The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-11-16
POWERFUL SERMON
BY BISHOP k|LGO
'ST|RS CONFERENCE
Intense Spiritual feeling Arous-
ed Among Congregation
AT Monumental Church
Service of Thanks
For Dry Victories
Big Meeting At Monday Even
ing Hour of Methodist Com
ference-Bishop kilgo Is
Taken Suddenly Ill
tBy STAFF CORRESPONDENCE

(By STAFF CORRESPONDENCE
Portsmouth, Va, Nov. ia SER
mon by Bishop kilgo at Monumental
Church in the morning at which in
tense spiritual feeling resulted in
season of old fashioned shouting and
rejoicing. laymens meeting in the
afternoon and the ordination OF
deacons were the chief incidents OF
conference Sunday.
At the morning service the bishop
spoke to great audience. and at the
close of the service, with tears in
his eyes, declared he would turn the
meeting into O. revival service but
for the necessity OF ordaining the
class of seven deacons.
At the close of the service at Gem
trail Methodist Church tonight the
pastor announced that word had beea
received late in the afternoon OF the
sickness Of Bishop John G, kilgo. who
was expected at the service to ordair
a class of eleven elders and that the
ceremony would be held later in the
conference session.
Not Thought Serious.
The bishops physician thought this
patient would be able to open the
conference Monday morning. but
would not allow him ont tonight. This
bishops Illness was said to be the
cSulL VA cAAl GAht SAtdhSSAQit lp9ioW
Ing the Sunday morning services IL
Monumental Church. where he
preached a strong sermon.
Monday evening the conferences
will substitute for the regular pro-
gram service of thanksgiving and
praise for the recent great prohibition
victory in Virginia and for the later
victories in several other States.
Hymns will be sung and stirring ad-
dresses made telling Of the great
meaning with which the results ara
fraught.
The laymen's meeting in the after
noon was addressed by Thomas s.
Southgate, conference leader; DIR. r.
Fl. Bennett. retiring missionary sec
rotary. and W. B. Beauchamp, chair
man OF the Conference Mission Board.
DR.. j. n. Latham preached at Monu-
mental Church at night and Rev. John
shackford at Central Methodist
Church. Few more stirring scenes
have been seen at the conference SEES
sion than at the close of the bishops
lsermon.
Bishop kilgo took his text from the
eighth chapter OF Romans, verses
i14-17.
The speaker stated that as the sois
executor of GODS redeeming will, 1t ia
the duty of the Holy Spirit to con-
firm Gods revelations. The place OF
the Holy Ghost is TO make these reve-
lations effective in the lives OF His
disciples. The Holy Spirit Is the in
strurnent of the incoming Son Of God
and after Christ left the world power
was given to the Holy Spirit as the
executor of Gods Will on earth.
/ Social Service Not Essential.
! THE domain OF the Spirits activity
does not deliver itself to the Judgment
OF men for Interpretation. Man does
not address himself TO the power OF
apprehension. but to an intuitive In
terest OF the Holy Spirit. There il no
argument concerning the work OF tha
Holy Spirit as opposed to social SER
vice work. 1t la almost thoughtleaa
profanity TO put social service into re-
ligion as an essential element thereof.
The apostles prayed. and rightly, that
their hearts, not their minds, might
be enlightened: No argument can Be
entertained on this question, because
there is no room for argument ana
the truth of Gods work in mems
hearts and not in their minds u
automatic.
The speaker was not In sympathy
with the tendency of theological
schools to teach false doctrines In
order to lead men to true conception.
1T Is as foolish as to hold than one
could learn reverence by the consist
ant use of profanity.
Bishop Kilgo held there is differ
Ience between farherhood and sonship.
We have no right to regard ourselves
as Gods chosen ones. but can look to
Him as our great objective Father.
The supreme things In Christ was not
that He was Son OF God. for He
suppressed this fact and often kept II
in the background. But he always
made plain with great emphasis that
God was His Father and this was His
supreme characteristic; our great need
lis to return to the consciousness Of
Gods fatherhood
Gods Revelation.
God will be revealed only through
1.-THE struggles of men to know Him,
There shall be no doubts after that
THE man who can arise
to no further assurance than a may
be so" knows nothing about the genius
OF our religion" said he. II know In
whom i have believed and shall
stand undisturbed because He Is able
ito keep me-"
The bishop said he had read many
up their energies disproving each
others assertions.
II know only one thing: That God.
through Christ risen. is my own
Father"
He is not a narrow sectarian, he
said but he is not ready to unite Ia
la common Church until every faith
shall be ready to stand IN and aay,
l.God is my Father" Methodism has
all to lose and nothing to gain. hys
such union. III you have been aet-f
|tling many questions Of banks, grocssY