The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-29
so CONFIRMED
At TRINITY BY
QUINCY BISHOP
RI. Rev. VI. Edward Fawcett, bio.
cesan Head Administers Sacra.
ment and breaches Sermon.

Christ Is nearer to the Christian
world through the Imagination and
Faith of all who believe in Him
than He would be IL He were here
IN the fesh,~ said Rt. Rev. NJ. Ed
ward Fawcett, D. D.. bishop of
Quincy, preaching in Trinity Epis-
eopal church at the 1o:45 o'clock
eervfce yesterday morning. when
he administered the sacrament of
confirmation 10 a class OF 80 candi-
dates who were presented by Rev.
WI. Essex, rector OF the parish.
The bishop said that IL the Savior
bad not made His ascension, hut
bad remained in the world during
the 1000 years that have elapsed
since his resurrection, He would
be subject to human Limitations and
His presence would necessarily
have been localized. Every Chris
tian would go on a pilgrimage to
see Him, and shat" said the bish-
op, would probably disorganize
Society"
He stated further that il the Mas
ter had remained, there would be
no necessity for thought and study
on questions of religion. The in
fallible Christ, being here, there
would be no need for men to think
about the divine revelation.
The point was stressed also, that
the apostles themselves were but
weak men until after Christ had
assembled. 1t was not until after
the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pente-
cost, affirmed the preacher, that the
apostles became bold and valiant
men.
'9The presence of Christ in the
world" declared the bishop, did
not convert everybody. Probably
~ He had not assembled. but tarried
here, the world would not have &C
5cepted Him. It did not do so when
His physical presence was vouch-
ssafed."
Faith That Thriyes.
/ Grouping his remarks about the
words of Christ, at is expedient
for you that l go away" the bishop
said that the faith which believed
in the Savior although He was in
visible, was the faith of the church
land is developed by that faith. Men
come into the spiritual presence of
tthe Savior, he said, through the
lsacraments.
Asking If any of his hearers had
lost son slain in France during
fthe World war, he said: when
your boy was across the sea, he
seemed very far away from you
but when the sad word came to you
that he was killed, oh then, he
seemed very near to you, did he
not? AS near as when he was
here, in the days before he enlisted
to fight for his country"
Even So" he continued. "the
Savior seemed nearer to the hearts
of Christians, since He was cruel
fed. died and was buried, rose
again on that first Easter day and
sascended into heaven. If / go away
l will send Him unto you He said
and He has kept His word. and
through the things of the spirit He
the same Savior who was crucified
and Who after His resurrection
& went away is still with u.s."
Many at Confirmation.
Tn the occasion of the Bishops
visitation, the choir sang as an of.
tfertory anthem. THE Lord Is Elk.
allied. by West, and a large con.
gregation assembled at 1880 O'Clock
IN the morning when he was thu
celebrant of the holy communion
and at 10:45 O'Clock, when he ad.
m / n stere d confirmation anC
! preached. After the late morn:n.
service many greeted the bishoI
personally in the parish house.
During the confirmation proper
the bishop, vested in a white COP,
| and inter, occupied an improvise,
throne in the sanctuary. and con
! hrmed the candidates one bv on,
z as they knelt before him by lawn,
( MS hands upon the head of eaci
and prOnOuncing the words an
pointed by the book of CONNER
4 prayer.
The bishop is enroute to Knox
Vile. where he will preside at ;
meeting of the board of missions O
the diocese. During his stay her,
2 he was entertained at the rector,
OF Trinity church by Rev. and Mrs
I w, L. Essex, and before going u
I knoxville, he will be the guest O
mr.. and Mrs. Edwin W. Woodeock
( ga Seventeenth street Moline