New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-04-03
Fr EST rCoNGHEGATIoNAL CHUxCu
INSTALLATION Services.

Church, corner OF Prytania and Calliope
streets, on Monday evening last, was most
interesting OCCASION. The services COM
menced with an invocation by Rev. Mr..
Healy, missionary OF the American Union
Society for the States of Louisiana, Missis-
sppi and Texas, and President OF Straight
University. Then followed reading of the
Scriptures by Rev. Mr.. Hartzell, Pastor OF
Ames' Methodist Church. This was sue
ceeded by sermon delivered by Rev. Dr.
Post, of st. Louis, whose silvered hair
showed the touch of the SHOWS of many
winters, but whose fervid and forcible utter
ances evinced h" ut burning with the
living fire of the Holy Spirit. His text was
chosen from / John, V chapter, ii verse;
"And this is the record that God hath given
us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."
The Immortality of the soul was first con-
sidered; the fact that when the earth shall
melt with fervent heat, and the heavens be
rolled together as a scroll, the soul of man
shall continue to exist, from everlasting to
everlasting. When we consider that by the
heavens and earth we mean the universe OF
whose immensity the most gifted of ali
ages have but q faint idea; that the most
talented astronomers who have been able
even to weigh the fixed stars as in bal
apce, and by the most powerful telescopes
discover worlds whose light has been mil
lions of years in reaching the earth, the
question arises, have they more than
caught glimpse beyond the threshold
of the universe? Then indeed is the
enternal life of the soul a thought
| overwhelming in its sublimity. But what
shall be the mature of this eternal life,
was the next idea advanced. Here the rev
erend speaker drew graphic picture of the
despair of a lest soul, severed from the ce-
| lestial abode of the Almighty by deep, red
gulf. fixed unaltersbly, intimating that il
| permitted to enter the pearly gates OF walk
| the golden streets, a corrupt soul would be
| overwhelmed by the glory of the Infinite.
AS when a dazzling sunbeam strikes a dis
eased eye, it causes inexpressible agony, SO
lost soul could not bear the ineffsbie splen-
dor of the Holiest of Holes, but would i'm
plore, in agony indescribable, to be con-
signed to the depth of darkness and hell
| anywhere, to be hidden from the eye of God.
DuG WAds cuo1l AissH w W lIuCIlb du CtcIu6S
| life of happiness, The text informs us how
| we are to gain this great blessing desired By
all. ''This life is in His Son. And the be-
nign countenance of the glorifed Saviour
appears, as it were, in the opening clouds,
while in seraphic tones is heard from his
lips, 'Look upon me, ye wretched ones. Ia
me ye have eternal bliss" The eloquent
| remarks of DR.. Post were followed by sec-
ond invocation by Rev. Mr.. Smith, of Wash
| ington, D. c., and then the charge to the
pastor, delivered in clear, sonorous tones by
| Rev. Mr.. Sloane.
| The words of Jesus. 'Feed my Sheep
| were beautifully illustrated. Upon the new
pastor was eDjoined the duties of the
| shepherd of souls' under his charge. They
were to be fed with spiritual food, and led
by him to the green pastures and clear
waters flowing near the '"rree of life.n The
lost and erring must be found and gathered
into the fold, and protected from the
dangers and snares of the evil one, and thus
secure from storms and tempests, await
their reception into that heavenly fold of
Jesus, the great shepherd.
The welcome to the pastor was next in
order. This was cordially given, ia chosen
and appropriate words, by Rev. Mr.. Francis,
of Atlanta, Georgia.
After this followed the charge to the peo-
pie by the Rev. DR.. Post, which could not
have failed to give universal satisfaction.
In this charge the people were exhorted to
stay up the hands of their pastor, even as
Aaron and Hur supported the hands of
Moses upon Mount Sinai, seven from the
rising of the sun unto the going down of
the same" That they should be
careful of the health of their min
lister, and not exact too much mental labor
from him, nor make him "factotum"-to
preach. to attend meetings. visit his parish
toner's, and at the same time collect bills and
do all the carpenter work of the church
besides. That when pastor is required by
an intelligent congregation to prepare tive
original sermons weekly, besides visiting
parishioners and attending weekly meetings,
the tax upon the brain is excessive. He
in year in this climate, be worth
more than if he works twelve
months without relaxation, and the
therefore he should have three months
vacation. And, again, that they must not
encroach upon his time, and above all, as a
minister is not able to defend himself as
other men. his character should be ever
shielded from the breath of scandal and
suspicion, which blights and destroys even
as the fierce tempest crushes the tender
plant. They should protect his name even
as they would that of a woman.
The soul-inspiring hymn,
Jesus shall reign where er the snn
sDoth his successive journeys rum,
was then sung by the choir, and solemn
benediction pronounced in impressive tonel
5 by the pastor.
The exercises of the occasion were vefy
! impressive. The large audience seemed
, deeply interested and IS the gracious
words of the benediction fell from the lips
of the minister elect, there were pleasant
thoughts of golden future for the churcf
, and society, and heartfelt wishes for thei
f best welfare. May these wishes be NOR
' than realized. May the portals of thei'
3 modest edifce be so thronged that sooI
: there shall arise stately structure, to h
, flied by multitudes of devout worshippers
5 And may this church be so ordered-st
$ wisely, so faithfully and so harmoniously-
s. that it shall, as years roll on, be an inexpres
cihIa hJaceipo 70 tho 1uollars in tho cik tr