The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1915-10-21
DISTRICT MEETING
Being Held in NJ. p Church. Yale, This
Week Is Largely Attended. Some
Notable Speakers Present.

The First District of the Mich igan
Conference OF the Methodist Protestant
church convened in the city OF \ ale
in its annual meeting, Tuesday, Oct
10th, 1918, in the evening.
Rev. d. A. VanDorn preached the
opening sermen, subject, "Your Debt
to organized Christianity" Text, Eph.
2: 81, which was fine introduction to
the symposium, the Methodist PrOtes-
tant Church. One great point in the
sermon was ANY great moral reform
begins in the church Of Jesus Christ,
and the true christian minister always
leads in il"
Wednesday morning, Oct. goth, meet.
ing was called to order by the chair
man, w. e.. Harger. After singing
"Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus,
Rev. l.. ID. Boynton conducted the de-
votional service by the reading and
exposition of Psalm As, which was fol-
lowed by prayer, and singing, "God
| Will Take Care of You" Then the
chairman opened the meeting by few
words Of welcome, and called Rev. G..
l.. Ellis to the chair. The Symposium,
"The NJ. Il. Church." was began by the
reading of a paper by Rev. w. &. Har-
ger, ats Relation to Other Churches" "
Among the many practical thoughts
given, was one particularly impressive,
viz: THE levening influence of the M.
| l.. church upon other churches, espec-
tally the Methodist Episcopal" and
that the NJ =. church kept aliye the
great principles that underly a true
preventative form of government,
and mutual rights.
Discussion was ably led by Rev. l..
ID. Boynton, followed by Revs. Reilly,
Oliver, Root, Bragg and Ellis, Rev.
Harger closing the discussion.
A paper, "It's Financial System"
was read by Rev. &. l.. Ellis, who en-
phatically declared for the bible plan
of finances. "Our first obligation is to
God, through the visible church" that
the Nj. Il. church has been more or less
deficient in its financial system.
Rev. II. &. Powell IN opening the dis
cussion, said if the average business
man would run his business as many
churches do they would utterly fail.
Revs. Gray, Bragg, Reilley, Boynton
and Harger followed with interesting
discussions OH the subject.
Tithing by the individual, and the
I "Budget" plan of distributing combin-
ed with the Duplex" envelope system,
was found to be, both for the member
and the church, the most prosperous
for all concerned.
Rev. Chas. Bragg, in his paper, care
fully reviewed the Last Session OF
Conference" as his part of the "Sym-
postum" "The last session the best"
Things vital to the growth, and well
fare of the conference was intelligent
ly discussed by Mr.. Bragg, giving, and
justly, too, due credit to our noble lay
men, whose loyalty helps largely to
make this body efficient and prosperous.
Rev. A. A. Phelps feelingly respond
ed in the discussion that followed,
others taking part. This closed the
first session of the District meeting
which was filed with good things and
is we'll attended by ministers and lay.
men. The benediction was pronounced
by Rev. l.. d. Boynton.
The Wednesday afternoon session of
the District meeting was opened by
singing ais My Name Written There2"
Rev. G. l.. Ellis read and gave an ex-
position of GAL, 9th chapter, after
which Bros. EdgertOn and Phelps led
in prayer.
After brief discussion by Revs.
Boynton, Ellis. Reilley, Oliver, Hill,
and Harger on "The Last Session of
Conference Rev. f. K. Root read a
thoughtful, carefully prepared paper,
"The M. L. Church; Its Possibilities
as Community Center" He said
"The rural church is not always an ef-
ficient character in rural life" "a true
community church must not alone be
the center of spiritual power, but must
meet the needs in its social life" for
the real purpose is to serve, not to be
served. In the absence of Rev. Van
Dorm, Rev. Reilley led in the discus
sion, followed by Revs. Boynton, Row.
ell, Oliver, Edgerton, Ellis, Phelps and
Bragg.
The chairman called for the paper,
ats Church Extension" which was to
have been given by Rev. G. England.
He being absent, the subject was pass
ed, and talk on "Church Loyalty"
was given by one of our honored lay
men, Burton Edgerton. He spoke of
the great claim the church has upon
its members, because "the church holds
the first claim upon us. Jesus, the
head, and in the midst we cannot be
loyal to God, and not be loyal to his
church"
Rev. Ellis led in an appropriate dis
cussl0n OF the subject, followed by
Revs. Phelps, Oliver, Boynton, Gray
Bragg, Root, Powell and Harger.
Thirteen Of the twenty-three mem
bers of the first district were present
at last evenings session of the district
meeting. A prominent feature Of the
services was the sermon by Rev. +. A.
Perry, ID. d., pastor of Adrian M. Il.
church. His subject, Higher Criti-
cism," as contrasted with the simple
gospel of Christ was built on the text,
Tim. 8; 5, Having form Of Godli-
ness, but denying the power thereof;
from such turn away" The sermon,
from introduction to conclusion, was
inspiring and uplifting, the Doctor
showing that Higher Criticism" was
the Gospel, with the love of God
squeezed out, but to the pure in heart
the Bible unfolds loving Savior. An
expression was taken and nearly all
in the large audience declared by the
uplifted hand, for the simple gospel of
Christ.
Rev. Waldren Geach of the M. 4.
ohnorl, tho hanadfotf0,