Morning journal and courier., 1880-04-19
LOCAL NEWS,
A Double CommemOration.

A DOubIe COmmemOratiOn.
 The Twenty-fifth Anniversary of Ghe Conservation of St. Thomas, Church --Sts Paups Church Semi.CGntennial --The Events Com nl emeratsd -- Ser. mon by Rev. Dr. Beardsloys
 To-day is the twenty fifth anniversary of the consecration of St. Thomas church, and Thursday of this week is the fiftisth annivsr- sary of the like event at St. Pauls church. The Rev. Dr. Bsardslsy preached a commsm- orative discourse yesterday morning at his church before very large congregation. Last evening he repeated the discourse at St.. PauPs church, together with an addition rs. lating specially to the coming semi mi-centennial of that church and being introductory to the event. These special services likewise drew out large congregation, so that numbers were standing, there being no more standing room. As announced by Dr. Beardsley, he had consented to preach at St. Paups, with the proviso that he should repeat what he had given his own congregation in the morn- ing. Rsv. Mir. Lines, rector of St. Paufs, read the services. Hs, in ths afternoon, preached at St. Thenas' church. The Rsy. MT. Townsend, of this city read services at St. ThomAs' in ths morning. We give the main portion of the sermon as preached st St. Paurs entire ss follows:
 The reverend gsntlsmans discourse was based upSn the following words, found in Psalms cxxxiv., 2-3: Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the Lord. The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion" After having spoken of the temple service, its character, solemnity, impor- tance, the service Of tho priesthood in tho sanctuary and imprsssively spoken in this branch of ths discourse, the sermon took up the commemorative occasion. The rector said:
 Standing az do, my brethren, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the conSscrStion of St. Thomas church. I feel that wc have much reason to be grateful and glad and ts appro- priate to ourselves a cordial rsoiprooation of the privilege which we conceived to have taken place between the priests and the Ls- vites retired from the temple of old, and the priests who arrived about to shut the gates for the night. It is not my purpose to go back to the beginning of our history as parochial organization The earlier facts have been gathered and put ints a form Shat will preserve them for the and held Of successive generations. But starting with the 18th day of April, 1855, .Q parish and our experiences as Christian peo- pie? What has been the progress of our church in this city and how do we stand as to relative strength among the religious bod ies by which we arc surrounded? It was af- ter many months of wsariness and whtchful- ness of alternate hope and anxiety that we en- tered these walls for the consecration services We had done our beat to build as on 8 rock Strength and durability with good architect ural design were the first things to be secured The interior finish and ornamsntation were left to be taken up quite in Rn unknown fu- ture. When, therefore, we came into posses sion many things were incomplete. Outside we had no fence, no pavement, no hagging, to make cur entrances pleasant. Instead we had an unadorned chepcsl, unlimited walls, unpaintsd ceilings, small organ whose rich tones had heard when 6 young man in St. Paurs church of this city. We had insufficient means for heating and lighting; and to crown all, if there be such a thing as 8 lux ury in owing money, we had comfortable debt of about $36, 900. Well, it was day of small things, and it seemed hardly pertins nt to apply to uz with much emphasis the words ''Lift up your hands iR the sanctuary and bless the Lord ;' but we had among US wise heads and liberal hearts, and first one step was taken and then another to reduce she mountain of cur indebtedness and make 1t easier to see our way into the clear land of sunshine and peace Nothing was ever done to impose nsw obligations upon the parish until the old ono had bsen lssssned; no scheme was ever resortsd to, or experiment., to attract crowds to the church, not for the purpose Of worship, but simply with eager, Unsuitable curiosity which leads them on week days to concerts and thsatras. You will bsar me witness that nothing in the way of unprOitabie religious sensation has ever come within theas walls. It has been patient, un- ceasing work, and faith that God would own and bless It. which has brought ua to this eve nf HA Y1Diy If ef the church. with interior adornment complste with rich and beautiful chapcsl, an organ of noble tones and great compass aad power, all an evidence of the pleasing fact that the cost of the church, the ground it covers, aHd with all the other things, there is nos particle of indebtedness to be cancsled. And I can but think and feel that beginning, ss we did, the work under many disadvantages, & moas con- mendabls example WAS presented for imita- tion, when St. Thomas church, in quiet, unostentatious manner, balanced it's books and discharged the claims which had been resting upon it for years 20 that we who worship i'll it's courts may henceforth say this house is the Lords, and ours in trust for Him, from the turrets to the foundation stone.
 It is important, my brsthrsn, for parishes to be good and united in love. Those which make for themselves a name for neannesses, for strifes and contentious among ths mem bers, for the frequent changes of rectors or for looseness or inconsistency in their pecuni- ary obligations will not be inviting fields for men to labor in who wish to be diligsnt in prayer and the reading of the Holy Scrip lures and in such studies As help to the knowl edge of the same, leaving aside the study o1 tho world and the flesh. It is true there are imprudsnt, wrong headed clsrgymsn, as well as perverse, wrong headed laymen, but body which divides responsibility for their actions would not place high value on indiscrset zeal and aids to tho holding fast to the best traditions. Thus they will be most likely to escape evils and mistakes into which they might otherwise have fallen.
 A quarter of 8 century brings great changes to rector who has continued at the same post for more than this period of time. Ho will feel, as he comes nearer to the ending of his days that ha is somewhat alone among his pso. pie. Of those who signed the request to Bish. op Brownen to consecrate this church, three besides myself are now members of the vestry, and Of the men, women and children who have been component part of our successive congregations, l have not counted the great number whose names have had tha final entry or the parochial register under the head ot deaths Such changes would be altogether dlshesrtening if ether persons and families were not constantly coming in to supply the vacancies which they occasioned. TThespe CT here referred to the great increAse of wsaIth ard population of the city in the quarter of century past, and tho great bsnefs aecruing tc
  wealth backed by sterling piety was placed ir ths servics. He also spoke of the power O example, and cited case noticed by himssl whsn young clergyman, of the gsodly pow CT of the example set by pious manufacturers in attendance upon worship, it being produc tivs of large attendance of the workmsn He then alluded to the attitude of certain scientific teaching toward religion, spsakin. powerfully of religion as founded upon stsr nel truth, and quoting in application iron discourse delivered by him at the opsnisl of Trinity church, Newtown, in 1870. H' urged upon the clergy renewal of their vow to the holy religion that the power of th. truth might prevail
 It is pleasant coincidence in the history O our parishes in this city that the same wesl which brings us around to the 18th anniyer- sary of the consecration of St. Thomas church fulfills the semi centennial day of tht consecrntion of St. Pauls church. Half century ago the population of New Haven with little or no foreign element, was 10, 678 and necessity calling for it the project 0 erecting 6 chapel of ease to Trinity church