, 1872-10-21
THE CHURCHES.
Interesting Services Eester"
day at Christ Church.
Dedication Of the Baptist Church
at Highland PARK.

Dedication Of the Baptist Church
at Highland Park
REV. DR.. CHENEY.
The services yesterday morning st Chf1sE
Church, corner Of Michigan avenue and Twenty
fourth street: we're the first that have been held
there for some seven weeks; the Rector, the
Rev. Charles Edward Cheney, having been ao-
sent during that time in Europe. During his
ABSENCE the interior Of the church has been
tastefuly frescoed and otherwise improved, and
yesterday morning it was filed to it's full Ca
pacity. The service was read by Mr. George
Thompson, whose rich voice added to the
beauty Of it's rhetoric. The choir sang with
much artistic skill the Jubilate Deo. Mrs.
Waitress sang, as an alto solo, the thrilling hymn,
,nWhat will it be to be there" with much ex-
preston and effect.
The service ended, Mr.. Cheney appeared in his
black gown his face evidenclng the qualification
he afterwards expressed upon again meeting his
people; and, from their past action, it is safe to
believe that it would have been pleasing to bis
members if, one by one, they could have
arisen in their places, and in turn greeted him.
The sermon was a fine effort, being in itself
powerful. and delivered with the vigorous ora
tory Of an earnest man. The following are
few abstracts:
The text Was taken from Romans, 14th verse,
17th chapter: s'For the Kingdom Of God is not
meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace,
and joy in the Holy Gnost.". Upon opening, Mr.
Ike these days OF Indian GUNNER. Just as the
:fcreata are g}o1ifed by Autumn's banners Of
god and crimson, faunted from every tree-top-
nat as the ragged outline OF the bills is mellow
October hangs over the face Of nature-so does
tl1e FIGHT Of time cast over past events an at
unosphere at once beautiful and deceptive.
We see the events and characters Of to-day IN
nearness to ourselves reveals. But antiquity,
like s' distance lends enchantment to the view. !"
la our contrast Of the present with the past, we
grieve that our lot should have fallen upon an
Thich Irefer is illustrated even in our feeling in
regard to the earlier days Of the Church OF
Christ on earth.
There was a. time, we say, when, in precept
and practice, Christianity Was SO pure that We
compare It to the stream newborn from crystal
DEPTHS, and yet unpol1uted by the muddy We
terB Of tributary torrents. The very heathen,
s7hi1e they waged war upon them, we're COM
anoiher." Alas! we aigh, how different the pic
ture which the Church now presents! How
rent and torn BY conflict OF opinion. How does
bitter controversy poision the very fountains OF
glorious picture which appears on the canvass
OF the Acts OF the Apostles, are ne sure that re
DO not allow the haze Of distance to obscure the
real colors in which that picture was painted by
aaid: "That perhaps the early Church did not
80 widely differ. from the Church OF this day,
FOR did not controversies exist in them even IN
The lifetime Of the Apostles? Around certain
St polemic strife gathered their seething flood.
| cannot pause to speak OF the consumnate Wis
dom with which st. Paul dealt with the difficult
ties which this early controversy involved. I
e4aI 4he Apostles a definition Of he kingdom Of God:
] He begins by telling what it is not he says,
@The Kingdom Of God is not meat and drink !
How, what did the Apostle mean by this asser-
chat the Kingdom Of God d-or in other words. true
ret;qio7s in the hearts Of men-is not mere code
Of rules for the conduct. This was otthe work OF
the Church but its business Was rather to plant
in mems hearts the love Of Jesus, who died for
ecience-abkorring whatever would grieve 9
loving Savior. And having done this, it left
the minute details Of each mans individual
sour conscience by the Word OF God, educate
yourself to Christian manhood And then
cost what it may-ATe up to the teachings Of
your conscience"
Kingdom Of God Was in no sense Kingdom
OF this present world, but that it was spiritual
Kingdom, Of which Christ alone Tas the !" Head
over al to His body. which is the Church ;
eally aclnowledee the Headsbip Of Jesus. but the
danger Of our sge lies in mistakiue the Body
Of which He aloae is Head. Of what society 81
describes can it truthfu1ly be said. there is nc
nnclean thing to mar it's glorious purity What
communion Of Christians can have the efropt.
erv to claim for iteeT That Il il that Body Of
Tiich Jaans is The Head For he is = spiritu
ii King. His Kiudom must be a spiritual King
dom: Thrust be a spiritual rather than an ont,
hreathes the BLESSINGS Of His rracas" Mr.. Cheney
fhen EXPRESSED his tRankfuIness that in Americ:
there VS. no established Church, ani
raya Illustrations of it's bliehting influence il
Ene1end a. p;tnessed bv Rimseif. dnrinr hiE
traEaia and showed. in forcible manner. hoH 81 81.
tapon;stic ' s4a m estabiished Church Was to the
SToste1s' words @T1ha Kinedom Of God is mol