The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-12-27

Il uOCllluO VI IDO Won tuhiOh '"t
| us that God has so signally sanctioned and plessed
! those efforts, which have been made to plant the
| seeds of divine truth into q soil so congenlal, anu
which has Welded such abundant fruits u IHo
honor and glory OF God.
wise his German friends, in erecting this tempio
to the worship of God. to be actuated by the SAINT
spirit that caused Luther and the early heloInieas
10 go forward with united zeal ana PeTse.elanot
in carving on this great work OF Protestan'
| Christianity. Dc not allow difficulties TO ulscoGl-
age YOU. Let there be no strife between YOU ~
We are brethren. Remember that you are engaged
in u work that will be a blessing to your chlldren
and descendants to the latest posterlty' lee u5 I Gtor
| that We are not ashamed of the language and Inter-
ature, the morals and religion OF our German I1rG-
| fathers. Germany has given a tone 10 the pun
osophy, literature and science Oh lne WIN
Luther's translation Of the Bible Is a stahuaru
| work, not only in the purity OF the languaSe, T u
|! has accompanied the German emlgrant rom III
| fatherland to every portion OF the globe. 20 vi,
| then, my German brethren, and III the lear anu
| love of God erect to His name your holy tempie'
which will be an honor to your adopted country,
| and will be an evidence OF your zeal ana d''otioh
in the cause of our beloved churcn.
Here. in after ages, when these hoary headS
| shall lie low in the dust, will the anthems OF praise
| ascend from human voices to the courts Vi ene
! living God: here will nosts OF children, now uu-
born, be offered up at the font OF oaptsn, neaJ
will the Young crowd to the altar and be deulcate9
| by confirmation to the Saviour OF sinners. Arounu
| this altar will thousands come to celebrate tne
broken body and shed blood OF the Lore JESUS
Christ, and here, when your labors on eartn shaI
| be ended will the bodies of those who worshlpped
together in love be laid In their cofins to receive
the last funeral rites, "earth to earth, ashes 10
ashes, dust to DUST" and here will the mourners
! como to imbibe the comforting assurances, \ am
; the resurrection and the life; he that DeileVetn IN
me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; ana
! whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never
die"
And now 1 pray that God may bless all your
p~raiseworthy efforts in this holy Cause; that your
beloved pastor may be spared to see the comple-
ton Of the work in which he is so deeply interest
ed; that he NAV dedicate this holy temple to the
service of the Triune God; that he may witness
the influence of Gods Holy Spirit In the CONVEX
sion of thousands to the Redeemer; and that when
all our troubles shall be ended, and our sun OF ine
be zone down. we may all meet in that happier
world where war and despotism, and oppression;
and sin and sorrow shall be unknown, and we snail
enjoy immortal and blissful happiness throughout
the ages OF eternity. Amenl
At the close of the address, the ceremony Of
LAYING the cornerstone was begun.
ADDRESS BY MR.. MULLER.
At the northeast corner of the lot there vas a
hollow space, and in it stood the stone which Is to
form the northeastern angle of the new church.
Around the stone we're grouped the Masonic fra
ternity and the Odd Fellows.
The Rev. Mr.. Muller, who had left the speakers
stand, now took up a position on the brick work
over the cavity where the stone was to be laid,
and delivered the following Introductory address:
Beloved IN The Lord!
It IS meet and consistent and IN the spirit OF the
Book of Book that We, in all our actions, look up
to Almighty God, the Father Of Light, from whom
do come ali good and perfect gifts, and pray Him
that He will lead us with His spirit and further our
work with His gracious help. Let US, therefore,
now, in humility and devotion, pray to Him Tor
assistance, protection and blessing while we are
assembled here, to begin the building of o house
which shall be dedicated to His honor and service,
and in which His aoly Name will be adored, His
word preached, and His sacraments administered
through the ministers ordained by HIM.
Mr.. Muller then read the Lords Prayer, which
was earnestly repeated after him by those who
were near enough to make their voices heard.
He then continued his address is these words:
According to en- old usage, we intend to put IN
this cornerstone records and evidences OF our
time, and being for the benefit OF ages to come.
In order to preserve these documents Tor all time,
they have been put in air-tight glass vessels, OF
which two have been prepared, one Tor reiiglous
and the other for secular purposes.
Mr.. Muller then read o list of the various articles
which we're to he p.. the cornerstone as stated,
viz: A Bible, Rules and Bylaws ef the Church,
specifications of the building, roll or the Nom
hers. yestry, and pastor OF tho church, with the
church seal attached the names of the twenty
eight Sabbath school teachers; four religious
papers: the Moravian Messenger, the Lutheran
Herald. the Lutheran Gazette, and the Evangeli-
cal Lutheran coin of the United States, from q
half cent to one dollar in gold, which were all con-
tanned in one glass vessel. In the second vessel
were copies OF the CHARLESTON DAILY NEWS. OF
Yesterday and Wednesday, and copies OF the other
CITY dailies Of Wednesday; the last message OF the
President of the United States, specimens OF cur
rency. specimens of tickets of the City Railroad,
the names of the officers of the City Government,
with the city seal the register of the German Fire
Company, some few private records, a copper
plate, engraved by Anton Rieckc, with the date OF
the resolution Of the congregation to build a new
church, and this present date, and also the names
of the Building Committee.
Mr.. Muller then placed the vessels in the cavity,
and by their side put n bunch of fresh v%iolets,
saying:
Although these little flowers are children OF de-
cav. and seem to be no lasting emblem to preserve
to futurity, they are still highly fit TO be laid in
such q spot. They are beautiful emblems OF our
CnrlStlln lulbu. LINZ "a NlOlOtc, uh Va No NHNSS
bloom and die, and may we, like them, be meek
and humble-the emblems of our meek and suffer-
ing Saviour. Their color reminds US OF Heaven,
and symbolizes Christian faith. May faith in
Christ remain with US for ever more. Amen.
LAYING THE CORNERSTONE.
MIR. Muller then said
Our Help is in the name of the Lord.
Response by tie Chor-Who has made Heaven
and Earth. -,
Maasfer-Whera the Lord does not build 4
house. those that build will como to naught.
Then, striking the stone three times, Mr.. Muller
said:
In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of
the Hoiv Ghost. Amen. / lay the cornerstone OF q
building that shall b. here erected, nnGcr the
name Of st. Matthew's Church, and that is to
be dedicated to the service OF Almighty God, ac-
cording to the faith of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church.. in doctrine, Office and devotional usages.
No foundation can any man lay but that which is
in Jesus Christ, Lord above all, and praised to all
eternity. BIZ whom we have salvation through his
blood. namely, the forgiveness of sins according
to the rich abundance OF his grace.
THE MASONIC CEREMONIES.
p W. NJ. A. Melchers, of Walhalla Lodge, per-
formed the Masonic ceremonies, which were begun
BY the Masonic ode, 'When Earth's Foundation
first was Laid" After a few brief r~emarks-during
which the cavity was filled with cement and the
cornerstone laid over it with the inscription down.
wards-the plumb, square and level were applied
to the stone in their proper positions, ard the
stone was declared to be "well-formed, true and
trusty."
P. ". II. A. Melchcrs then scattered corn upon
the stone, and poured upcn 1t wine and oil. After
a PRAYER he struck the stone three times, and, the
work being done, delivered the various Implements
OF architecture to the architect according TO Ma
sonic usage.
The anthem "Let there be Light" was then sung
BY the fraternity, and tho regular cxhortation
upon the privileges and obligations of Masonry
was delivered.
The ceremony of laying the stone being com
pleted. 3 prayer was offered by Rev. W. S. Bow