Commemorative Service in the Cathedral on the 200th Anniversary of Wesley's Conversion HE bicentenary of the conversion of John Wesley was celebrated yesterday by a special service in the Holy Trinity Cathedral, at the kind invitation of the Dean, and by special Methodist programmes was broadens in the evening.
The anniver: ry service in the Cathedral was attended by a large congregation.
Prominent churchmen taking part in the gathering included Bishop Wa P.
Roberts, of the American Church Mi: ion; the Rev. W. H. Hud-seth, of the British and Foreign Bible Society Dr. W. B. Nance, Western adviser and tacher of philosophy in the Soochow University; and Dr. H. H. Tsui, of the Church of Christ in China.
The service, which started at 5 p.m, began with the singing of the hymn, "O for a thousand tongues to sing," and after prayers led by the Rev. C. W. Allan a message of welcome was delivered by Dean Trivett. Three short addresses were given during the service, by Dr. Nance, Hudspeth and Dr. Tsui, while the Rev. R. D, Rees gave some selected readings from the diary of John Wesley the many they had atmosphere. vietion had died because been poisoned by the Today an atmosphere of secularism lls our modern life and chokes, like some foul vapour, our every "breath, making religious life peculiarly ditficult, If the Church could recover its passion for holiness and once Jagain be filled with divine love the poisoned atmosphere would be swept ay and men's hearts would glow Other hymns during the service it cluded "Jesu, lover of m onl "Thou hidden love of God," "O for with the fire divine, Dr, H, H, Tsui spoke on the sub-ect of John Wesley himself, and a heart ta praise my God" ud, final 'O Thou who camest from above.
The service ended with a. closing prayer and the pronouncing of the benediction by Bishop Roberts.
Speaking on the subject of the significance of Wesley Day, the Rev W. H. Hudspeth said:—
What significance has today for the Church Universal? 1 want to deal with this by answering a question I was asked a little while ago. The question was: "In view of the world suation—hostilities in China, b: barons strife in Spain, the universal up of armaments—in view of e things what practical thin can I do as a Christian?" This is question that is being asked by many earnest people and during the past few days I have been wondering whether Methodism, has any answer io'such a query. I think it has and I wish to suggest two thoughts Which have come to me through reading about John Wesley or in peru sim his Journal, My first thought is this "passion for Holiness"
"The Church must recover a passion for holiness, Absolute goodness or holiness, and its methodical pursuit was a great preoccupation of early methodism, The spread of this me: sage seemed to John Wesley the chief reason why God had raised up Methodists, Unlimited goodness is what the world needs today, That there isa yearning in the heart of man for the heights has been made clear to us again by the Group Movement. Groupers challenged us all with their demand for the four absolutes, How can a passion for holiness possibly affect the international situation? In this way: One of the reasons why the Church is unable to speak with authority is because there is not sufficient difference between those who are inside and those who are outside the Church, The world has caught up with us and we followers of Jesus Christ are not outstandingly good, Today I would humbly ca! upon you to reg Wesley's passion hohnes: said:
It is a great pleasure to me to have this opportunity to speak a few words about John Wesley whose 200th a, niversary we are here to celebrate this afternoon, With the very short time allotted to me, I shall limit myself within the scope of "What I have learned {ror John Wesley especially with regard to his ce version", Because of the wonderful experience in his early days in Epworth, John Wesley fell that he was specially saved by God for a poco of special work, to the glory of God on one hand and for the interest of humanity on the other. He always had the idea that he was "a brand plucked from the burning", With that experience plus his home train-ling, he prepared hims§lf for the great task that he was to undertake.
The words that his father spoke to him before his death had made a very deep impression on John Wesley's spiritual life, The words are thus "The inward witness, my son, ghat is the proof, the strongest proof of Christianity", These words became true to John Wesley's experience when he heard a still small voice ing "Believe and thou shalt be saved. He that believeth is passed from death to life. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life",
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.