, 1875-11-08

my utter lack Of nlnts.srial experiences st that
horefulness. i was 70 labor side By sids with IL.
Cotlyer, and Laird Collier. apd Staples. not TO
speak Of tho able and carneat orthodox preach.
esn with whom w&s to ks contrasted, and ~hose
rival Was In this work Of winning soua 70 God
and tho religious life. To bs aufe. what have
dona reena vary small bchde the largtr work OF
so nany other ministers on the South S;do, like
tho manistry Of that earnnst, unaeihsh wofRer.
l5!ahon Choney. us tho notable results Of tho
man with slight qualifications. physical or BY
previous mental training. and especially ~ tho
AayocAte OF Tie.s which aro horror to mAny.
And accepted By but fnw. I feel that have eVosy
resaon 10 bo thankful. and 10 fee! dsvots]y a.
eet up my memorial atone. " Hitherto bath tho
Lord helpod us!'
A. for rnYectf, tho only special i.ness for my
tasit OF which hhro eEor bean conscious Ia IN
iascp'e faith IN tho Abe1A' gospel snd busnsng
wanted you to taste and rec how nwoct and good
AMI nl.shttsfging this liberal faith Of ours il;
bow II broadons the scope OF ]tfe. deepsoe it's
interest, explains Ito mystery. and naoc1sias its
women better, purer. boiler: - AWAKEN their
hunger aftsr that rightoousncss which alone
tncets the vantb Of tho soul. l wanted TO help
make better hushaoaa and wives better fsths.s
through fn.ny dlacourngemcnta and failures.
persisted and ever held up TO you the Ideal in
which alone ts our hopo anh our safetY. Was It
hecAlsc you felt beneath my poor speo.h aud
md sought TO mako you hestor and to become
better ltsoIf for rour Bake9 ! cannot toll
oblY know that rot ioiued me ora By onc, gasc
INC -FOUR right hand Of fefto"ehip. helped mo
acr.bod our only creed: "1Iora 10 God and love
to man." And SO from the sln9lo family
ubp came to me at tho close OF that
drat mectlus has grown this Roodly company OF
men and women st,tons in founding church that
shall be at once simple, aud rcveront. aud freq.
Wn haso Been other liberal churches on this
South Btdo 90 down after i gallant struggle:
llbefal ministers in our own and other churcaes
bAyo gone to othor dolda Of usefulness, but we
tlhYe kept on our way sscnraly, sud to-day havo
sbundant roason IN pratse God aud take courage.
Atany uunsusl disadvantages and discourage
1nonss bhve fallen to our lot. Mood 1 recall
them7 First and foremost waa that terrible ca
lamlty, tho great flsc. which brought us our full
ahare Of ills. Wc haro felt II in tie reduced cir
cumstancos OF mauy OF our momhete their in
tense presumption siace that disastrous day IN
tho ongroaspg cAres Ut ma erlal lie, most Of all
III the uen burdens nnl duties It brought your
terast WAS divided hctween ihia church aud tho
various outside obligations ! was callod upon 10
assume. How could I act otherwise In tito
ereAt fire there went dom not only the storua
aud countlng-roons, the homes aud churches
Ut our people, nut its Ideal interests as
vol. Libraries aud museums, art gallollee and
charities, nearly all wero swept away in that
night of destruction. But these ideal fntareAts
Of our city the bnBluess blocks, tho hotels and
public buildings that lose rapidly out Of their Rshes
into nav spleados. 70 whom should tl1ia work
Of restoration mud removal bo fntrustcd: The1o
was no reason to fehr Tor the material interests
OF our city. The common and daily needs pro-
duoed workers for tnotn in abundance. But
tl,eso finer things Of life, tho richest products
Of the culture and humanity Of our time. uho
should labor for these' Tdo practical men Of
atfaira7 They did noble and wise. but too ofton
wore engtosscd ia rebuilding their homes and re-
establishing their businoss. Wh&t Bpsre timo
thoy had wss dedicated to feeding aud clothing
tho Lords poor. What noblo servtce they Ien-
deFed horc let the records Of tho Cblcago Hcllef
boc1oty boar w,tuoss. 1t ia d noyer-fAding croWh
OF glory to commemorate the niylc virtues OF
Chicago. But still tho aacrcd causes OF culture
and tno humRGitlea wero t'npFovlde4 for, and
hare It was that little bana!of workers
congonlal and necessary woEk TO- do.
Aud surely this waa righteous divlrion OF labor.
Who wero bottor lifted TO leal' In these high
causes thai tho man uhoso previous training
roction OF thoso taner things Of tho spirit
Surely no noblcr service could lilo Christian
minister render ut such crisls IN tho moral lille
of our city than 70 plead aud toll for Tue hacrol
to raise tho public MUD from il.
lnapopdcut aud materaligtic lose!to a higher
plaue OF thought and life. Certainty this was o'
of church OF donomlnation7 30 fels and
thought, and accordingly throw myself hearth.
into ths worR. and joined with otatH in shit
beautiful and biessod service. It might hare
| been bettor for this church, posslbly, It hA<
seps on ln tho rut OF strictly parish activity; il
| would haye beou bettor fur my .own plirslca
| Aeil-boinc, but would It not hase been rank dis
loyalty to tho higher yihoa aud poorer quaat!
| Of service unto God II there u anSthlng
have to thank this church Tor more thai
| another, 1t Ia that they Appreciated
th,a fact, and neves tried to mouopolize III
minister for 1thelr oxn private good, when
largor pubic duty called him swa1 scnporar!t'
from bis post And II We lad nolbinR clue TO b
| ulutor'h relief work, tho Christmas gifts tba
made glad 8.u00 burnt out children, the Holly
| Tree Inn movement, tho Ponuy-lseadinGs il
hospitals and the houaes Of tue poos ans
| notably the organization Of tho late Christian
Union. thirteen Of whoso original sayeateol
members weee attendants It lhia church. alt
which has now oalm,nsted Ia that ooblor IN
sectarian institution, ''Tho Chicago Atheneum,
.claaees,-eutarpriaes jn all Of which 1nombers o
thia church were conspcaous, aud Of which
may Justly be said that they could not have bee
but for this church. all this Ee.otd Of useful
aad glad over our littla church to-day. For
WAS the church which Was cur lnspirer Ia thi
good work, 1t furnished many Of our eest Hora
en- ADD ga7e ua tue leverage for aoconpltsh!n
Ia uot merely htvo OF busy uoskert
who 20 ont into adjacent tictds Of lsbor to re
turn laden With Tiasd sroela to enrich tho con
mon stock. Il 10 rather . mount Of tranahBura
t,on where no got glmpseu OF tho higher VISION
hear angelic voices, oonso1e with 6eaYanly pres
ences, and % gam tho inspiration. tho mora
purpose. thst ass us Tor more earnest unsoltis
work In life.
But permit no to say It frAok1y-.the most ser
Gus draw back to tho Increase and edlbcation {
tuis Church has bean tho poor quality Of sesyic
which your minister has roudarsd during tn
past four yeaEs. Tbs outside dutlea aud respona
bllitios which gave mo \ divided allegiance and
double care have gone on increasing from da
| 10 day. until their burden haa become At ttnle
well.nigh unbeafablo. Tho toll and rusb OF IL
weeks work has told very much on my 6unda
seryIoes Ihave too ofteu coma into ulY pupil
which ought, TO have my fresheat, oes
powats, With tired body aud
tadsd 1niud, and with 4 sermon superficial II
haatv suowIng how little study 1t bad receive