The Portland daily press., 1871-12-22

of their hopes. Much, of course remains to b,
done before the building can be pronounced
complete, but the first grand point has beer
reached; they have church home, and the re
naming work will be comparatively easy. Th'
church is of brick, of modified Gothic style o.
architecture, and will accommodate about 70l
worshippers A basement, to be used for the
Sunday School and evening meetings, is yet tc
be finished We understand that the Sunday
School scholars will make this their especia
work The audience room is light and cheer
full, the pews are of ash, ornamented witt
black walnut Ten double Gothic windows
filled with soft tinted glass, bordered with higf
colors, light the room, group of three large
ones look into the church from the front, ovel
the singing gallery, which runs across one enc
of the room. In the rear of the pulpit recess
over the desk, is handsome circular window
with an open Bible in the centre.
There was quite large audience in attend
ance, and the music was given by select choir,
with accompaniment of organ, double bass vol
and violin. The order of service was as follows
Anthem by the Choir.
l. Invocation. n....,..........By By Rev. H. B. Bailey
2 Scripture Lesson by Rev. j. G. Snow.
| Hymn.
4. Dedlcatory Hymn. By ID. 9. Coleswortby,
Sermon.
5. Sermon. BY Rev. Geo. w. Bicknell.
I. Closing Prayer By Rev. O. F. Van Cise Of Auburn
| Doxology.
| Benediction, Rev. j. G. Snow
The dedication sermon was preached by the
pastor-elect, Rev. George w. Bcknell from
Ps. c2-"Serve the Lord with gladness" AZ
ter referring to the antiquity and universally
of religious service, the inherent recognition by
men of some Power or Intelligence which they
have conceived to be higher and mightier than
themselves, and the different forms and natures
which the principle of devotion assumes in the
world he rehearsed the Christian idea of the
utility of special places or localities being con-
secrated to worship, within whose domains
man may seem to receive new inspirations to
render to the Lord acceptable service. Chris
tianity believes in consecrated spots where one
will divorce from his mind for time the cares
OF the world and permit the soul spiritual
growth by communion with and in worship to
Jehovah. The necessity of religious house is
want of human nature, to Christian and Pa
gan alike. Let community be without conse
Grated temples, and, no matter how professcdly
good the people may be, they will deteriorate;
a powerful influence, restraining, yet elevating
especially upon and over the young is lost
Erect religious houses and if but few congre-
gate within their walls the influences will be
felt in every household and general upward
tendency will be impaired to that community.
The command is given to all mankind to wor-
ship and serve the Lord. Every agency which
is calculated to aid in fulfilling that command
should be fostered, encouraged and employed.
Referring to the special service in which they
were then assembled, in obedience to the law
that the soul needs q religious home-to dedi-
cate another temple to the worship of God, the
preacher went TO consideration of the
questions, What is the true spirit of religious
service? and how is it to be rendered? David
tells us emphatically that we are to "serve the
Lord" The command is frequently reiterated
in Holy Writ. All of the houses and forms are
aids. How are we to serve Him? The Psalm
ist tells us-''with gladness." He reveals to us
the condition in which the spiritual child in
man is to approach its spiritual Father in God;
and as sincerity is one of the necessary pass
ports every surrounding must be so fashioned
as to perfect and beautify its condition, and i'm
part to the soul in thought and act the inward
experience of gladness as well as its outward
phase of demonstration Our first duty is to
have right conceptions of the nature of the Be-
ing and of His relation to us, to whom service
is to be rendered. With many the thought is
that God hates man and hence man must serve
Him in order to conchiate Him. But a soul
can never be true in its obedience to God when
possessed of such view, in the spirit COM
manded in the text 1t will not be spontane-
neous or natural. But if we feel that God
loves us as Father His children-then love
and gratitude for the gifts and blessings of life
will inspire our service and render it pure
One of two species of service is rendered by
every man in the walks of life-the free and
voluntary, or the slavish and involuntary. The
first is the result of desire, in which will and
impulse harmonize to discharge duty pleasant
to our natures, and which we may feel to be in
cumbent on us. 1t is a service in which the
heart is engaged, and is rendered dear to our
souls in proportion to the interest which it ex-
cites; and from the fact that it is free it becomes
daily and hourly more desirable.
