, 1873-10-27
CHURCH DEDICATION.
Inauguration OF tho New Central
Park M. il. Church..
The Dodicatory Sermon Preached bv
tile nov. @, g. Truesdell.

The Dodicatory Sermon Preached bv
tile Rev Q. g. Truesdell
4 little ovor yoar ago, tho A1othodiat con-
grcgation known ~ tho Central Park Church.
which Ind boon holding soryico In small build
Ing at tho corner Of Lako and Seymour etrocts,
loft that location, the building having boen
moved down OH Westorn avetluo, near Monro6
street, and robaptizod NJ tho Western Avenue
Church. But many Of the nlonbora WHO lived
near tho old place woro not altogether satisfied |
with thia nov departure, aud therefore organizotl
nnot],or congregation, III orlor that they might
hayo services ut point moro convenient for !
them. |
Oct. 20. 1872 the Church was admitted to tho !
Rock Rivor Conference. aud the Roy. q. L. stoT |
WIS assigned aa pastor. July q, 1873, It was re-
solved to build a church for themselves, md d
largo and convenient lot WAS secured on tho
northoaRt ooruor of Fulton street aud Aftc6ian
nyouuo, ono block. wost OF Westorn ayon,,c.
Work was begun soon afterwards, and waH
pushed forward with great energy by the arohi-
tcct, J. Austin; tlo builder, J. @. Boldly; and
the Donrd Of TruRtoos, William Pugh. ". n.
Mutnford, O. u. Ram.ay, George ", Moss, and
J. G. Boldly, and tho building was yesterday
fully ready for dedication. It Ia constructed Of
wood, in n aomi-Gothio stylo OF architecture, and
fronts upon Fulton street. Tho main building iB
50 by 90 foot, is tasofully froscoed in blue, wol
lit by asainod-glass windows, and will soat about
300 peraons. II ia entirely frao church. In
tho roar iB b prnyer-mooting and Bunday-schooa
room. 10 foos by 28. 11o appearance Of tho
church, within and Without is very attractive,
and IA credit to tho congregation aud q benefit
to tho neighbosllood.
pEp1cATonY SERMON.
Tho frat Of tho threo dodicatory sorviccs was
hold yesterday morning, and was conducted by
the Roy. Mr. stor and tho Rov. G. g. Truoadoll,
tho last named of whom preached tho sermon,
taking for his toxt tho twentieth and twenty-tirst
voraoa OF the thirteenth chapter OF tho Epatlo to
tho Hebrcws:
Paul be1iogod in tho divinity Of Jesus, and
TINT Christianity WAS designed for the porfoc-
tion Of human character. Tho Epistlo to tho
Hebrews wes full Of such great themes, cBtab-
lishod by Ruch conclusive arguments that, II that
were all OF tho Testament that remained, but
little moro would DO needed for practical pur-
poses Of salvation. The fret chapters OF tho
Epistle we're devoted to proving tho divinity Of
Jesus, not showing tlat Ho WAS q good man and
groat philosopher, or even d prophet, or tho
gseatcst Of tho,n all. Nor was Ho even an angel
SR1 Saa tho son Of sod. II" Then b! 10
won't OH to show that He WINS superior
tSo 'Ds supsrSrisy sass on of tie % oRsistian syss
original Hoaven-ordainel fundamentally for tho
] salvation OF mon, of which the jewish religion
WAS nerely typical TO coysatn eztene. Then
! he argued to the conclusion that iu that Gospel
not Tue product Of tho thought Of mon, but 1t
! lad divine inherent power, mud wna capable of
no improvement by men. Through tho faith Of
the fathers in theso promises they had won thvir
in tho coming Savior Ind inspired Abraham and
| Mosos So It was certain that the nature or
essence Of Christianity mas 5S3t,, n9t IN forma
truth. TIC l forms rms might be pretty, Or excite
devotional thouGht, but they were not tho rolig-
Ton, though religion was frequently and na-
tarally associated with J., tlnaos aqd Places The
Shipper perfect. This oaaonco was not in
prayors, services, music, or eloquence. though
these things wore valuable, aud ho had no eyn1-
patay with those who objected to attractive
tlavagant CHURCHES. Thcre vas not church IN
Chicago Which all would not be glad to sec filled
With tho poor il they would come. There were
ohurch~accommodationa for: three titnos tho
eds tsaed' Nor VAS s's e reilly Of religion in IN
piigrimagcs, faalinga, dagoll tions, aud pains.
| It was not in extornals, but in tha essential
spirit, which Paul declared was God in mnn,-a
| divine inspiration, not m intellectual convic-
ton. Tho ofrect Of 1t, when properly appre-
ciatedt Oh human character WAS next considered.
At first, when people wero led to feel that thoro
| was great want ia their Rouls which religion
we're Hinnors, With d burden Of actual guilt upon
them, which took tho form Of 9 deep SORROW.
As they sought to remedy the evil by rBforma-
tlon and doing thugs worthy of them. thoy did
not feel relief and tho sufferers folt that only o
divine power could aid them. At last thoy
wero led to look at tho Savior, to approach aud
traat Him, aud thnn carne tho exparinnne Of re-
lief, or pardon. tho removal OF tho burd on of
!!lhoy iii rcalized tilt relief. But there, alas,
thoy ceased to agree. Thon when converted,
they were taken into tho congregation, and It vas
aaid TINT man bad got religion. That experience
but It was only q beginning. Il it we're all, II
would have to 10 repeated every hour,
Of the flesh, and its confined re, .,
en1.orgod a1,s1s with frosh tcars. There ~ was more
than pardon in religion. In seolng the happy
faces Of these converted onos, others had longed
! to have that element Of constant peace In the
soul, aud had boon told thatreligion promised it,
But this was not tho ultimate elomont, nor waa
1t tho full proyislon made tor tho entire
aanctiiicntion OF belioyers, ,--that timo when all
tho Tendencies and desires to sin we're removed
and tue soul constantly and fully reflected tile
divine image. That they were Taught to sock
and that 1t could bo attained in tho present lfc
That was one Of tho grand provisions o: Chris
tlauity, bnt its object must not bo limited tt
thnt. What remained when TINT was accom-
plisled2 What other degroo was thert
, to bo taken7 Gront as that was, II
was incidental. Heaven itself wat
merely incidental, since to perfect soul over.
place was Heaven. the great object, thou, wal
that OF Banctitiod human powor, inspiration in
,uaD tn dava1on and uso him, Tint liz might la
come flt to 1.-Two for something in tho world.
, Tho grand power Of tho 0ospol, its funda
. mental thought WAS not. morely that sinner
! might be forgiven. aud alwaya nado happy nnt
paratory. How could . man do battle for tho righ
and accomplish Cola purposes In thia worl
simply by beiug forgiven, or pure, unoss he ha'
tho inspiration Of divinity in him. That was th
| mystlfled at oh,ist's double nature.
! was hardly loss than TINT that God ha!