Evening journal., 1919-02-12
CITY METHOOISTS
BACK BACH! C[NTEN [[N!! sRY.
Church Forward Movement
Endorsed at Mass Meet
ing, banquet
BISHOP MCDOWELL
PRINCIPAL SPEAKER


A mass meeting Of the Methodists OF
the Wilmington Conference packed St.
Paurs NJ. E. Church to the doors last
nIght to pledge loyalty 10 the centen-
ary movement. Tn re were ministers
and laymen p. esent from many churches
in the conference territory. Ine mass
meesIng IN the auditorium was pre-
ceded by banquet in honor OF Bishop
William F. Mcdowell, OF Philadelphia,
and John L. Alcock, OF Baltimore. the
principal speakers, given In the cpurch
dining hall.
The Rev. Robert Watt, superintendent
Z OF Wilmington district, presided at the
banquet and at The mass meeting, miro
ducing the speakers. A large chorus
choir, directed by Evangelist Harold
C. Clase. kept a spirited song service
going In the auditorium, while the as
semblage awaited the coming OF Bishop
Mcdowell About 1900 persons gather
ed in the auditorium and adjoining
rooms which had been thrown open.
III there had been an opportunity
to save the world and l had not been
in IT, ] should regret H." said Bishop
Mcdowell, in opening his sermon-ad-
dress on the theme, Repent, for the
Kingdom Of Heaven is at Hand" He
continued.
III there had been a chance to buy
Liberty Bonds and did not do so,
should be ashamed 10 look q Liberty
Bond In the face all the rest Of my life;
IL there had been a chance to do away
with the saloons. and / had not helped,
/ should be ashamed Of myself; II there
was a chance to build a hospital TO
make a clean town, to build a college,
and | did not help. ! should feel that
somehow OF other the kingdom OF
heaven had gone by and ! had not
seen It. The glory OF the present IS
that the kingdom OF heaven Is coming |
along and there Is a chance for you and
me II we are going in the right dlrec-
ton TO get into IT,"
The bishop outlined the obiectVes
OF the centenary movement, as follows:
First. the stewardship OF prayer, set
ting forth that prayer should be for
someone beside ones self. He referred /
10 the fact that in recent days a gen.
al prayer at the family altar would /
not cover the case, because the boy OF /
the home was probably across the seas
lighting for humanity, and nothing |
short OF calling him by name would
make the prayer seem worth while 10
the loved ones at home. AS they did
this they thought Of and prayed for
their boys "bunkie" and then for his
father and mother then for the loved
ones OF all the boys In the service. ami
thus were the borders Of their petitions
greatly enlarsed.
The stewardship OF life, not only for
oussefes but for our children. was
the second head.
"Havins made the great conservation
OF the youth Of our country for the
winning OF the war, let us continue and /
leave our children still on the altar Of |
humanity for the great business OF re-
building the world" was his plea. Let
us put a GROSS beside the star on the
service flag, and say: He belongs 10
Jesus Christ
"The Centenary movement also calls I
FOR stewardship OF our earthly possess
sions-which In some cases do not
amount TO much" said the bishop, and
then he quoted one Of his colleagues, {
VINO put this way. Money Is not 1
worth anything until Il buys something
better than money" N
The advance Of the Kingdom OF
Heaven was described by the bishop as
steps. The first one being when slavery
ceased; then followed the prohibition
amendment and It's ratification; one dav
voice spake. saying, we viii make
the world safe for democracy. and the
next step Is 10 take the GOSPEL OF Jesus
Christ TO all the world That He Who'll
died for us may not walk the earth |
alone, we are asked to give our lives. |
our money our young people and our
intercessory prayers That Is the crux
Of the Centenary movement"
Preceding the mass-meetng a ban
quet was served by the Ladies' Aid OF
St Pauls, In the banquet hall Of the
church.
f. C. Hsrdesty. president of the
board OF trustees OF st. Paul's, was
chairman and before introducing the
various speakers. said In part:
Personally, / am thrice glad tonight:
In the first place ] am glad 10 be
part OF that great militant body known
as Christians: and there never was
time In the history OF the world when
1t meant so much to be a Christian as
it does today.
American citizen, in this day Of Amer
cas- great exaltation, when all tho
world is looking 10 us as a big brother.
Third. am glad that am Metho-
list: and | never was as proud of that
act as am tonight Without dispar- /
cement to any other Christian de- |
want to say that the rec
I'd of the Methodist Church through
Int tel /
hrou0h which we have been passing
or the last four and q half years Is
imply magnificent. How fitting 1t is