Slavish or involuntary service is rendered to
powers in which one stands in fear or awe.
There may be an outward work performed, but
there is not any pleasure or happiness emanat-
ing therefrom, because it is against the wishes
or impulses of the heart. Involuntary service
only results from force, and there is bitter an
tagonism to it. service performed through
fear creates gloom in the heart, and its express
sion is counterfeit. A service therefore to be
sincere must harmonize with human nature.
OF courseI do not stand identified with those who
believe that human nature is totally corrupt, for
L believe it possesses many faculties which, ami
mated may render service acceptable to the
highest of Beings Voluntary and sincere wor-
ship is necessary to its prosperity. One reason
why the Christian church has not had almost
universal prosperity in the past is because the
greater portion of its theology, shrouded in
gloom and terror, has not inspired men to vol
untary action in the church and they have
the higher happiness which the beauties of
Christ's teachings are sure to confer, but
which have been hidden by interpretations
promulgated by an excited intellectually
eclipsing the simplicity of the spiritual
Not only is service to be voluntary, but in the
higher walks of life it is to be constant What
ever is true of service in the abstract is true
garding it in spiritual matters in particular.
The merchant the politician, the votary of
fashion understand the nature of and necessity
of constant service But there is a service
higher, holier, more noble and praisoworthy
than that which is rendered in any of the de-
partments of material things. Theresis a ser
vice which emanates from finer impulses, and
which can receive its perfection only through
the animation of the holier faculties of our be-
ing. 1t is for this purpose of aiding and
strengthening it that we erect our religious tenn
Piles and consecrate our affairs. Its nature de-
mands constant action on our part. 1t is the ser
vice which we owe to our Heavenly Father.
1t should be of the highest interest to us that
we render to our Creator a correct service 1t
demands an interest that shall enter into every
thought and desire, every impulse and aspira-
ton. Our service should be rendered in glad
ness. This is in harmony with the spirit of
the gospel, and from labor of love there
can only flow gladness Glad service gem
crates prolonged service. The heart is made
every day purer and better. The Heaven
of peace enters in, while the He'll of passion is
driven out Angels of holiness find dwell-
ing-place where once the devils of corrupt
thoughts held sway. Producing joy, the work is
earnest and constant Hence as we serve the
Lord with gladness we shall serve faithfully
and in spirit and truth.
Recognizing such to be the nature and the
spirit Of the service, it is with joy that we can
enter upon the work before ms. 1t is with joy
that we consecrate this temple. Within its
walls, may holy influences be generated now,
which shall bring souls glad and happy with
the great work of the Master. We dedicate it
with the gladness which our bright, Gospel
Faith inspires; and which should be attended
with the most earnest, persistent, as we'll as
voluntary service.
Reverently we dedicate it to the worship and
to the service of God the Creator and Father of
| all.
| We dedicate it to the promulgation of His
love and wisdom. His justice and mercy. His
| power and will.
We dedicate it to the cause and to the work
| of pure relgon-to the ineulcations of duty to
| God and duty to man.
We dedicate it to the glorious proclamation
| of the triumph of Jesus over all that is wrong,
alluring, and SINFUL and to the Faith that,
when again God proclaims Himself as 'an in
ALL as has been promised that He will be,
every portion Of the universe, from the highest
height to the lowest depth, will be illuminated
with the radiant sunlight of eternal holiness.
And as each time we may come up to worship
within these walls and around this altar, may
the contemplations of Gods love, of Christ $
power, and of mans duty, inspire us to renew
ed efforts in the service demanded OF US, and
become as mighty influences to enable us 80 to
live on earth, that we shall be grateful, loving,
and obedient through all our days And when
called from the cold spheres of earth to the
bright realms of eternity, may the benedictlon
of our Saviour, ''well done good and faithful
servants be pronounced upon our spiritual be-