The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1879-11-14

world, to the amount OF 5000, toward the
liquidation of the then threatening
church debt. This church 10 his monu-
ment, as the tabernacle of the wilderness
was Moses monument. And he depart
ed, honoled everywhere, having left his
impress and impulse upon all southwest
ern Minnesota, even beyond the bounds
Of his own denomination.
The four years OF his pastorate with
the ten years preceding the dedication,
make up the fourteen years which bring
US TO the decade specially under review
to-day.
One among many Bsthels, blessing
city and valley and prairie far and near,
this sacred house stands to-day where
once 1t stood alone-its fostering help
widely ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and pub
lie buildings, and homes, and inhsbit-
ants, make glad the land where anon 1t
was the pioneer church in the wilderness.
The fact and record and fruits of Its
pioneership are Gods token TO this
church to-day, that We are "well able"
for commensurate overcomings, and that
cat once" We ought TO 60 up to the
struggle.
And now, as one has all day followed
blind track on the open prairie, comes
suddenly upon objects with which he Is
familiar, and treads q known path to.
wards his home, 20 we leave the dim
trail of pioneer days and emerge upon
the better remembered scenes of the past
ten years.
As pioneer experiences assured US, 30
much more will the substantial progress
of this immediate decade confirm our
ability for prospective overcomings.
October "a, 1869, was the Sabbath that
began this period. Right we'll do re-
member this sanctuary, warm with sun
light and fswers to welcome, and the
glorious presence of God, the inspiring
choir, the bright day, the bright faces,
and the bright prospects. You were no
longer struggling frontier church, but
self.supporting and influential, already,
as you are to-day, the third Presbyterian
church, in point of numbers, in the
state. Two hundred and forty mem.
bers had been received since the organi.
cation. You had an enrolment of 175-
100 of whom were on the ground or
their whereabouts known.
To these members there has been, in
the ten years, the substantial addition
of 308 memtsrs-1M by letters from
other churches, and 1874 actual accessions
from the world. Only three have been
suspended from the church. Thirty -four
either here, or shortly after leaving us,
have entered into their reward, includ.
ing one ,honored elder, sixteen are
at present unknown. Eighty-four adults
and 80 sweet babes and children have
been baptised into the name of the
Father, and of the Son and of the Holy
Ghost, and the present membership Is
290.
One hundred and twelve marriages
have been solemnized. One Thousand
one hundred sermons have been preached
nearly 800 of them In other pulpits-
making fraction over two sermons per
Sabbath for the entire time. Tue record
of the number of funerals attended is
unfortunately lacking.
Two thousand FIVE hundred dollars
has, at different times, been expended in
repairing and refurnishing the church,
and nearly $29, 900 for all purposes, has
been raised and disbursed within ten
years.
Before the benign face of the God who
has helped US, may IL not be asked what
Ia there cannot be done to day, when %
much has been Accomplishment
Ten years ago was the suspicious time
of reunion between the new school
branch OF the Presbyterian church, "
which we had belonged, and the old. 1t
was substantial progress that you added
the liquidation of an ugly church debt
to the "eight million memorial fund"
Of that year. 1t obtruded its rueing
visage before all progress. But the
noble women helped with festivals, ex.
cursions, suppers and the great railroad
dinner, to the amount of 5000. Three
hundred dollars were raised by penny
subscriptions, and $3.50 more by shares
taken. Every possible outstanding sub.
scription was collected or settled and
before the year was done q receipt in
full was received from the pulpit for the
sum of $4,000.
That year, with an average member
ship of 1876, with wheat dropped down
from 81 to go cents, this church raised,
all told, nearly FIVE thousand dollars.
The memory of it comes back to us to.
day, certifying us that we are, indeed,
"well able" for any present enterprise
whatever, to which the Lord our God
shall call us.
1t was substantial progress when the
long stovepipes and the yellow curtains
and the ragged cushions, and the dusty
gallery disappeared, and this church put
on roof, and furnace accommodations,
and inside blinds, and fence and grass and
trees, and garnituIe and roominess and
che praiseful pipe organ. remember
$500 contributed by the young people to
these objects, and the amount thus ex.
rsnded in ten years has equslled
the original cost of the build
ing. II is q subtantial fact, en-.
couraging as we'll as creditsble to this
church, that your pastor had never had
to wait for the salary which you pay him
out of the treasury of the Lord. And
oh, 1t was glad progress, when, after
day of humbling and prayer" for
deliverence, we felt
"Those thrills Of blifs
That strike across the soul In Iayer, and show Us
That oar cry Il surely heard "
And met here to celebrate Thanksgiving
for plentiful harvest and radiance from
the locust scourge!
And the substantial progress of regular
services and ordinances of Gods House
so nearly unbroken in the lapsing
years-of accessions at nearly the quar-.
terly communiOns to the church Of tears
mingled with the mourners who have
brought their dead here; of the souls
who have found their Savior in this
room and taken vows to God at this
altar, which were registered In heaven;
all this leads our memory up to that
which Is above all the times OF refresh.
ng from the presence Of the Lord" that
these years have witnessed. Once and
again gentle refreshings have been en-
joyed, a. crystal springs burst
forth here and there along the
Thirsty land, keeping up the
tide of grace in our church life as the
successive rising of the waves keep up
the glistening level Of the ses. And one
time the windows of heaven were set
wide back and God poured US out
blessing beyond our thought or prayer,
or capacity. 1t was after mOurnful
declension and encouragement, like the
"deep sleep" and "horror of great dark.
ness" that fell upon Abraham before the
light of God az burning lamp passed
between the pieces of the covenant sac.
rifice. From under the humbling of
His mighty hand, God lifted US mp TO
see salvation come out of Zion
and the POWER and the glory
of God in His sanctuary. Days and
weeks were filed with prayer and praise
| and repentAnce. echoed inaudibly. be.