The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-03
Great Congregation Hears Ser
 mon at GadSden
ORDINATION SERVICE HELD
Statistical Report on Work of North Alabama Conference Will Be Sub mitted Today-Adjournment
 Comes Tonight.
BY E. M. GLEhN.

thronging congregations attending
 At the First Methodist church the services of the day began at 9 o'clock with the annual love feast led by the grand old hero, Uncle Frank Brandon" The entire hour was consumed, one after another speaking in rapid succession of trials, triumphs hopes and aspirations.
 At the Il o'clock service, Mrs. Taliaferro presided at the organ, and with a se lect choir of trained voices, joined by the immense volume of the congrega- tion, made such music as is seldom heard. Bishop Hendrix occupied the pulpit. The opening hymn was:
 "Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, Early in the morning our songs shall rise
 to Thee"
 The scripture lessons were of the vision Isaiah had of the Lord in the temple, "the year that Uzziah died" and from the book of James about controlling the tongue. The congregation then sung:
 70 for a thousand tongues to sing
 My great Redeemer's praise.
 Bishop Announces Text.
 The text announced is in Matthew 12, S4:
  and by thy words shalt thou be con demned."
 The bishop showed how the real things of mans heart are indicated in his speech. pure heart chooses proper worlds an impure heart expressed itself in unclean speech. For words that man may speak against his brother, ha may be forgiven he may be forgiven even for words against the Son of God; but he who may speak against the Holy Ghost has never forgiveness, because he speaks out of the heart. If the tongue is clean, the body is clean. That is the index of the life.
 Thus is set out the doctrine of justihca- ton by words. Speech is badge of rank. When the Psalmist says, Awake my glory" he meant, awake my tongue. Speech is mans distinctive charac cteristic. Speech indicates thought Animals have perception, but that is not thought. It is mans speech, the basis of all record. and history and literature. And the high est of all literature is the record of God s speech, of Gods words.
 Speech is the badge of brain. It is so among men and nations. The nations that rank highest are those that in rarlla- ments and congresses put thought into words, and by discussion. rather than by mere physical force, reach wise co1ciu- sions. He is the most powerful, who with fearless speech constrains others to the wise way. The common soldier does tne shooting; but the great commander speaks the word. It was Napoleon's word that exploded upon Europe like ooinb. Washingtons sword and Jefferson's pen were but the instruments and expression of their words.
 Index of Character.
 Speech is an index character. If man live in an atmosphere of oaths, it shows his moral character; if he live in an at mosphere of reverence it shows his pur- ity. The bishop showed how the express sions of current speech, words Of Seorn, or contempt, or anathema indicaJe the character of the man using them. lie il- lustrated the point by developing what must be the spirit of one who says or his brother, Thou fool" or "Raca, or block head" pointing to the reproof given thereof by the Master. You don't ex- pect a good man to utter oaths. Impure speech, index of lecherous spirit. X man who should tell to his friends, and especially to his wife, an obscene story should forfeit their friendship forever Especially should ministers Of the Sos- pei be examples of pure speech. 'I honor tItntldl NIIdlll, Nip lO oIe WiiO stishy N' there are noa ladies present. l will tell this story replied, But sir, there are gentlemen present. Many q downfall dates it's beginning from impure speech
 Speech determines destiny. "'rhe whole some tongue is as a tree of life 1t IS t mans own words that put him in the penitentary. When we must stand oefcTs the great judge, and be justified by our words or be condemned by them |, Sbo words ha chosen.
 Hangs on Two Words.
 On two words, most things of life de- pend these words, "I will" When man has stood before the sacred altar and plighted faith to the bride by his s,de, the whole outcome of life hangs upon these two words, "I will. The bishop then showed how that, when man stands be- fore the obligations, which his wife bcars to God. he reverently says, 'I will take the Lord to be my Savior" that Is d solemn speech, sacred like that which binds him to be true and faithful to his wife On these two words will be deter mined destiny.
 Referring to Isaiah the bishop said. ordinary men think and speak to individ- uals, Isaiah thought and spoke to nations The excellence of the Roman language is comprehended in that Saul of Tarsus
  his Roman name, Paul. and by that rr- exeelled language he goes to all The speech oof the world. He spoke of Luther's power for unmeasured Influence. arising out of the fact that he was a master of the German language. and to that speech he committed the sacred scripture. The bishop then spoke Of he excellencies of the gospel, as cast in the beautiful forms of Anglo-Saxon literature, as exempliefied particularly in the hymns such as Charles Wesley and others ike him chose in which to cast the mold Of their noble conception of the glorlcs of Christianity.
 The bishop closed his great sermon by expressing desire that the most excellent things of pure, strong speech should char aacterize the young ministers who are today ordained to the sacred office and work of preachers of the Lord Jesus His striking apostrophe to ennobling speech will be memorable.
 For an hour, the bishop held, IS Tn a wise the closest attention of the great congregation Th.e size of the c3ng:ega- tion was only measured by the capacity of inc auditorium scores standing tire. less throughout the service.
 Ordination of Deacons.
 rollowine the sermon. came the or dination service of deacons and elders Dr. l. w. Newman, the secretary of the conference. in the name Of that body. presented to the bishop the classes for ordination. The scripture lessons appointed for this service were read by pr. j w. Newman, pastor of the Gadsden church, and by Rev. l. F. Hawkins. presiding elder of the dis trict. The bishop, following the rubric ,l.s, .l,,,l, ,,rcpnnp1pd tho aDnoinf-