The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-12-09
THE GREENVILLE
CONVOCATION OVER
Session Full Of Interest
Throughout
THE BISHOPS SERMON
s<fhis was Delivered Sunday Morning
and Was Heard by Very Large
and Attentive Audience.


the church Of the Epiphany in this
city. Services consisting of prayer,
discussions on timely topics pertain
ing to the church. and sermons by the
various ministers were held in the
mornings, afternoons and at night
TIE Convocation met on Tuesday and
closed Sunday morning with the elo-
quent sermon by Bishop Guerry.
The sermons by Revs. Jordan, Jeter.
Porcher, Prentiss and Mitchell were
of first order and thoroughly appfeci-
ated by those who heard them. Rev
It. T. Walsh, missionary for the Dio-
cese delivered a missionary address
at the Wednesday night service, telling
many interesting features of the mis-
sionary work of the church.
The crowning evnt of the sessions
was Bishop Guerry's sermon on Sun
day morning
:, Bishop Gucrry's Sermon.
- Bishop VIM a. Guerry preached
quite a remarkable sermon in the
Church of the Epiphany Sunday morn
ing at the closing service OF the
Greenville ConvoCation. Basing his
remarks OH the 21st verse of the 18th
Chapter of John, which is: THAT
they may all be one; even as thou
Father art in me- and ! in thee. that
they also may be in us; that the world
may believe that thou hast sent me"
the bishop developed a strong &rgu-
ament for church unity in the evangel-
:, HGtjon Of the world. His sermon
dealt artly with the historical devel-
opment Of the church, its mission, it's
form Of government, the end toward
which it was working and the best
way for the accomplishment Of its
purpose; it was somewhat the nature
of prophesy concerning the winning
, of the world for Christ. characterized
by this significant remark: The ma
tions of the earth will not bow to the
name of Jesus until Christendom pre-
sents a solid and united front in its
efforts to evangeize the heathen."
AS revealed in the text, Bishop
Guerry stressed the necessity of unity
that the heather nations may believe
in the work Of missions and not be
torn by conflicting stories OF the way
OF salvation, as told them by the diff
erent and differing apostles Of the
Cross. He drew Il clear distinction
between unity" and uniformity" p"
declaring the first a necessity and the
last matter OF preference and eX-
pediency. Meeting the common ar
gument that the churches are united
In their oneness Of purpose, Bishop
Guerry said that the spiritual unity
was not all that was necessary;
there must be a corporal, an organic
and visible union Of forces. Think, "
said he. "of the wasted energy and
money in the maintenance Of so many
churches in our own land; were they
all united into body under one head
we would need fewer church buildings
and the money wasted in our present
expenses could be used in the erection
OF hospitals for the poor and in carry
ing the gospel to foreign lands All
tie churches need not use the same
ed under one head"
under one head"
Citing the union or the Presbyteri-
ans and Episcopalians in Australia.
which was the subject OF earnest dis
cussion at the Lambeth conference
of bishops in England last summer,
Bishop Guerry argued that already
The utility and eXpediency Of church
unity was being recognized. In Aus
united forces, and recognizing the
value and efficiency Of the Episcopate
had agreed to work o-Operatvcly un-
der one head; the EpiscopalianS had
relinmishcd their contention as to
the necessity OF the prayer book. and
the PreSbytcrianS had recognized the
Tpiscopate, or the rule by bishops.
~Chc Lambeth conference of bishops
had sealed this union with their APP
DrOVal
Bishop Guerry said that the Epis-
copal Church had taken the initiative
i'm an effort for church unity thus
placing ar awful responsibility upon
the other denominations; that ii had
submitted basis OF union, and 1t was
for the other churches to meet it.
And" said he the awfulness of the