, 1874-02-09
CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION.

q tho world cootldont in God, "who dooth nll
CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION.
Dedication sorvtccs mt tho O1,npol-
Sermon by: 1slsxi0p 1yliitclhOusc.
Tho new chapel OF the Eplscoralian Church OF
tho Ascension, cornor Of Elm md Lasnllo
stroots, was dedicated yesterday morning, DIsh-
op Whitolouso ofl'oiatug, insisted by tho 1lev.
Canon Dorsott, pastor Of the church,.
Aftor tho usual services, comprising tho road-
Ing OF scrlptural lcaeone, singing OF hymns, and
chanting of tho litany, tho 1t. Rev. Bishop Do
livorod tho dedicatory sarrnon, taking lis text
from the 18th chaptor of st. Matthew, 20th verso
"Wherosoever two or thrco arc gathered to-
go.hor in My namo, there am In tho midst OF
them"
This was tho promise OF tho Goldman to tho
mombors Of His Church, but 1t haa to bc taton
In different Honae from what appeared on tho
surface. 1t did not mean that it made no differ
once to tho. Lord whothor fow or n great
mnny belonged to Ills Church, but 1t uloaut TINT
whore any Of His servants, no matter how few.
mot together in His name, the grnco OF God
should be with and elrine upon them. Tho
Christjan who did not l,ear tho Church, they
were told, should be regarded rs tho leathou
nnd the publican, for, through tho Church spoke
Church nas to 10 regarded as tho discipline Of
Christ himself.
The promise mado in the passage quoted from
St. Matthew was tho link bctsoon tho personal
aud tho Church lifo,-tho boud Of tho grcat
Catholic communion bctwocn tho living md the
doad. It was not to 10 taken III tho sonao Of tho
onluipresouco Of God, for tho promise was 1nado
hY tho Savior, that Ie Should DO IN the midst Of
tic Just who came together III Ills namo. no
mntter wlat might DO their numbers or their
| inn I'm n
where. It belonged to the essence Of divinity,
n,.d embodied all, good and bad alko, without re-
lation to special covenant.
Christ was tho only porson OF tho Trinity. who
lad ever been reilly manifested. He, while on
Garth, always assumed eomo form to challenge at
tcntion 40 that his wortlB might be heard. ue lad
said that in all places whore Ills name WAS record
ed would be como and bless His pooplc. Ycs,
in holy worship, He had given His promise to DO
thoro. It made no mattor TINT they might not
DO we'll prepared from material standpoint,
to receive their Lord. if tho proper spirit ani-
mated their hearts, and stirred tlom to tlls Ser
vice. ..,.
10 pass to d moro direct connection with tho
language of tho text, there wore in the unity Of
God tlreo persons, all assuming, as 1t woro
their distinct rotations 70 Tho Son, tito Father
gave the full volume Of Ills knowledge, which
Ghost enabled tho human understanding to
comprehend tho divine law. 1t was hard for
humlnity to recognize this independents rola-
ssonship. + wNs not the Father il
ao, not that tho spe spske "'s to ': Ao tho oass M
langt,age Of tic toxt was 2 There shall I DO IN
tho midat Of them" Christ then spoke in Ills
divine, as vol us II, his human personality. It
womb Of the Virgin, linkod with God-head, 40
ae to combiue both casonccs Of being-porfcct
God and perfect Alan-tho inoarnate sovcroign
of tho world. There was no Infringement Of
one nature upon tho other. Wherever Christ
humanity tho divine and tho human wore
,soudrolaly blended Tho union waR perfect md
inHeparable. Tho promise given in tho tost was
dlstipety tho promise ot chrst i TO 10 with HIS
pron,iso and the power woro tho divine nature
Of tic Gol-,nun fulfilling tho agoncics Of God
In tho mysteries OF Ills being.
Iho preacher, thon referred to tho glorious u.s.
Of His Father, Ho fuiHllel tie mighty
functions Of tho sccoud person Of tho
Trinity. This brought Him to tho tompe iu
which thoy wero assembleq, ,-gathorod there u
promise, was in their midst, although Ills Pros
euce was not made manifest. Therefore they
mover could outer that house without d feeling
OF tho deepest reverence. Thoy lad mot there,
for tho tlrst time. to Worship th9ir Lord. nad
them. When Christ appeared to Lis dis
not to be supposed that he burst
upon their range Of vision, as q mortal
would appoar to mortals. No, He was there,
but did not, until that monont, choose to make
himself manifest. So was 11e present with
them, aud 80 should their reverence for that
aacred plnce be doep within their hearts. Their
formal lifo was truly thon church lifo, when they
wore aotuatod by the love Of God and when
Christ WnH with tlen1,
Thoy could not dony tho presence OF God in
that tompo. From what would they
exclude Him. From tho house where they
neutrality-suspicious. tho snnotuRry-from tho
altar? Oh, from neither. They could not doubt
solemn promise given by him to tue faithful.
lie was manifest everywhore-in the holy-water
font, in the Communion, TINT grand and noble
sacrament Of His comtueluorntion. iii nil tint
they aaw, tlat was dedicated to Him, His pre-
seuce waa manifested, and in proportion to that
manifestation WAS tho depth and tho strength OF
their alteration.
Tho Rov. Canon Dorsett, before the close Of
tho services, remarked tlat it was o matter Of
congratulatlon TINT tho church, or chapel vas
built, and tint, aftor hard struggle thoy woro
out OF debt for that. But their good works
should not stop klloro-thoy should propagate
tho work OF Christ and labor to oxtond those
charities which lll always attended tho pro-
gresH Of tho holy, catholic Church. They lad
boen liberal IN tho past, aud hehopod thoy would
continue until their community hal uttailled
disnstcr Of October 1871.
At tho cloAo of tho Oauon'B address . yery
| liberal subscription was handed lh.
YE SHALL DIE IN YOUR SINS,