Evening star., 1955-06-18
BY CASPAR NAMES
Relisious News Editor of The Star


NORFOLK, Va, June 18.-
Methodist Bishop Paul Nef1
Garbor of Richmond is a genial
person with a high value of his
tory and a sly sense of humor.
This week he was able to bring
both together in his welcome to
the group being received as full
f1edged ministers Of the Metho-
dist Virginia Annual Confer
ence.
Bishop CARRIER had some advice
to give the preachers, especially
about their sermons. Today, he
pointed out, people want short
and pithy sermons, but that
wann't always true.
About century ago Methodists
objected strenuously to short
sermons. One pastor, Peter
Doub, began his ministry by de-
livering 25-minute sermons. This
so enraged some of his congrega-
ton that they preferred charges
against him.
Apparently the lesson took, for
the bishop noted that some years
later Pastor Doub spoke 4 hours
and Is minutes without inter-
ruption at a camp meeting.
Another pastor, Stephen Olin,
frequently preached for two
hours and Peter Akers from 3 to
5 hours. Still another, Stephen
G. Roszel. had such a reputation
for preaching long sermons that
people said, When he got into
the pulpit, he was never in a
hurry to get out of it."
Personal Touch
Bishop CARRIER also urged the
ministers to bring the personal
touch to their sermons. They
should, he said, make everyone
in the congregation feel, Il am
the man."
In the past century, Nathan
Bangs had this great quality.
One time he was contrasting the
character of the righteous man
with that of the wicked, and de-
clared: "It matters not what
your condition or name is, if you
do thus wickedly you will be
damned" A man suddenly arose
in his pew and said, my name is
Benaih Brown. At your service"
and sat down.
After the sermon was over,
Mr.. Bangs asked the man why he
had gotten up and announced his
name.
You described my character
so accurately that I thought you
knew all about me, and that ]
might as well give you my name
and have done with it." the
man replied.
Visiting Ministers
Many ministers who formerly
held pastorates in Washington
area Methodist Churches stopped
over to say hello during the week.
They all had a kind word for
their one-time congregations,
and wished to be remembered to
their friends there.
DR., Horace E. Cromer, former
ly Of Washington's McKendree
Methodist Church and now pas
tor of Monumental Methodist (.
Church, Portsmouth, Va, was
one of them. Another was the
Rev. Woodrow w. Hayzlett, now
pastor of the Melrose Avenue
Church. Roanoke. He was at
Langley Church. Mclean. Va.
before going three years ago to
Roanoke. A third was the Rev.
Joseph S. Johnston. who was at
Arlington Methodist Church
when that beautiful new struc-
ture was built. He is now at Rev.
ellie Methodist Church, Rich
mond.
Ideal Meeting Place
The Municipal Auditorium
here is an ideal meeting place
for a gathering of this size. It L
was built in 1943 as a "recrea-
tional facility" for the men and
women of the armed forces.
One section is used as an
arena with a maximum capacity /
of 1926 and minimum seating /
arrangements of 1924. The other
part is theater, seating 1882. /
Facilities to put on any kind of |
show, from a musical like "Okla-
EPISCOPAL