Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-06-29
Dedication of the New universities
Church,

Cnufcns
This beautiful new church was dedicat ID yes
terday afternoon, the services, which were full
of interest, lasting from halfpast two O'Clock
until five.
la the morning, services of an hours duration
were held in the old church, on Foster street, as
a farewell to that structure The attendance to
these exercises was large, and all but two of the
former pastors participated. The choir opened
with a voluntary after which Rev. j. V. Wilson
read portion of scripture, Rev. Henry Leonard,
of Philadelphia, offered prayer; Rev. T. f. st.
John mrde goodbye address to the old house,
and Revs. J. G. Adams, of Lowell, b. f. Bowles,
of Cambridge, were introduced and spoke briefly.
Although it was known that the dedicatory
services would not begin until halfpast two
O'Clock in the afternoon, several hundred people
flocked around the doors Of the church before
two O'Clock, waiting impatiently for them to
open and give an opportunity for getting desira-
BILE seats And when the doors were thrown
open the church was filled in the space of few
minutes.
The platform in front of the pulpit was beau
tilted by a pyramid of lovely white flowers on
the table, the beauty of the white being
heightened by a sprinkling of bright col
ored small blossoms. On each side of the
table on pedestals, were large dishes Of
roses, of every color, while twined around the
posts on which the singers lights are placed was
some ivy, which also ran along the black wal
nut railing behind the pulpit. The effect of
these tastefully arranged flowers was strkingly
beautiful, and with food of light pouring
through the richly colored windows upon the
artistically frescoed walls, and flood of music
from the rich-toned organ, the moment seemed
one in a lifetime to impress the mind and find a
place among events treasured up and long 10 be
remembered.
While the audience were listening with delight
to the voluntary, as Mr.. G. g. Stearns drew
forth melody from the lofty and handsome
organ the choir-Miss Mary Stone, Mrs. S.
Kirby, Mr.. Benchey and Mr.. Thompson-arose
and sang the anthem, "Rejoice the heart of thy
servant"
At its close, Mr.. J. p Marble, for the building
committee, delivered the keys to the standing
comnlittee of the church, Messrs. Joseph L.
Stearns, James E. Dennis, Jesse Smith, Samuel
Porter, and f. H. Towne, who rose and stood in
front of the platform Mr.. Marble said:
ss(IPufL9De1l OF fHS SIunuing fCEee.-ADOut
wear and half ago the First Universalist parish
nut into our hands the work of building church,
to be accepted by them as place of worship. We
have SO far prosecuted the work to be enabled at
nresent to present 1t 10 you for dedication. We
hereby place the work in your hands by delivering
to you the keys. Let it be consecraed TO the Chris
tan faith and ever Kept as place where truth may
lift up her voice in peace"
In the absence of the chairman of the stand
ing committee, Mr.. Stearns, whose child lies
dead. Mr., Dennis accepted the keys in the fol-
lowing words:
mittee Of the First Uniyersalist society in Wor-
eester, with profound sense OF our oDngatlons as
the guardians Of us teRGai boo hnart the
new and more responsible duties that deVolye upon
MS, receive these keys.
Sir, we would give expression to our lyey salts
faction with the manner in which you
and your associates in the building COM ni
mittee nave ave mastered the diicni n ohi snd
10 contend, and which, i suppose, always attend
enterprises Of this character and magnitude. Per
init US to say that we enter this beautiful editce in
the full confidence that with perfect an architec-
tural success, with pastor whose soul Is aglow
with the light from te altar Of tue Most High with
with society actively devoted to the advancement
of its best interests and with church earnest in
the theory and practice of true Christian principles
al blending harmOpiOusly, we may stand as ex.
poSents of true religion, and be always power for
eOo& In this community,
MIR. ~. John here said that in justice to the
builders GT the organ, he desired to inform the
audience that owing to the fact that work on
the interior of the church had been kept up day
and night for few days past, the organ could
not be entirely completed, tuned, etc. There
fore its full volume and beauty could not be
brought out.
According to the printed programmes, which
were laid on all the seats, Rev. s. p. Landers was
TO have read selections Of scripture, and Rev. L.
IL. Burlington to have offered prayer; but
those gentlemen were both unavoidably absent,
therefore Rev. J. ii. Moore, of Warren, read
from the scriptures, and Bey. Henry Leonard
of Boston, made the prayer
ma ohair aauu the HYMN.