Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-08-15
Dayton, sprin6eld, Urbena, TiHin, sSudusky,
Cleveland, Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany and
New York"
tCommumcated)
ST. Johns Lutheran Church.

opening OF Cleggs Hall for Divine service,
for the use of the congregation Of st. Johns
Lutheran Curch Of this city, The occasion
WAS one OF great interest to all present. The
spacious hall wos filed to its utmost capacity
with an intelligent audience, composed of the
congregation and the friends Of the enter
prize from the city and surrounding country,
upwards Of one hundred having came from
our neiehboring city Of Springfield, on a
special train of cars provided for the pur.
pose.
The pastor, Rev D. Steck, deserves to
rank among the first of pulpit orators OF The
present day-commanding and noble in his
appearance in the pulpit, with voice we'll
adapted to oratory, his gesticulatoR easy and
graceful, with burning eloquencJ and zeal
in the cause of the X edeemer, he rivets the
attention of his hearers from the opening to
the close Of his discourses.
The text chosen by the Reverend gentleman
for the occasion was most appropriate, being
the words recorded in the lst Book Of Sam
uel VIIl2 "When Samuel took stone and
set it up between Mizpeh and Shew, and called
it Ebenezer, saying, hitherto hath the Lord
helped us" The Introduction contained an
interesting sketch Of the character and SER
vices of The prophet He was the last ofthe
Judges He was wise aud righteous ruler.
In him there was happy blending Of two
qualities not always found in the civil magis
trate-love of country and the fear of God
Applying the doctrine Of the text to the occa.
sion, the preacher laid down as the chief heads
OF his discourse the following points
|. What God does, in part, help his peo.
pie.
II. The help which God affords should be
greatly recognized.
Ill In the fact that God has afforded help
TO his people, they should fnd motive to in
creased exertion in Hi cause.
Under the description of these various
heads, appropriate illusions were made to the
pait history OF This new church organization,
and of Gods proVidenlal dealings towards it
Thus far the progress Of the congregation
has been most encouraging True it has had
it's trials, trials which some said and more
perhaps, toished it might not survive. Bu,
these had been overrued for good. They
we're part of Gods discipline to qualify the
church for the work il bad to do. Their effect
had been that if the storm upon the forest tree
to loosen the soil in order that it might strike
its roots deeper in the earth md imbed them
in the very rocks, preparatory to more vi
gorous growth. Many of our neighbors, said
the speaker, have misunderstood us, and right
roundly and well have some OF them abused
usf but in the face Of all We have gone
quietly forward with our work. Right nobly
has our bark, in her voyage thus far, stemmed
the pillows, though ere she was yet launched
upon the deep, many pretended prophet,
inspired only by the wish that his words might
prove true, declared that she could never live
among the breakers that would arise. But
thank God she is still aaoat, with all her
timber whole, and all her sails spread, and all
her crew happy, aud favored by the propicious
gales of the spirit, her course to-day is in the
direct line of the haven of complete and tri-
umphsnt success.