Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-07-18
e nIlSylee Mtnnttatat.
FRIDAY MORNING. JULY 10, 1879.
Gedic alton of "Pines Chapel. F"

Cedic alton of "Pines Chapel"
LARGE AND INTERESTED AUDIENCE
DELEGATION FROM THE sTAUNTON AS
sOCTATIoN-sERMON BY REV. W. Is.
NIGILvRAY.
&C., &C., sc.
Reported for the Staunton VINpIcAToR.1
Three OF four miles east of Greenville,
and sklrting the Western base of the Blue
Ridge is section of country known as the
Pines, utterly innocent of Gospel and
blackboards. In this spiritual wilderness
the Y. M. G. A, of Greenville have by
great exertion bought piece of land, had
it decided to their officers as trustees and
have erected thereon a neat frame chapel
Last Sunday this chapel was dedicated
with appropriate ceremonies, Rev. VIM.
B. McGilvray preaching the dedicatory
sermon. from the 1st verse of l27 Psalm
Except the Lord build the house; they la
Dor in vain that build it," AS to the mer-
it's of the discourse we have heard but one
opinion expressed, namely, that it was &c
celler1t, and indeed in every way admirably
suited to tie occasion. The Association
eongratulates itself in having procured the
services of one so competent to meet the
demands of the day, and shall ever hold in
grateful remembrance the kind office. 1
send you sketch Of his preface:
The house in which we assemble to-day
has grown up as it we're, in one OF the
waste places Of the earth, which however
much it may have needed. has hitherto
been deprived of nearly all church privile-
| ges. Through the zeal of the Young
| Mems Christian Association of Greenville
and neighborhood, this inestimable privi-
| lege is about to be extended to this COM
munity; and it is to be hoped that the
| wisdom which has devised, and the liber-
atty which has supplied the means may
be abundantly blessed to the workers in
this good cause, and also to the entire COM
munity for whom they have so zealously
| labored.
In the name of the Y.MC. "A. of Green
vile and neighborhOod, l extend to one
and all a sincere and cordial welcome on
this interesting occasion, which we hope is
to be the commencement of new era in
the spiritual life of this portion of our
beautiful valley. Welcome then, thrice
welcome, on this occasion, which is inten-
ded to usher in all the privileges of free
gospel, for which purpose this house is de-
Signed and desired to be set apart.
Both the fact and the ceremony of dedi-
cation are abundantly recommended by
the antiquity of their origin. the extent of
| tn, il use, and the appropriateness of their
design ard object. In the long gone past,
where history catches the first glimpse of
| the race, conservation was practiced; and
following up the pathways of dispersion
through different lands and various ages,
here and there, among the nations, the
practice passes into respected and hon.
ored custom. Its forms and ceremonies
| vary, it is true; its dtsign and use are
yet all the time and nearly everywhere
they have some sort of representation
which serves to continue the time honored
custom to the present day.
With some nations private dwellings
were, with due form, consecrated to God,
and his blessing and protection invoked;
the head of the family or some priest per-
forming the ceremony. Others set apart
every article Of furniture, and every uten-
sill Of the household in some formal man
Her, as well as the household itself, thus
devoting them to his service and asking
his blessing and protection upon the en-
tire house, its contents and their uses, as
well as upon the occupants and their en-
pigments.
And, if I may here digress a little,
would say that l can think of nothing
more appropriate for young married
couple who have united their destiny in
search of happiness, when about to take
possession of tueir new hHme, than their
taking God with them, as it were, over
the threshold Of their dwelling, by some
such beautiful Ceremony as shall recog-
nize his sovereignty and invoke his pres
ence and purity, his protection and bless
ing, in and owe its ilailowed precincts.
How appropriate that we, poor, frail and
helpless moitals, in the midst Of our sor-
sand aff ctions, around The scene of our
mercy of God, and seek for his purity and
presence in the promise of our happiness
and hope, in the home Of our love and our
loved one. How appropriate that we
should ask for his blessing On our hearth
stone by day, his guardian protection
around our pillows through the PREACHER
Gus shadows of the night, and his comfort
ing presence III our hearts when the grim
monster, death, shall invade the home Cir
Gle with his irrevocable decree!
Honored and blessed indeed are they,
who thus in early life have placed this
sign of Gods insurance over the entrance
door of their devoted dwelling
But the custom was not limited to the
private residences of the citizens, it was
extended to public buildings and temples
of worship as well, and with the same pro-
priety. Among even heather nations,
forms and ceremonies were observed, and
the favor of the gods and divinities whom
they WOrshippe1 Was sought upon them
selves and their edifices aid temples, by
public dedications. These, possibly, were
only scattered remnants, perverted by the
channels through which they had come
down, having lost the light which origin
ally revealed the true obje ct of their use
but retaining faint glimm ering of their
appropriate interposition between man and
the Supreme Being, whether his favor was
to be invoked or his wrath to be appeased.
In accordance with this time-honored
custom, and, we may suppose, with the
promptings Of d heart DESTROYS of honor
ing God for His signal favors and distin-
guished mercies, Solomon, the Wsest man
| of the race, and the chosen architect of
God himself, proceed. d to dedicate the
magnificent temple which he had erected
to God OF the summit of Mount Moriah.
Having with regal pomp and dignity as
.sembled the hosts Of Israel around the
! pl torn in front of the temple, with the
| humility of a servant he bowed himself in
the presence of the Most II gh. and with
GU stretched arms and uplifted eye he be-
gan the solemn invocation, all the people
reverantly attentive to the prayer.
May the presence and power of God
serve to bless this humble bnilding, which
you have reared here amid these pines,
and voluntarily given and set apart to his
service as an offering to Him forever.
The crowd composed principally of the
people of the nGighborhold and members
of the Bethel, Mt. Carmel and Calvary
Chapel congregations, who had from the
I first taken lively interest in the inaugu-
ration and prosecution OF this browning
work Of the Association, numbered proba-