methodist
preacher. it may be small field, but
Methodist preacher is the builder OF
an empire that is sweeping the word
and will be established throughout
the earth The Methodist preacher is
i'm full communion with every saint
in the church living and in Heaven
with Christ" Those men who stand
i'm the forefront of the armies and sit
in the seats of government are not the
great men of the world. They ONLY
catch reflection of truth. There are
great men who live on the bread ana
water of life. the flesh and blood OF
God. There is no quality in Christ
that does not become a specimen of
the human race, and any man who
has it is the equal of King, Car or
Kaiser. but we are not seeking that
type of men: but we pattern after the
Son of God, and then we may talk
to all classes of men. and talk 10 PLATE
and make him feel like an unframed
babe We can talk to men and make
them feel like they are in the pres
ence of God. You must be
"a bic to 90 to the highland
God with you, and conquer. In con-
clusion Bishop Wilson told them that
their ONLY hope was in their answer
TO the first question Have you faith
in Christi" that Christ is all in all;
the faith that would make them die
for Christ He told them to study
hard and pray harder. There is no
such a thing as a law minister in the
Methodist church. He urged that
for the sake of the children the
preachers should encourage-and
stimulate home devotional exercises.
The salvation of children IS in the
home the Sunday school can never
take the IIace of the pastor. and 1t
is the duty Of the preacher to renew
those old home God worship GUS
toms He said there would be vital
defect in their ministry if they did not
love God with all their mind. soul.
body. strength. and their neighbor
rs themselves.
Bishop Wilson then asked the dues-
tions required in the Discipline, to
which the applicants responded IN the
affirmative or negative. as each ques-
ton demanded
Pishor Wilson then put the motion
admitting the applicants to full con-
uection.