Evening star., 1915-03-24

important lecture OF the session "If
our people meet promptly and gener-
ously their obligations involved in the
present situation the Methodist Epis-
copal Church South will have at an
early day two of the greatest universi-
ties in the south"
More Than Half of Sum in Hand,
Despite the influences OF the Euro
pean war asserted DR.. A. J. Lamar Of
Nashville. "the church already has on
hand more than one half of the $5,00O,-
ooo to build the universities. and there
ls no doubt that the church will succeed
on the scale 1t has planned"
IN reviewing the steps by which the
vanderbilt University passed from un-
der the control Of the church. by vir-
OF Tennessee, Bishop Gambler declared
that 1t was a past matter, and that
now all the endeavors of the church
must be concentrated on the new uni
versitfes at Atlanta and Dallas. The
nishop - reviewed the great public fig.
the sectarian colleges, and said:
How has the American people the
learning or piety to make a first-class
university better than a great church
can make 1t! 1t is all nonsense
Opening Sermon.
The session today was begun with
prayer by DR.. ]. W. Duffy of Alexan-
dria, Va. DIR. Gambler delivered the
opening sermon. taking as his theme
the parable of the wise and foolish
virgins. in the course of which he
amused his audience with his particu-
lar brand of dry humor
The bishop declared that the parable
q ana ~, e.
themselves. He said it was not the
fault Of the foolish virgins that they
wanted to get to heaven, but that they
wanted to get there Cheap" So to-
day. he declared, people want to get to
possible effort.
Women want to go to heaven, but
a great many of them want to take
their dancing and card tables with
them on the way" said Bishop Gambler
1T is not SO much the dances and card
tables that would be in the way. by the
way. but the disposition OF the woman
herself to get to heaven with the least
possible sacrifice
Il knew man who wanted to go
to heaven. but he asked if there would
be family prayer there. He said fam
lily prayer, to him. was the next worse
thing to the other place
Many preachers today are trying
to get to heaven. seemingly, on as
little faith as they can. I want all
you preachers to understand that there
is no clerical fare to heaven"
Maryland Blue Laws Discussed.
The question of Maryland's blue
laws" was brought up in short ad-
dress by Mr.. W. W. Davis, secretary of
the Lords Day Alliance OF Maryland.
He spoke against the local situation
prevailing Of open theaters on Sunday.
and advocated more stringent Sunday
laws in the District 80 that the Dis
trict Of Columbia might be model for
the nation"
THE people who are striking al the
sanctity Of the Sabbath are striking at
the church and at God" he declared.
The observance of Sunday is the CEN
ter of home life and of church life.
Regular business OF the conference
will be the order of the day hereafter.
it is announced. Reports from the pre-
siding elders of the eight districts rep
resented at the conference will be
include reports from Rev. NJ D. Mitchell
Of the Baltimore district, Rev. E. v. r.
REGISTER Of the Washington district,
Rev. D. H. Kern of the Alexandra dis
district. Rev. q. D. White of the
Roanoke district, Rev. ]. A. Anderson
Of the Lewisburg district, Rev. H. A.
Brown Of the Mooref1eld district and
Rev. H. I. Stephens Of the Rockingham
district.
Dr.. REGISTER was reelected secretary
of the conference, and assistant secre-
taries were appointed. as follows: Rev.
J. Harris Smith of Salem, Va: Rev. w.
H. Best Of Roanoke. Va: Rev. c. L. De
Long OF Hyattsville. Nd: Rev. ]. j.
Rivers Of Hamilton. Md: Rev W. L.
Smith of Waldorf. Nd. and G. D. Kid
ner of White Sulphur Springs, w. Va.
Bishop A. w. Wilson of Baltimore
arrived upon the platform at 1870
o'clock this morning. but was not call
ed upon to address the conference.
Each morning session, it was decided,
will open at 8 o'clock and adjourn at
1880 o'clock.
Bishops to Be Guests at Dinner.
Bishop Wilson and Bishop Gambler
are to be the guests of honor at din
ner to be given by Secretary and Mrs.
Josephus Daniels tonight. Secretary
Bryan will be present at the dinner.
Epworth League board matters will
be considered tonight, and Rev. F. S.
Parker OF Nashville. general secretary.
is to deliver the sermon. In the after
noon different board meetings will be
held. comprising anniversary meetings
of the board Of missions. the board of
church extension and others.
Rev ]. Howard Wells OF Baltimore.
formerly a pastor of the Mount Vernon
Place Church. opened the conference
last night
"Christianity Is not a failure" he
said. "It may not stop wars. Who
ever said it would? But who ever
heard of heather nation sending food
to the starving in the wake of war or
building hospitals? The glory of Chris
tianity Is not that it stands for the
survival Of the fittest. but that it
stands for the revival of the unfit"
The Serbian minister Of foreign af-