Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-12-25

/ OO hlpPJ AC1C hh0 NiAO hopPy oho hfC
with God. A man after searching
through Rome, Athens tand Egypt, to
learn his duty and destiny, and can learn
nothing, is lead to exclaim: Alas alas!
the gods have left us in ignorance here,
and no man can tell what is to be-" AT
ter this he sees a Christian die in the
Roman arena, and is converted to the
Christian religion, and is LED to exclaim
''Your God is my God" ''I have looked
in Rome, Athens and Greece, and could
not find this, and here have / found it
in my own coliseum" This man was
Clement of Rome.
The next great theme is the wonder
full morality. He might have said, They
know great deal in Rome and how can
place it beside the morality of Plato or
the letters of Seneca? The doctrine
that taught you to despise your enemies,
when in trouble to commit suicide,
when injured by a friend to resent it, If
you had one wife and loved another to
forsake the first and cling to the one you
love- Dare Paul stand beside Seneca
and say, love your enemies and teach
the golden rule and all the other Chris
tan virtues ? Yes. he did dare. Oh,
what a morality is this-I am not ashan-
ed to declare it in Rome. This gospel
that teaches purity, meekness, truth and
every beautiful virtue that adorns hui
man nature. Seneca taught all the yir-
tues because he claimed it was better
for society, but Paul taught his virtues
because the Lord God said, ''Thou shalt
do this" They came with the author
ity of the Divine Judge and ruler, and
all our future destiny depends on wheth-
er it is done or not. This is more
than truth or morality, it is God taking
} wrecked and ruined race and
fitting it for eternal life. How
will our gospel compare with Rome
in this line What has Rome got of
this what does she know of it? What
shall be the plan by which man and his
maker shall become one and live to-
gether. Try the Roman temples what
is there here for the uplifting of poor
sinner? They have lofty architecture
; and fine statues, but what shall peor
sinner do; to whom shall he go. Here is
a temple dedicated to Jove shall bow
the knee to an adulterer, liar, thief
What good can that do me. Shall
bow down To the great god Bacchus, the
drunkard, rioter, thief? find peace by
worshipping these Never! What
shall do? Shall | bow down to this
: beautiful woman whose name is Venus
7 | What? Mother of harlots; shall wsr-
: ship her? o, Rome, have you nothing
: to lead me up to the better life? l turn
now to China and visit temple, and
there are a hundred little gods. l want
to find the way to heaven. Here are
' the gods, which one do you want, the
god of warriors, the god of wealth and
: others, but no God to forgive sins, and
: so the world over, and then says Paul,
az come with the gospel that gives man
an inheritance with God. The pagans
: had their method of asking the forgive
ness of the gods by their mummery and
sacrifices, but Paul's method was simply,
"Behold the Lamb of God which taketh
: away the sin of the world. The blood
u of the eternal Sen slain, from
: the foundation of the world,
I I sprfnkled on the soul, cleanses from
" all sin. The power of God unto
;, salvation, making sinner whole and
= lifting him up until he touches the
mighty one This glorious gospel who
!, is ashamed of it. Twenty years after
y writing this letter he was imprisoned in
:. Rome, and he was not then ashamed of
: it, in chains, and his faith wavered not,
" and in his last letter to Timothy he
. says: ..Hold fast that which l have
. committed to thy keeping. II have
! fought the good fight, have finished
:, my course" This gospel is the power
of God unto salvation and may it re-
y main in your church, may it fill the
: heart Of your pastor, diffuse itself in the
: hearts of all this people, and go forth
conquering and to conquer.
: After the sermon, the steward gave q
= statement of the expenses, which were
= $4,618.95, and there had been raised
$4,052. so, leaving a balance still owing
:. of, in round numbers, $500. 1t was not
i the intention of the church to take up q
:. collection on this occasion, but some
= thought differently, and Rev. w. II.
: Meeker made a stirring address, and the
) result was that the $500 was raised by
:, :. collection and subscription in short
! time, Captain Charles Hitchcock giving
one hundred dollars, in addition to his
= previous liberal gifts. Then followed
= the following exercises in the order Civ
: en- and the dedicatory exercises were al
:, an end:
= Psalter service, lead Psalm - Minis
! ter and congregation.
= Presentation for dedication, by the
: trustees.
= Observation-Disclosures.
+ Doxology.
= Benediction.
Thus was dedicated to the service of
y :. God, this pleasant house of worship, un-
:, der auspices that augura glorious future
y of good for the bright spot in Gods
= vineyard. Great credit is due the build.
= ing committee, composed of Capt. Chas.
2 Hitchcock, d. p. Peabody and Royal
= Hall, and also the pastor, for their un
: firing efforts to make house of wor
J J, ship worthy of the congregation, and
70 nobly have they succeeded
= The
II EVENING EXERCISES
~ were prayer meeting at six o'clock
= under the leadership of Bro. Meeker
and at half-past six was held
MISSIONARY MEETING.
: Theopening exercises were as follows