The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1921-10-27

Great Throng of Folks
Hear Sermon by
Bishop Darlington

I D4041OP DUx 1441S CO1
Sermon Marked Crest of the Metho
dist Conference in Wesley Memoria
| Church-Two Hundred and FIT,
! Appointments Read Monday
orial Held.
The 23rd was conference Sunday
the day on which the tide of Interest
! Increasing through the work and fel
loWsfip of the week, rolled to the
flood. The sermon by the presiding
bishop at II o'clock on the Sabbath
usually marks the crest of this inter
est. It was not different this year
A great tirong of people packed Wes-
lev Memorial to hear Bishop Darling
ton. The Introductory service was
beautifully impressive. "Fierce were
the Wild Billows" was the anthem and
Mrs John Peacock sang "Come Ye
Blessed" with rare beauty and appeal.
The hymn singing by the preachers
was. as it always is, impressive and
inspiring. rso
The conference closed Monday by
the reading of the appointments of
the $50 preachers.
There was held session Of the con-
ference Sunday afternoon at o'clock
which was a special memorial service
held in memory of the five preachers
who have died during the year, these
bing Revs. R. M. Taylor, r. S. Aber-
nethy, C. C. Williams, P. c.. Battle
and j. E. Gay. Fine tributes were
paid to the worthfulness of these fall
en- brethren.
After the morning sermon by the
bishop he ordained to the office of
deacon fine class of young men. AT
ter the memorial services in the aft
ernoon Bishop Darlington ordained
the class to eldership that has just
finished the four years conference
course.
h't TIE p,oIpits Of the citv were fill
ed Sunday by visiting ministers and
all seemed to think that they had
he best one.
Subject Was >"Elijah"
The bishops subject was "Elijah."
It would be more correctly stated
i" Elijah, the Circuit rider" The text
of the morning was 1 Kings 1877,
!" Art thou he who troubleth israel 2"
AS an introduction the bishop said
that men who have saved nations
from destruction and churches from
foTraality and civilizations from de-
cay have usually had intimate fellow
ship with God. God stands within
the shadows Keeping watch above his
own. We should, therefore, never de-
spair of the ultimate outcome. With
all the heart one can believe in tri-
umph of the truth. Many people as
they look upon the wrong and suffer
ing about us fall into despair; but be-
cause right is, truth is, God is, some
where, sometime, just causes will pre-
vail. God may find it necessary to re-
sort to the power of miracles. If it
come not in your way or in your time,
don't lose heart. Do your part, stand
in your peace, and God will bring it
to pass.
The world of Elijah's day was
shrouded in deep darkness. No star
of hope shone in the national heav-
ems; no beacon light flashed along the
shore. AS far as the eye of the soul
could Sc, thick gloom Of right! Israel
had forsaken God and built upon her
sacred hills affairs to the alien god.
On the throne sat Ahab the king, who
had done evil in the sight of God
above all who had gone before him.
He had heaped infidelity upon infdel-
ityand bound his son to wrong by
with a goddess woman and
an enemy to the faith of his fathers.
Into the palace and therefore into the
central heart of his people he had
brought the degradation of an infdel
idolatry; worse than all he had closed
the mouth of good men of his realm;
there was not a protestant in Israel.
Flash of the Prophet
Here the Bishops eye flashed with
that light that marks the prophet from
the priest. "Fhe city pastors were
preaching on sanitation. There was
not protestant in Israel. The city
pastors we're preaching on sanitation.
rael-" The, only hope in such a
that he can find a man who has with
in him the dynamic of uncompromis-
ing protest. His answer is with the
and Pauls, and the great pro-
testants of history. -
Elijah was Gods answer to the Is
rael of Ahab. He came from the hill
country, ndtured by the still sublimi-
ties and vast Inspirations of associa-
lion with God in the great and open
space. Look well at this man. We
can know ourselves better after a
ook at this mighty prophet. Note
three elements Of his greatness. First,
be had message; second, the will to
deliver it: third, the faith to leave the
issue with God.
The thing that aroused Elijah was
sin in high places sin in his nations
capitol. sin on the throne. His heart
was filled with fear for the future of
his people. Elijah was a patriot and!
when time of the great testing came
he went to suffer for his peonle. He
owed it to his people and to his God to
save them. The agony of a patriot
stav~roe tb7.o--c~7, the heart of great
Did he call mass meeting
to denounce his country? No. Did
he have resolutions Dassed by the
town council? No. He came in the
.a.,.aa ae Cd aal ..-:4i 41a..14:-aa4..