Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-11
MEN OF ALL CREEDS
HONOR DIR. CONWELL
Several Hundred Ministers
Greet Baptist Temple Pastor
on 18th Birthday Approach

nominations. large number OF lay men
md women. gathered In the Baptls
Temple. Broad and Bcrks streets. this
morning to do honor to Dr. Russell H.
Conwell who will be scventy-fvo years
old on Friday
Tho ceremonies were presided over
by the Rev. DR.. II. Watson Barras.
president Of the Baptist Mems Confer
: ence. and addresses were made by the
Rev. Dr. William II. Roberts. stateo
clerk Of the Presbyterian General AS
( sembly; the Rev. Floyd W. Tomkins,
of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church; Dr.
| Edgar Fahs Smith. provost of the TIM,
versity Gf Pennsylvania : Fishop Joseph
I r. Berry. Of the Methodist Episcopai
Church the Rev. Dr. Forrest Il. Dagger,
Of the Reformed Episcopal Church. ano
/ the Rev. Dr. George IL I,aes. OF III.
! Baptist Minister'S Conference OF phiia.
1 delphia. The latter became a membe,
! of the conference IN 1872, whereas Doc
tor Conwell became affiliated with II +
few years later. The scripture reading
was by the Rev. j. S. NJ. lsenbcrg, o,
| the Reformed Church.
I The services were opened by the con-
gregation singing "All Hail the Power
Of Jesus Name" and n feature OF the
musical program was a quartet OF four
! olergymen-the Ecvs. H. Il. Myers, of
| Salem; T. u. Collins. camden. r. \.
! white. Moorcstown. and W. ". Me
| Curdy. Of this city.
Doctor Conwell made n brief adj
dress. The opening prayer was made
( by the Rev. Dr. Edwin Tleyl Delk, Of
tae Lutheran Church. and the closing
prayer by the Rev Dr. Carter Helm
Jones. OF the First Baptist church.
Following the church services Doctor
Conwell was guest of honor at a birth
/ day dinner in the lower temple. at
, which the Rev. Dr George = Young,
! vice president OF the Baptist conference.
presided.
Many were the congratulations he re-
celved and he was kept busy shaking
hands. Glad TO greet his fellow clergy
men as he was. ne nevertheless looked
on the celebration with something like
reluctance.
\ set Of congratulatory resolutions.
cngroased In n book, was signed by all
the clergymen present They read:
I'VE are grateful to God for Doctor
Conwell's long life. for his Christian
ministry in our city. for his educational
and philanthropic leadership in our
state, for his inspirat!onal power
throughout our nation. We desire TO put
on record our most sincere appreciation
of his Christian companlonship. fra
iernal councils and spiritual fellowship.
We pray God that his life and ministry
may be go prolonged that the manifold
fruits OF seventy-ilve years may be but
t'the first fruits Of an abundant harvest
Of good works in Jesus Christ, our
Lord"
BISHOP BERRY FACETICS 3
The assembiagc of SO many differing
denominations and their unantniity Of
praise for Doctor Conwell constituted a
remarkable tribute. Bishop Berry. at
flrming that such gathering would
have been impossible twenty five years
ago." humorously referred to former
feeling between denominations, amid
laughter, and quoted an old Baptist
song, which ran:
'Td rather he n Baptist and wear n
shining face
Than be Il dirty Methodist and fall away
from grace
J Id rather he IL Baptist and have
chance of grace
Than be a hard-shell Calvinist and damn
near half the race. -
Doctor Roberts. spoken of by Bishop
: Berry as "the archbishop of Presby-
terianism in America" eulogized Doctor
conwell rs a leader who had done much
to spread Christianity internationally.
: lie said that when the early apostles
, read the words, "God 10 loved the
: world they had In mind only a little
: corner of Asia Minor. but that the word
world" today embraced the entire globe.
Doctor Conwell, he said, has been "a
!. leader in world affairs, IN the progress
l. of humanity and in making the words
'o;od 20 loved the world" assume their
full meaning. Referring to Doctor Con-
wells service In the Civil War. Doctor
Roberts said he had played an important
u part In the establishment of n true
y l.Ia i,y ms nd nF I~iD~.
dom Of God throughout the world.
: Doctor Conwell spent his early yearr
in Boston," said he huniorously. 'and
Bostonians may regard their city as
the hub Of the universe, but the axle
which makes the wheels go around is
, right here in this city. And no man
: has done more to make tho wheels Of
righteous industry go around here tha.
the president Of Temple University, Doc
tor Conwcll.'
PROVOST LAUDS CONwELT.
Doctor Conwell has always given mis-
| best to his brother man." said Provost
Smith. "He has wrought unselfishly. He
| has kept In mind that he was the
steward of the means that have fallen
into his hands. lie has opened to thous-
ands the channels which have con-
; tributed to tho!r spiritual and temporal
welfare. In short, he has gone about
doing good from his boyhood and he
: will live In the lives of thousands who
, will speak Of him as blessed
, '1Iis manhood has always been open.
, warm-hearted and genial" said Doctor
Tomkins, with n brotherly affection
that draws you to him and makes you
know that his heart is as big AZ his
body"
Like Doctor Tomkins. Bishop Berry
emphasized the unity Of spirit actuating
. all denominations and predicted that
within the next five years the forces for
prohibition Of the liquor traffic led by
the men of all denominations there as
sembled. would make Pennsylvania take
it's stand among the dry states. Hail
ing Doctor Conwsll as a great preacher,
lecturer and educator, he declared that
the coming years Of his life would prove
even richer than the seventy-flve which
have already passed.
II At the dinner which followed the cele-
bration addresses were made by the
rev. DR. J. b. q. Pidge. pastor Of the
Fourth Baptist church since 1879; the
Rev. DR.. Clarence II. Woolston pastor
: Of the East Baptist Church since 1887
!, nr John Gordon. emeritus dean oi