Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-06-03
CONFIRMATION.
Bishop Whipple's Discourse at st. Paurs
Church Last Night

Confirmation services were held last evening
in st. Pauls Episcopal church, q large au-
dience being in attendance, completely filing
the auditorium. The baptismal fount was
filled with gorgeous mass of floral tributes
The opening services were conducted by Rev.
Mr.. Thomas and the Ri. Rev. Bishop Whipple
preached the sermon. He chose for his subject
the resurrection from the dead, for he said it
was theme he delighted to speak of. He
would not speak to scoffers or unbelievers, but
to those who, like doubling Thomas, thought
the story of Jesus was almost too good to be
true, and if he succeeded in bringing them
little nearer the cross, his efforts would be
fully rewarded. With great effect, the bishop
proceeded to tell the story of Jesus; how he
was raised in a low disreputable Jewish village,
SO low and SO bad that it had come to be
proverb, can any good thing come out of il?
be received no instruction, yet when he first
made his appearance IN the temple and pro-
ceeded to expound the law, the people were as
founded and exclaimed, whence knew this
man learning?" The speaker traced the steps
of the Master through the terrible day before
the cruc1fxion, when all his disciples had de-
serted him, to the cross on Calvary and to the
grave, and eloquently pictured the astonish-
ment Of his disciples at his resurrection, and
the strong belief in his divinity which it
conversion " and i strong, ' abidiu eg
faith of Paul, the most learned of all men the
world ever saw, and the conversion of the
masses on the day of Pentecost. He drew
three conclusions from the story of the resur-
rectioa. The first was the existence and
eternity of the soul. This had been his solace
through many affections, and had been the
comfort of thousands besides. He had visited
many heather shrines, and witnessed the out
reaching of his brethren in the vain effort to
grasp God. He had stood at the bedside of
nd taip aI
and supported by the hope inspired by a
knowledge that God was there. For man must
die. Where cradle had been there must a
coffin come. All his life had the knowledge of
immortality been blessed comfort What
could an infidel promise in exchange for this
hope of Immortality!
| His next conclusion was of the dignity of
the body. Those who taught the doctrine that
the body was useless casket-merely shell
in which the soul could reside while on earth, to
be thrown away whenever the spirit had flown,
taught debasing principle. For had not
| Christ said that the body was the temple of
God? Any unclean thought or act contain
soul.
Finally, the story gave him full faith in the
final resurrection. 1t was great support in
ones declining years to know that this life il
not all we have to live. And strong as his faith
might be, it was not too strong to carry him
to the throne of God. In conclusion the
bishop told an affecting story of the strength
of faith as shown by little shepherd boy.
\ The hymn Nearer my God to Thee was
sung by the choir, during which the class, con
sisting of five young ladies' and gentlemen, ano
a lad came forward to the chancel, where they
received the rite of confirmation at the hands
| of the bishop. The service was exceedingly
profund silence on the part of the congrega
| ton