The Washington times., 1915-03-28
METHODIST CLERGY
HOLDS LOVE FEAST"
Twenty-Five Ministers and Lay.
, men Testify to Joy Their Re-
|igion Has Brought Them.

II was n Glove feast" suggestive OF
ante-bellum days that marked the ses-
sion of the Baltimore Conference of
Southern Mcthodists at the Mt. Vernon
Place Church today. this service being
one that always marks the Sunday of
the week the annual conference Is held.
The Rev. w. Z. Miller. of Kent Md,
presided at the service, which began at
$50 o'clock, and an unexpected guest
was Bishop Il. l.. EIoss, of Oklahoma
who reached Washington early this
morning
Fully twenty-five ministers and lay
men, most of them in their declining
years. rose during the colhrse of the
love feast" and testified to the joy
their religion had brought them. Many
of them spoke with tears of love and
gratitude moistening their wTinSled
cheeks and the youngest hearer found
their eyes also were wet as they listened
to stories Of trial of forty and fifty
years ago.
Between the testimonies the congrega-
hymns AZ "Oh. How Sweet 1t WIN bo
IN That Beautiful Land" We're Going
Home to Die no More" How Firm a
Foundation." 'I'll Soon Be at Home
Over There" and
I'D rather be the least of those
Than wear royal diadem
And sit upon 4 throne
am now in my nftieth year as a
Methodist minister" said Bishop IIoss,
and ! have always said that when |
mad finished half Gently In this
service viii feel lie ] have grown up.
The emotion that feel the deepest Just
now Is one of graft lie to Almighty
Goo Tor Ills goodness to me. The m ost
blessed thing about the christian re-
% .. sg
and fresh every evening""
The love feast concluded at 1890
and the churen service proper began
Immediately the sermon being preached
diately after the sermon five dearons
were ordained. They were Charles f..
y. Hall. of Linden. Va; Waller s
Thomas. Of Crab Bottom. Va: Walter
>: Nicholson. of Frostburg. Nd: Ernest
w. Aaron. OF ShcnnndOah Junction. W.
Va, and Thomas MorSIn, OF Selma, Va,
Bishop Candler's Text.
Bishop Gambler took mis- tex from the
scriptures where Christ fed the five
thousand and a short time later walked
upon the Sea of Galliee ard ktilled the
tempest Referring to -he mul;tIdc.
which, after 1t had been fed would have,
made Christ king. the bishop said:
TOO many people today make the
mistake that the multitude made" said
the pishop. Ihey want to use Christ
lot of folks who would like to make
Christ a chief Of police because they
Know Know lie would have power to keep
things in order.
But the Master will not be used.
Any man who thinks moro OF the bless
Ing than he does of the blcsser will net
get much. The disciples had already
began TO discuss who would have first
place in the new kingdom, and they
n
multitude that wanted to crown Christ
right there. So Christ constrained
them and led them away.
10 teach them a lesson He allowed
them to get into ship and then sent
the, storm upon them. He knew they
could be saved from the storm, which
was less dangerous than the tcmpta-
tions ashore. Oh. it is better TO be at
sea In a storm with God than to be on
shore and depend on anything less.
Allowed To Go Too Far.
And then, not till the storm was at
its height did He go to them. 1t is
always so. The hour OF sharpest! ex.
igcncy is the hour Of surest deliverence
| Some people think Gods power is gone
because He let's things go so far, bu,
that is just the time you may look for
him.
He let them put Peter in Jail and
put the shackles on his limbs before
delivering him. He didn't keep the
Babylonian King from putting Daniel
In the den of lions. but He was not be-
hind minute when it came to closing
the lions mouths. Our Lord is never be-
hind time when it comes to delivering
| those who are standing for Him.
The ordination OF seven elders will
| take place at the evening service, at
which the Rev. DR.. Gross Alexander
will preach. Tomorrow morning the AN.
nual memorial service will be held In
honor of members who have died during
the last year. and the last session of the
conference will begin tomorrow at
o'clock. The list Of pulpit appointments
| for the coming year will be announced
by Bishop Gambler at the final session.