San Francisco Call, Volume 82, Number 38, 8 July 1897 — APPLY THE POWER. [CHAPTER]

APPLY THE POWER.

Central Methodist Church was crowded to the doors and in the lobby. Dr. Dille, in his usual happy style, introduced as the solver of the problem, ''How to Reach the Masses," Rev. Charles A. Dickenson of Berkeley Temple, Boston. Dr. Dickenson devoted his time to a discourse on the need of the presence of the spirit of God in men. He took his text from I Corinthians, xii:6: "There are diversities in our religions, but it is the same God who ruleth over all." He showed in his argument that possession of this spirit was not alone necessary, but the will to act and do must be there or effort would be useless. The power for good goes for nothing until it is applied. His masterly style and force deeply impressed the audience and made a lasting impression on his listeners. Rev. D. C. Kelly of Birmingham was on the programme, but was unavoidably detained, and his place was filled by Dr. M. Rhodes of St. Louis, who supplemented the remarks of his predecessor by saying a clear conception of present conditions was necessary, and the church of Christ must adapt herself to the fact that, great forces of evil were allied against the forces of good and must be combated with ru_geduess rather than dreamy, sentimental mysticism. The conditions of the nineteenth century were different from those of the dark ages and must be met with different agencies.