, 1873-01-06
INSTALLATION or REV. J. E. FORESTER.

5tren3th.
INSTALLATION or REV. J. E. FORESTER.
The installation of nov. J. E. Forester, tho
new pastor of tho Church of tho Rodeomor
(Universalst), On tho corner Of Washington and
8angamon htrcets, occurred last evening, and
wore participated in by a worry largo conBroga-
tion.
There wero upon tho platform, tho Rev. T.
Lalrd Colller Rev. DR.. Ryder, Tho noy. J. =.
Forester, and Roy, Mr. Dennis. Tho exercises
opened with tho singing Of voluntary by tho
obois, after which prayer WAS offered by tho !
Rav. Il. Laird Collior, who afterwards road m
appropriate pansago from tho Gospel Of st. |
Luke, followed by hymn, also sung by tho /
choir.
Tho Rov. DR.. nydor then, taking hls to1t from |
st. Paul's Second Epistlo to tho Corinthians, |
chap. q vorso 10, "Hath committed to uB tho |
word Of reconciliation" spoke substantially ns
follows Ho alluded to the fallihtlity OF mon ,nnd
tho encouragement incident to tho fall into in
iguity Of the pillars Of the Church: It was al
most enough to make uB give up In despair, and
think that by doing his bost to lead religious
life, man was merely putting up pins for tho
purpose OF seeing thom bowled down by tho nd
verHary, and that Ill ho had to do WAS
to put on an afr OF rospoctabilty,
aud drag on slowly aud enthusiastically.
This WAS ono sido Of tho picture. Tho other
WAS tho man OF rpligoun character doing his
best under all uiroumstancos, and 30 acting, that
when hia time camo to leave the world, ho could
say he hsd laft no man Worso by lia courao, aud
some, perhaps little better. Tho various
benevolent Institutions throughout tho city wero
representations Of the will Of God and tho
divine in man,-the answer to Gods charge to
be careful Of Ehe weak and unprotected. Tho
hhs''nS sho poxer q Cod in I ho world I'd lay I'm ia
such institutions. 4 desire in tho heart merely
was Of little good, bue It that good dealre Ia
treasury, you were building up an inetitution for
tho purpose ot expressing Gods will. Man was
naturally vorahipping creature, and religion
sprang out Of human nature. The caro- Of the
Thoy were tho result Of Gods incarnation in
human paturo an addition to It from Hin.
Paul, On Mars Hill, waa not indignant at tho
beauty Of the surrounding buildings, bnt be,
cause 50 much wealth, beauty and s?5 atill 1ia
s' snds sa'4 e oa2 II wi What nona aa e.ns shs
to be, and what Athens was under tho eyes Of
Psul, WAS tho result Of Paganiam. Ono had
bottor bo Pagan worahippng dod in some
form, than nominally Christian, worshipping
God In no form. Thore aro Homo men in Ohris-
tendon who worship nothing but tho dollar:
Psganism had it's day and it's work, and great
work il was. Let us not undor-rato Paganiam,
for by 60 doing no under-rato human nature.
Take. Pagaans1n, and add Gods :,I inspiration
i never as; 6u{lt IN Orphan asylum, an old
ladies' home, homo for the friend
less, or = woman's homo. 90 tho power Of
God in the later day WAS visible In these and
similar institutions. This desiro on mans part
to do these things waa given him by revelation
Tho word OF reconciliation has been chiefly
overlooked in tho history OF religion. t might
sound little. strange to some, that, within tho
{ nero ecolesiastcism, with very little caro- for
| any who woro not in some way identified
| with ita history. It is only about 100 years.
since milder administration Of Christianity
| WAS ovincod. Thore was great doa!
| in the failure Of Christianity" Many found
I Encouragement in view OF tho increase Of crime
around us, and some even opposed 1t on this
ground. But what can be put IN Its place
| What could human nature substitute tor 1t 7
| We cannot 60 back to pa8aniam or adopt any
general influence Of thought at our leisure. It
| coat the dark agos to give us Christianity, and
| no cannot GROSS that gulf at our will. A doc
| trine that awayB millions does not fall from
heaven like mama. It is the result q contu-
people think, oan bo taken up by community
in a twevemonth Pass from Christian
tty to any othor conceivable syssem,
and YOU paaB through lnconceiVRblo BtTuSElo6.
The decay Of the QUO is the only condition OF
restitution OF souls, for which the oditico in
which he waB speaking wAH tho symbol, would
neyor have boen tolerated iu the day Of Roman
supremacy.
catacombs. for while displayed tho elements
Of Christianity, but, aftor awhile, Christianity
WAS tho name Of sort Of Christianized heathen
ism or hoathoned christianity, eliminating il
tho aplondid ecclesiasticau known to-day a
history, gave us nothing exceptional. shoulf
tho civilized world fall away from Christianity
tho man living ton centuries hence will toll tht
same story, that wo drop from that which NJ
love to that which We hope. Too often was thi
realized in life.
This word Of reconciliation WAS given to us a
a part Of the Christian Church. Az mon ans
women We were responsible for our indiYldus
influence upon the present generation. We al
BIDS Us embody our work in living forms. !
1e has given You money, consecrato portion +
liision I've was the best 1boss wo have, ii
ono tut any present would ever Know
tion to tho discussions which only lead individ
uals astray. Any history within tho speaker
reach showed no religion comparable With til
blosaed religion Of Jesus Christ. He calledupo
all to rally round this standard, help build II
those inssltutions Of charity, and take a share j
tho work Of Christianizing the world with q kind
ly sympathy and generous love awakened. Le
Ill foel themselves an incarnation OF God
power. Too many men huggod their money to
too many shiftloss and indifferent; too man
Golleas families. BY their unity might tho wo1
Of reconciliation bo mado moro o1feotual.
Ihe aermon ended. q hymn was sung by th
congregation, and tho Rev. J. 8. Dsnnis oloro
Tho Rev. r. Laird Col!lbr said 1t ves Attfp