The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-19
The Dedication of the Pine street Church.

uccu SATISFACTORY CUlnluaIoh l" eh0 "N'0e''
efforts of that society in securing so beautiful
| and commodious anIedifce in which to worship.
| The Pine street society has brought to this task
| an amount of energy and practical common
sense rarely exhibited in such undertakings.
| The church itself has already been described al
| length in the columns of the PRESS. Since
| that time, however, the audience room has re-
| ceived its furniture and upholstering. This
work has been done in very attractive, subs
tantial and comfortable manner, all the sepa.
| rate parts harmonizng and producing a fine
effect. Work upon the building was begun
about eight months ago, and the pastor an
nouneed yesterday that the whole construction
including the organ, carpet and everything as
it now is was $33, 600. No one can say that the
money has not been judiciously used. The
body ofthe house contains ample facilities for
seating eight hundred, while the gallery will
accommodate two hundred more. These limits
were considerably exceeded during both So rVi-
ces yesterday.
1t being SO near the time of the meeting of
the Maine General Conference there was an
unusually large number of clergymen present
about fifty in ALL Among them were Bishop
Simpson of Philadelphia and Bishop Gilbert
Haven, at present located at Atlanta, Ga.
Bishop Haven only arrived IN season for the
evening exercises.
The people began to assemble long before the
time for the services for the afternoon were to
begin. At 3 o'clock every pew in the house
was full and chairs and settees were brought
in to fill up the aisles The opening voluntary
on the organ by Mr.. Geo. Fl. Ryder was skill
fully executed and gave promise of the rich
music the Pine street people are to enjoy from
that fine instrument. Selections of Scripture
were then read by the Rev. Messrs, S. E.
Weatherbee and Roscoe Sanderson. The hymn
invoking Gods presence and blessing was read
by the Rev. d. B. Randall After the singing
OF the hymn prayer was offered by the Rev.
Isaac Lord Rev. r. r. Meredith of SPRING
field, Mass, then stepped behind the desk aud
gave an able and magnetic sermon that held Il Q
undivided attention of the audience for nearly
an hour. The text was chosen from the
Epistle of Paul to the Galatians 4th chapter,
4th and 9TH verses. But when the fullness of
the time was come God sent forth His Son,
born Of woman, to redeem them that were I'M
der the law, that we might receive the adoption
of sons" This, he said, was the abrogation of
one dispensation and the establishment of a
new one. His theme was redemption. In its
elaboration he pointed out the absolute necessi-
ty for direct interposition of God, and its
effects upon the world as brought by Christ,
the Son of God. He then proceeded to give an
historical account of Gods interpositon, trac-
ing it from the flood to the tower of Babel,
through the histories of the Jews, Greeks and
Romans to the coming of Christ. During this
time God was preparing salvation for the ma
tons. Since then He has been preparing the
nations for salvation. God sent His Son into
the world as man to suffer and bear as man
suffers and bears. but He sent Him without
sin. Sin does not belong to mans nature, it is
an accident, and from this accident Christ, the
Son of God, the sinless came to save US.
The sermon was delivered without manu-
script and was eloque Mt and convincing. Mr..
Meredith has fine voice and his manner is
very forcible, arousing his hearers to his own
enthusiasm. After the singing of the closing
hymn the audience received the benediction
from Bishop Simpson and dispersed. Between
this and the evening service collation. was
served to the visiting ministers In the vestry.
EVENING.
There was even larger audience present in
the evening than during the afternoon. Di-
rectly after the voluntary and anthem by the
choir, prayer was offered by Bishop Gilbert
Haven. The reading of the Scriptures was
omitted that the exercises might not be pro-
longed
The dedicatory sermon of Bishop Simpson,
that so many had assembled to hear, was a
powerful and sustainedleffort The quiet man
ner and clear cut sentences, trimming with
truth. received the closest attention from an
over crowded and somewhat weary audience.
The text may be found in the Goth chapter of
Isaiah. 18th verse. "The glory of Lebanon
shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree
and the box together, to beautify the place of
my sanctuary and L will make the place of
my feet glorious" In some respects, he said,
the earth may be considered the resting place
of the feet of God. God hath promised that
he would make the place where his churches
are erected glorious. There is material glory.
Although our religion is spiritual, yet at the
same time it has material expression. We
ourselves have bodies as well as spirits. The
Jewish temple was built out of the most prec-
ious and durable wood that it might be last
ing and beautiful edifice. The buildings of
state are supposed to bear some relation to the
taste and means of the people, The house of
God must compare with the house in which we
live ourselves. The erection of houses of wor-
ship do not impoverish but enrich a country.
They enhance the value of otheriproperty The
aggregate wealth of the world to-day is accum-
ulating among Christian nations. The bar
barous nations are unable to retain the precious
metals. Turkey, with all her advantages, has
become bankrupt. The centres of intellectual
life are the Christian lands. Science and liter.
allure are not the themes of the pulpit, they
are only to be mentioned there. Compare the
knowledge of Christian people in science with
that of Oriental nations. The system of civ
ilization of China has been Landed by infdels,
but now that China has been brought next
door to US there is clamor against its degrad.
ing influence
He then spoke Of the refining and cultivating
influences associated with assembling in
house of worship one day in seven. Of the arts
he only had the time to mention one, music.
Compare the music of the Indians or Chinese
with that of Christians. 1t is in the Christian
church that this art has developed. He closed
with an earnestsand eloquent exhortation.
The sermon was eminently practical and ap.
proprate for the occasion. A brief abstract of
this kinfcannot do it justice He also spoke
without notes. At the close of both afternoon
and evening sermon collection was taken up
and the house canvassed to secure funds sufi-
Gent to remove the balance of the debt 1t
was desired to dedicate the church free OF any
encumbrance. To do this $4,000 must be raised.
All seemed inclined to help, and in half an
hour after the close of Bishop Simpsons SER
mon it was announced that the amount had
oeen pledged. The dedcatory services were
completed under these happy and exceptional
conditions The PASTOR Rev. j. W. Johnston,
is to be congratulated for the energy with
which he has pushed the enterprise to its hap
Ply contamination.
FAST DAY SERvICEs.--The High street,
State street, Plymouth, Williston, Casco street
and Free street churches will unite Fast Day
in union service at Free street church, and
Rev. j. McWhin ME will preach the sermon.
The First Rantist and Saoopd por;cb will