The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1882-07-03
GARFIELD MEMORIAL CHURCH.
Interesting Exercises at the Laying
of The Cornerstone Yesterday.

as the Garfield Memorial Church. The site OF
tho proposed cdifice was covered with tenn.
porary platform, upon which was erected a
stand for speakers, and about 1t were placed
camp chairs for tho spectators. Before the
opening OF tho ceremonies upward OF 5000
persons had assembled.
Many distinguished persons and prominent
public men, including Colonel Rockwell and
General Swain, were In attendance.
Tho building is estimated to cost $4,000,
and will DO erected by Robert Davidson 4
Co., from plans by Il. G. Russell, tho architect,
and will in many respects resemble All Souls
Church at Fourteenth and l. streets.
Tho building committee consists OF Messrs
". :. Roose chairman; j. r. saum, II. O stior,
KiDley j. Tenner, OF Philadelphia; Jacob
Thomas, OF baltimore; Hon. Russell Errett, OF
PENNSYLVANIA; Governor John F. Fisk, OF Kon-
tucky A. Il. Tingle, OF the Treasury Depart
ment, and Rev. +. d. Power. The first five of
these constitute special working committee,
and the entire list OF the general building
Illinois, was member Of the general commit
tee, and an appointment will be made to I'LL
the vacancy caused by his death.
The Exercises Opened.
At exactly @ o'clock tho exercises were com.
menced by the singing OF tho hymn, GAIL hail
the power OF Jesus name" by tho choir, the
Sunday school and the audience.
DR.. ]. @. Butler, Of tho Memorial Lutheran
Church, read from the Scriptures and deliv-
cred a brief prayer, invoking Divine assistance
in tho great work to BIO performed by the
church whose erection is lust to be COM
menced.
Tho entire audience then united In singing
the hymn, "praise 20 the Lord"
Rev. DIR. Powers Address;
Rev. +. d. Power, tho pastor OF tho church,
then delivered the following address:
"Poloved friends, We welcome you TO this
service. With the congregation Of Disciples
OF Christ, who have assembled for worship so
long on this spot, while this anniversary Is a
cad one this Is an occasion OF grateful Joy.
The precious memory OF the cross in tho Lords
Supper, which for ten years we have kept hero
on every first day OF the week, and the
thoughts Of tho resurrection morning and the
broken tomb which have come with every
Lords day have hallowed this ground. Here
our children have gathered to do honor to
Gods Holy Child Jesus. Here our young peo.
pie have confessed their faith in tho Saviour
OF men and become obedient to His Command
ments. Here many have Joined in our prayers
and praises whose footsteps are no longer seen
In the ways OF men, whose faces have faded
the glory OF Heaven, whose voices are no
longer heard In the songs of the sanctuary,
but have been added to the anthems Of our
Fathers heavenly home.
''Still another association which gives this
day q pathetic memory, and which is indissol-
r ubly bound up with the work wc have here
begun is the remembrance Of the lamented
leader OF tho people, whose familiar form
crossing the street to the house OF God with
his mother on his arm and his wife by his side
rises to-day before us, and whose constant
lie. de- AWAY - '''' '''' -''''l u A''
$50 We have chosen the old spot for our now
church homo and the Lords day OF oil days
for the laying OF tho cornerstone.
"The long -looked.for crown of many labors
and prayers is this work. Since 1913 n hand
full OF the people known Us Christians
simply, rs the Disciples were called first at
Antioch have met In this Capitalof the Nation,
from I, house to house at nrst then In tho City
Gently rested on this spot. From q dozen
they have grown to quito four hundred souls.
Rich in faith but not in gold, they have worked
hope they have anticipated this hour.
When one OF their number was raised
By the he,ps people, to the highest dignity OF
measure turned upon them as his brethren,
they felt their long cherished wish was about
came In from many who felt with us. Our
day OF increased blessing seemed scarcely to
dawn when Its sun was clouded. Still we
have worked on and that which was to be
reared with rejoicing has become a memorial
and must have history like all histories with
Its elements OF sadness.
"President Garfield was q trustee OF this
church, and within three days past another
communicate OF this church and member of
its building committee, man of pure life and
loyal devotion to Christ, has passed away.
| allude to the Hon. Mr.. Hawk, Of Illinois.
"Men come and go, but Gods work contin-
ues. This ground is ours; 100000 Is ready TO
| go into these walls; $4,000 is yet needed. so
| far tie Diviro favor has been with us. We Will
| go forward, asking and expecting great things
| of Cur God.
'Anciently, among the jews the cornerstone
was that PIT lat tho angle OF tho building or on
the top of the wall. We build upon Christ, and
from him all the building ntly framed together
for my brethren to-day lay this cornerstone
as symbol OF the great head of the corner
with the prayer that tho spiritual temple which
shall be here upreared may BIO more enduring
than granite, more closely united than the
parts OF any earthly structure, and wish every
stone living stone within Its walls"
| The Cornerstone.
| At tho conclusion OF his remarks DR.. Power
left the stand and proceeded to tho northeast
| corner of the structure, where the copper box
containing the following articles was placed
the American Bible Society, copy of the New
Testament new version), a statement OF the
views OF the Disciples. religious papers of the
denomination, list OF tho officers and members
of tho yermontavenue Christian Church,
historical sketch Of the church, list OF the
building committee for the new church
graphic viows OF the old church,
photo.lithographic copy OF ex-Secretary
Blaines Grafton on the late President Garfield
enth Congress, copies OF THE EVENING CRITIC
and other city dailies for Saturday, July 1;
copy OF Roose's Guide to Washington" pro
services at the laying OF the cornerstone OF
the college at Bethany, W. Va, and Hiram Col
lego; copy Of tho Hiram Memorial Services
aPresident Garfield and Education;" Unitet
States coins for 1882.
When the stone had been fixed in place tho
entire audience sang the hymn, "Christ, thu
Corner.Stone."
| Rev. IL. A. Hinsdale's Address.
Row. u. A. Hinsdale, president OF Hiram
College, was then introduced and eloquent,
addressed tho assembly He said;
| "Brethren and friends, standing by this cor
ner.stono on this anniversary OF bitter disap
pointment and of cruel grief am led to asl
what Is the Significance OF the days transac
ton
"There Is general Significance attaching
| to the laying OF a cornerstone OF Christian
| church. IL means the erection of q ney
| Christian edihco for the worship OF the Chris
tian God. To this general Significance
| special one Is added, when we consider that tn
new temple is tho work of u particular Chris
tian body. Now, tho house stands not simpl,
for tho Christian religion in the broades
| sense, but for the maintenance and propaga
| ton Of some peculiar UNCONVENTIONAL work
| There is n still narrower Significance growing
out OF circumstances OF time, place and per
sonal association. All these elements ar
| present In the lesson Of to-day; and It shall b.
| my purpose briefly 10 touch each Of thom.
"First-What we do to-day partakos Of tn
| general meaning OF similar occasions. Tn
house whose cornerstone We lay when I'm
ished will DO dedicated TO the incubation o
tho Christian faith and tho worship OF tn
Christian God 1t Will stand as q sanctuar
and witness for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Will keep alive and vigorous the Divine ROY
citation, and Will ever point to Bethlehem, /
Nazareth, TO Gothsemane, to Calvary and /
tho new Bepulchre. OF Joseph that was how
out OF rock. Nothing moro than this need b
said touching the lesson common TO this OF
caslon and to all similar occasions.
| "Secondly-Wo connot. 30 soon dismiss tn
/ n ct