Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-09-19

PIEDMONT CHURCH-An ecclesiastical coun-
Gil convened at Main street Baptist church, Sep
TENDER IS, at 10 A. NJ, and organized by choice
of Rev. W. p. Paine, of Holden, as moderator,
and Rev. G. W. Phillips, of Worcester, as scribe.
The preliminary steps looking TO the formation
OF the proposed Piedmont Congregational church
were laid before the council. Ninety-seven per-
sons from other churches presented letters
recommending them to the council for member
ship in the new church. The council examined
the confession of faith and covenant submitted
to them, and decided them so far satisfactory
that they were ready to proceed to the organic
alton of the church in accordance Herewith.
The public services of recognition of the new
church were held in the afternoon at O'Clock,
and were as follows;
1, Reading of the records of the council 2,
anthem by the choir; 9, invocation and reading
OF the scriptures by Rev. G. NJ. Lamson; 4,
hymn; 8, sermon by Rev. Geo. II. Gould; g.,
reading Of articles Of faith and reception of
members, by the moderator; I, prayer Of recog-
milton, by Rev. E. Cutler; s, hymn; 0, right
hand OF fellowship, by Rev. G. W. Phillips 10,
address TO the church, by Rev. L. p. Dyer of
Shrewsbury; II, concluding prayer, by Rev. A.
IL. Coolidge, of Leicester; II, anthem by the
CuOlli anu peuculCJlOnl
Rev. MIR. Gould, taking for a text the parable
of the lost sheep in the gospel of Luke, opened
his sermon with a contrast between the domi-
nant societies of the old world and that intro
duced by Christ into the organization of his
church. In the ante Christian civilizations might
made right. Such a thing as pity, sympathetic
kindness toward the lower and outcast classes
was unknown. In all the old Roman empire ii
not to be found the relic of a single reiormatory
or charitabensttutiOn while the whole irround
is wen hlSn powdered with the broken arches
and monuments of military conquest and dos
pOtism. But Christ in this parable wholly re.
versed the ruling social seltishnesss of his time
H9 taught to Pharasaic ears the startling here.
sy, tat society's foremost end was to
serve and uplt the weak and save the
perishing; and on this revolutionary so.
cial itea he planted unequivocally his
own church. And in this fontal idea Of
compassion toward the guilty and helpless
the Whole gospel scheme took its rise. When
Chris came on his wondrous incarnate Grand
he cane not to call the righteous but sinners TO
repentance, beginning his rcdemptiye work at the
very owest stratum of earthly need and deara-
datioi; and the angels in the presence Of God,
whll' Indifferent so far as we learn, to embattled
armies and the coronation Of kings and the po-
lilic,l overturnngs that conyulse n continent,
Gil all heaven with rejoicing when one
por Satan-blinded sinner comes in pen
itnce to Christ. The preacher then
Sgued that the paramount spiritual aim OF
gery true church should be that of the sucrif-
lal master himself, ''to seek and save the lost"
Slfshness is no less the bane of church piety
TIN of personal piety. No true Christian light
ca be shut up in bushe, and no true church's
H9lincss can be enclosed within the four walls
Oh church editice, however spacious or magnii-
ccitt also DO work returns such dividends Of
SPIRAL joy to Gods people as just this Christ
aP3inted work Of his church. The preacher