The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-04-21
At THE METHODIST CHURCH

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a stranger passing the Methodist
church yesterday morning at the time
the services began and heard the
splendid volume of sound that burst
from that ediffce as the audience sang
that glorious old hymn, "AI Hail the
Power of Jesus Name" would have
had no doubts as to the church being
packed with people, for seldom has
that beautiful building had its seating
capacity tested as it did when the Rev.
J. B. CuIpepper took his place at the
reading desk to deliver the annual SER
mon to, the delegates of the Methodist
church state convention of the Wom-
ans Missionary Society.
Mr. Culpepper has lost none of the
fire, zeal, enthusiasm and splendid ora
tory with which he charmed such large
audiences when visiting this city some
six or seven years ago, and If he had
had the mammoth tent that he used at
that time, there is little doubt but that
every seat would have been occupied.
Another gift of the reverend gentle
man is the way he emphasizes the
points of his discourse by the means of
apt Illustrations. These take the form
of short stories, some pathetic, some
humorous, but all told in a brief, con-
sise manner that never becomes
tedious. He based his remarks on the
words of Christ when he said, "Oh,
woman. great is thy faith" and in
commenting on these words he said
that the same might be said of the
women of this age as was spoken by
the Savior 1000 years ago. He told of
their courage in giving up everything
that had made home and friends so
dear to them, and had gone to foreign
lands to face burdens almost unbeara-
bic, and in speaking OF his own work
he counted it as a glorious reward for
his forty-two years of ministry. that
he had been able to influence at least
one person for every meeting he had
held to take up the burden of his
work.
He spoke of the necessary qualifica-
lions to fill a place in the missionary
field, as not merely educational or re-
ligious, but that candidates had to
pass more rigid examination as to
their physical condition than do men
who wish to enlist in the navy and that
lit is not the poorly born or inca
pable, but the best and in some cases
the wealthiest people in the commun-
ity that are ready and willing to obey
the Masters call and enter the foreign
field.
To read of the labors of these peo-
pie, the first to open up a new coun-
try, their wonderful geographical dis
coveries, their discoveries and transla-
tions Of the many hsiroglyphfcs on
tombs and tablets was more like ro-
nance than scenes from actual life:
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they were a paying investment for
those who supported them, as il has
been proven that exporters and manu-
facturers sold far more goods in coun-
tries occupied by missionaries than in
the lands still controlled by the heath
en-.
And to the women in civilized lands
he gave all the credit for the wonder
full progress along these lines that has
been made up to the present time and
while men had to devise ways and
means for carrying on the work. the
women performed the biggest share of
the means adopted for raising funds it
the means adopted 70 raising funds it
would not be fifteen years before the
crops OF many orange groves and corn
fields all over the state of Florida
would be used exclusively for this pur-
pose
Speaking Of corn-ields. rem nded
him of his earliest efforts along mis-
sionary lines. when but eight years
old he went into an old corn-feId and
preached his first discourse and tho he
could not recall the arguments used,
he seemed fully impressed with the
idea that he converted everyone of
those stalks TO the cause of missions
His peroration yesterday tribute
to the character, faith and courage of
Christian womanhood-was one of the
grandest bursts of eloquence ever
heard in the building. and worked on
the sympathies of the audience to the
extend of requiring an effort on the
part of many to keep from applauding.