The Portland daily press., 1882-09-29
CONGRESS SQUARE CHURCH.
Installation Of Rev. Henry Blanchard.

| Church OF Portland. The society has been
without pastor since the resignation of the
Rev William E, Gibbs, and it is to be congrat-
ulated on having secured the services of so able
a man as Mr.. Blanchard, who is in turn to be
| congratulated on having been called to sopleas-
ant city, and to be the pastor, guide and
frlend to so numerous and generous a peo-
, pie The church was well filed, many of our
i'romisent citizen, including Ex-Governor
Washburn, Hou N than Webb, Ex-Governor
Perham, Hon. S G. AudreNs Hon. NJ P.
Frank, ex-Mayor Kingsbury, Hon. L. d. NJ
Sweat, Rev Thomas Hill, d. D., DR. Thayer,
Charles Curtis and others The des was very
handsomely decorated with flowers, arranged
in the most artistic manner.
The exercises commenced ut 7.30, when the
Rev. Samuel Lougfellow offered touching
and beautiful invocation. The anthem 'sHow
Lovely are the Messengers was finely render
ed by the choir. The Rev. Dr. Patterson then
Toad the scriptural selections appropriate to
the occasion. Mrs @. X. Halves then sang the
solo "Send down Thy Blessings and it is not
too much to say that she never sang better.
The Rev. E. G. Bodies, D. D., then deliver-
ed the installation sermon, a production of
great merit, able and in all respects appropri-
ate to the occasion, Astounding in illustrations
and delivered in a manner that held the close
attention of the large audience from the OPEN
ing to the close. We regret that we can give
but brief and imperfect abstract Of the SER
mon.
ADDRESS BY DIR. BoLLEs
DR.. Bolles took for his text Romans xii, 81
$50 we, being many, are one body in Christ,
and every one members one of another" He
first considered the tendency manifest of late
years to make the relation between pastor and
people fseting one.a fact that is a reproach to
the church Of Christ. 1t is said that the pull
pit has become platform; that the ministry
has 0een seized with the Ambitious desire to
lead; that the fault is with the shepherd of the
flock the pastor himself. On the other hand
it is argued that society affects the church, and
that it has come to such point that the
church demands constant series of brilliant
efforts. Yet as the marriage tie should be
made for life the very highest religious life of
church is reached where one life is spent IN
Its service, growing ever wider and deeper in
its experience, and becoming closer and closer
entwined with the life of the people. Yet this
10 but an ideal, the merest castle in Spain I'M
less at the outset it is perfectly understood
what the necessary conditions are to secure
this end.
The great lack is perhaps lack of mutual
consent and appreciation of mutual desire to
go forward aud increase the worlds faith in
God There must be something more than an
appreciation of the dignity of the office of the
ministry, and of its work.
What is to be said tonight may be under
three heads, aud first said take, the preacher,
my stand on the literal words of the text The
church comes toget or bound one to another,
obliged to live together amidst the mysteries of
life. and all have the same need of Christ
They are bound together because God has been
made manifest in their souls, and the church is
the common centre around which their spirit
ual interest and feelings cluster. What is the
pastor of church If not one of the brethren |
leading " his talent bat leading only that he
himself may gain? What is church but
collection OF those who are gathered around |
central experience of the grace of God "a central
point of lIghI? And out of such church
comes stpromise of real spiritual life. AL are
part of the spiritual body of Christ. A dead
man may sull be part of history, and may
thrill he world like a trumpet note. Men may
1--we IN even human Immortality, but in noue
OF these ways was Christ wont to live in His
Church, and let us not speak of Christ in past
sense, for II Christ lived once He lives now
Ii He was the Redeemer of one age, He lives
now He lives for you and for me. Christ
lives IN His church and his spiritual power is |
felt upon the lives of those who are with Him |
than called by His name. Shall the sun shine |
for the flowers, and yet the flowers of life not |
be opened 10 us by the Sun OF Righteousness? |
CHRIST in history is fact; Christ in His church |
is a living presence.
In the church the pastor is not everything,
nor are the people everything; but the same
burden is laid upon BOTH They are ali ke one |
body in Christ, Both pastor and people stand |
alike Both are students of the great my steries |
OF llfe and the perfect wisdom of the Gospel. |
There is wondrous power in hum an sympathy, |
aud there must be sympathy in the church of |
Christ. We must be united in The hour of 3D. |
versity, as well as when Heaven seems to be |
pouring out its blessings upon us. The church |
is q piece for common labor. 1t is no longer a |
fort, guarded by more than granite walls, but |
whatever il stands TOR it is not for some little |
bit OF sunshine Ill cloud-lsni but for an associa
ton of persons united by the joys oil conversion
aud desire to work; touched by the exper |
ence they have had of The love of Gud. It 10 |
union OF pastor and people in this holy war. |
There one member shall be the head, another |
the foot, eager TO run on erraDds of mercy; |
anotheHthe hand IT, strike the blow for Col; |
this is the church which Christ came to estate |
lish.
Pastor and people are thus united as one |
body III Christ, with one life, and that union |
may lead to higher life here. The culture OF |
personal pieJy and virtue must not be, as too |
often the case, a forgotten link in the chain of |
life. Special stress is also to be laid on the un-
ion OF pastor and people in the act OF worship
The church is not lecture platform; it is not |
the place OF the drama, even if that drama be |
a miracle play" II is the home of God; it is |
the place of worship where silence is often the |
most impressive worship. But one voice is |
raised in prayer, but all souls should join with |
that soul struggling TO rise TO God. But one |
voice breaks the silence of the walls, as IL |
rises in song, but all hearts may rise with it; |
but one spe,ks the word, but that word should |
be the word of all. AS Iced the air of the |
seasho @ or of the mountains; as we need rest |
alter labor, 30 we need the holy calm Of the |
church, the rest OF its worship. The eloquent |
speaker closed with an appeal to the people. |
With feelings of the deepest and tenderest ma |
ture he welcomed the new pastor to his old |
home. the pastor will bring his scholarship, |
his ability, his noble character, his devoted |
piety, his eloquence to your service; be your
confidence, your aid and your support his re-
ward.
At the close of the sermon. tn hymn "We
Bid thee Welcome was sung alike by the
choir and congregation, after which the prayer
of installation was offered by the Rev. A. j.
Patterson, d. D.
The Right Hand of Fellowship was extend
ed by he Rev. G. A. Hayden is very appro-
pirate remarks He welcomed Mr.. Blanchard
to the work here, promising him warm sup
port In speaking the bravest and truest word
he may be able to speak for God and humanity.
The Rev. Thomas Hill, D. D., gave to the
new pastor, he said, the still wider welcome of
all the churches, wishing him abundant sue
cess in all efforts for humanity; welcoming
him to the work of Christian pastor here;
welcoming him no less to the literary and
scientific life of the city; welcoming him also
as citizen and as man.
After the anthem "Reiolce the Heart of
Thy Servant" the Rev E. H. Cspen, D. D.,
briefly addressed the people, congratulatng
the church not merely that it has a pastor,
bRt that it has such pastor, man tried and
of experience; man of the broadcast culture;
a man of the most earnest purpose.
At the close of DR.. CapeD's address the
closing hymn was sung and the benediction
given by the new past r.
Weddings.
Mics Harriet 2. Collins, daughter of the late
NJ Al