The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-05-06
. CHURCH NOTES,
DEDICATION SERVICES MISSION.
AIRY SG-BaPTISMS-
COLLECTIONS, DC.

The bright weather Of Sunday brought out
large congregations, and In all of the city
churches the services were sClemn and inter-
esting.
DEDICATION OF THE sEvESTH-sTREET CHRISTIAN
| CHURCH.
The dedication of this Handsome granite
church cdiiice took place Sunday morning at
ii O'Clock. The house was crowded to its
utmost capacity, and many persons were COM
pr'i"d th 20 away on account OF being una-
bic to get seats or even sanding-room.
The Rev. B. B. Tyler. of Frankfort. Ky,
commenced the imposing and interesting ex-
erc!scs By the reading Of the PRAYER OF Solo
mon at the dedication of the Tenple-II.
Chronicles, 9th chapter; and after other sr-
propriate exercises, the pastor. Rev. Joseph
L. Tyler, delivered the dcdicato1y discourse.
His theme was "A pur-c-bcarer's protest
against purposeess wuste.'-2G Matt, Sth
verse.
The speaker said, substantially
We do not unfrcqucntly find that when
GODS people are faithfully engaged in
fulfilling the mission that has been given 10
them they are met by objections. Some there
are who VIII object either to the thing they
ltO vi 10 ilic llld:ilici III NHI'H IL - uoiit.
Illustrative of this we find Elijah regarded
as the trouble Of Israel the people said that
d" Moses lets the people from their burdens"
and Paul and Silas turn the Torld upside
down. When John the Baptist separated
himself from society aud lived Il life OF great
srlf.drniaI. it was said he i;alha devil; but
| when Jesus came and mingled with the
Masses. eating aud conver$iHg freely with
them. Ii was said. " "Bchnld gluttonon> man
| ami Il " inc rilihcr." When Mary cainr and
broke the riata>.er box Of precious ulnt-
mcnt and poured it Oil the Sayiour's person,
filing the room with its fragrance, there
were some even there TO whom the odor was
not swcet-smeIng. "To what purpose is
this waste" was Indignantly asked; this
ointment might bave been sold for much.
and given to the poor" We learn from John
that this protest came from Judas the purse
bearer. Jesus rebuked him and commended
her. Trouble her not, said He to the traitor.
In commentator OF her, lie said, "Whcrc-
socver this Gospel shall be preached III the
whole world, there Shall also this: that this
woman done DC told for memorial OF her"
The Gospel was TO lie preached 10 every
creature, hence to every Great ure Jesus says
this that she has done should he told OF
all the women mentioned in the Bible not
.
Her name is TO be mentioned wherever
the story of the cross is told.
Why this? Surely there Is som" great
lesson TO be learned, else the Saviour would
not have ordained that the incident should
thus tie proclaimed. 4 few of these lessons
let Us notice to-day. They Shall Ec found
not wholly inappropriate to the present
occasion.
First. In this we find beautiful illuslra-
ton of love service. This woman WAS the
sister Of Lazarus. whom Jesus h1d raised
from The dead. II is not improbable that
this simon the lclcr' was licr father. Je'
SITS had ceanscd him Of his leproSr. Our
Saviour may have been seated between these
when Mary entered. Seeing the proofs ol
his love, The trophies Of his power, she felt
that to him she owed everything. She loved
him, and no sacrifice appeared too great, no
Offering too precious. She stepped Eot to
ask, Will q part of this precious ointment he
sufficient to anoint ny h"nriactor? II
give it all can not still keep this beautiful
alaGa>ter box! No: she WAS moved 10y al
impulse that does moi pause 10 consider such
questions. Gladly did she oIlcr the most
precious and all that she bad, and that not
from Il sense of duty, but from Tore.
This feeling that prompted her to this is
the one that should influence Christians in
all they do. lie that serves from fear j. Il
slave. He views everything As stern 3u'y.
He experiences no pleasure whatever. Wien
he thinks of Jesus he irclnnlcs. God to him
appears as II tyrant. How different The scr-
vice OF grateful affection. ali duty is >wa!-
lowed up in privilege.
Second. Another ieSSonappcars on the very
surface of this incident: lti,a lesson against
covetousness. Few sinS a!c dawn ID dll ker
color by sacred pennlcn than this. IL 10 de-
clarrd to be idolatry. GGrat a. i Tho sin,
none seems to be more natural, anu hc!icc
against none d. we need more conS!i.i! aud
earnest warning. Jesus gave tue needed
warning "I'his is not waste: trouble lier
not" The preteXt was plausible: Give Ii
to the poor" Still. Jesus says: " Size h:'s
wrought good work"
Judas really cared but little for the poor.
He represents Il large class of prolcsteiS
tagainst what they regard as purposcie>s
waste. He never gave anything to the poor
He was not philuntbrori:'. lii HNaI1"e SIM
ply sought to shield itself behind this screen
Giving To Jesus does not prevent giving lo
the POOR, but rather increases liAcralitv.
THIRD. Let it te noticed that great a Wcr,
hci' reasons for grateful! service. ere have stll
greater. Did he sympathize with her: lie
still sympathzcs with his people
Jesus wep', aud still in glory
| He ran mark each mourH"rr tear
| Living to rctrarc the story
| OF the hearts iin SUlacCu here.
Did he raise her brother from the dead Fol
us he will not simply raise our brethren. but
will raise our own bodies. Did he ceanst
her father from leprosy? lie has clcalised
us from the lep.OSy OF sin. We are unable
TO estimate the richness OF this blessing
The leprosy Of Simon corrupted MS 1le-n
the leproSy OF sin corrupts the soul. !he
leprosy of Simon deprived him OF the society
of mcn the leprosy OF sin depr'Ves Us ol
the society of God. The leprosy 81 SIMON
could continue only through this HE; lie
leprosy of sin may continue forever. no"
rich the blessings that C.'I!st Ias pe>'o"eu
upon us! 49,
Fourth. Is the Offering we make to the
Lord this day rightly regarded aS waste IL
is right even in love serN ice to make Tue 'ei!
best distribution OF means we pHss'O'E eau
Indeed, love will itself seek thls. ha'
benefit can result trcn' such iist OF llsne'
talent, care, and mcars, as las eftec"o 'n's
beautiful editce. Briefly III" speaker no
ticca some of the advantages when JuSe'
mentions. Speakn. of his disciples he says
:. We are the salt of the Garth; "ye are the
LIGHT of the world" Now, the disciples o.
Jesus did not differ from other men only sc
far us they received and prarticed His teacli
ing. What, then. is affirmed of them Ill tl'
case is properly affirmed Of the teaching
of Jesus. Such, truly, has ever been tt'
result of these lessons when they have Deei
received. Like salt, they preserve from cor
ruption. No one can fully estimate wha
have been and VIVA: may still! be their bless