The New York herald., 1878-10-07
RISEN FROM IIS ASHES.

DEDICATION OF THE NEW TwENTY-THIRD
STREET PRESBYTERIAN caURcH-sERMoN By
REV. WHITE.
On 17lh February last the groat cor grafton
laid low onchalt oi the block the south SIDE
Of Twenty hrd street, between Seventh aud Eighth
avenues, DESTROYED tho Presbyterian church OF which
DR.. Erskine n White is pastor. With extraordinary
energy the trustees went TO work ut once and rebuilt
their place OF worship, anc yesterday, within eight
months OF the OF destructive nre, the church
more dedicated TO the servce VI the Lord.
ing hour liked Tor the dedication services
the children OF the Sunday school assembled in the
o the building aud under Inc direction OF their
teachers sang hymns OF Thanksgiving at being per-
mt,ed once assemble their iavorite church.
When the services proper began, elcve O'clock the
pews all hicd, OF them overhowng in.o tbs
asles. After voluntary ana the Doxoloyy Dr. White
INVOKED me blessings of Heaven upon his reunited
congregation. number Q; cisrgyinen well known
IN thus CITY assisted IN The Services the scriptures
be,ng read by Rev Dr. Br g., ana Rev. ii. r. nec1ers
delivered deucatory prayer hymn ot dedi dicatlon,
wrtton by Mrs Il. Z. Kinney, was sung considerable
.mo.l On ng manifested during the singing Of Tue
following llnes:-
These hearts, . Godi were all aiia,ne
=, nhsn ae.sera.ng Il ss consumed GO s,a d..
Ana most noiy things ensomoed.
Agh.st saw the burning tide
sweep through Thy sonfts IN angry haste
An wl.h one voice 10 hee we crisu-
'Beho d ihy dwelling, Lord. iaia wastep'
Nor prayer Of gref unhesrd;
10 heaven Thy peoples
And from rhy throne forth the word
''heDulid God most high"
The work is done, TO seek Thy iace
Now let by glory hll tue place $
Which TEee dedicate.
THE DEDICATION SERMON.
Rev. DR.. White ascenaed the puiplt amid profound
silence and prsacncd the dcdicatory sermon, taking
ior ms text, Psalms, cxxvlL, l-.Except ine Lord
build The mouse, they iaoor IN VAN tnat buiid ~
m ,Ss Du.v months -
TINS mouse Of worship rising from asne-, been
preparing Tor our entrance to-day. Thus approacn-
ing place dear 10 US ny SO many st assOcations
also been repeating tue experiences Of Gods
people OF DID, VINO IN tner yearly gong NJ TO the
Temple keep holiday before the Lord, cha Eted
songs OF oegrces iron which tho textis taken. At
hrst wnen the vision vi nimes ara sudden aestruc.
fresh before me, the lesson Of the
text was OBVIOUSLY that OF mans helpless
ness when lett alone TO face the great
power OF nature, OF the frailty OF the most
stable OF human structures excepting as Gods hand
holds back from assault Time passed, anu have
seen church growing uuaer our hands. The text
took another sIgaincance, ana asked, Are Uuo-
my LoraY The building, alter ali, is Du. q
means TO the ena. Unsss lnese walls subserve the
true ena OF house OF all our labors We
did not build tempe. Tne Roman Churcn 10 q
temple Tor there a priest offers sacrnce Such yiew wa
mud warrant, wc believe, Scripture. re.
deemed Tor all by Tho precious blood OF Christ
we nave indcea an altar aud sacrince but NOT sucn
received the bleeding vctim IRON the hands Of
Aarons sons. We have aitar. put u is whereof
no mere men are priests, though they serve the
tabernacle III hich We worship.
DECLINE or SPIRITUAL PREACHING.
II begins - DC doubted ~nether peop iooger enjoy
God and 70 l,scn to plain exposliions Of His word;
tney must bo attracted and entertained. rIus
hear OF sensational preaching. and We take up the
SATURDAY pagers nere meet our eyes advertisement
o all manner OF puzzing aud grotcsque tnemes This
beginning ny degrading the worship Oi Gol's house
enus W prosiitutIng Tue sermon. Tue Purlans navo
son eiines been charged with laying foundations Of
irreverence. The cnarge ~ Iase. Tue furiians
| The most rcverent oil men, bat they drew the
shar ply between me material the spiritual IL Is
sometim asked, .Cannot God be pped in The
leIds, among The overs, by brooks the Of
natureY' IL may We SO; but II u In II IN way
take the pace ot ths puDlIc homage which God
demands oil HIS people, Such Is tue nome We bu!id
and to-day dedicats--not temple, where Any
human priest claim mediatoriaI power; not
hall, from wnich lew stocknolders may nope ior
dcnds but house OF worship freely dedicated To
! God and held In trust Tor HIS service Wc navo
passed through pcrod of trial, wander ed from place
TO piace 70 nnd opportunity Tor our weekly services,
ye. can bring You to-day report iuI OF cheer. Our
| strength as congregation has not been impaired
We dedicate tins Duding Tree Of deUL IL ali paid
ior Nearly eignt mouths Oi homeiessness reduced
our income as a church. We are AGAIN home, and
your pastor give you JOY tnat tho nour OF trial
has lassod Here for quarter vt century prayers
have assembled IRON Gol's people TO-uay VIC tako
up anew the interrupted strain, and upon our
cuslomed affairs burn again the incense beoro the
throne
At tho evening services the church again
Gro and addresses del vered; among others
Rev. David Gregg, pastor oi The Scotch PrcsDy.
terrain Church, sdJoiaing Tho runs nearest Eighth