The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-10
A PASTORS INITIATION.
Rev. DANES McLeod's Opening Ser
mons at the Second Church.
The Friendship of Jesus-The Remarkable
Growth and Development of the Church
Necessity of Church Memb srship.
MORNING DISCOURSE.
Christs Omnipresent. Almighty and Ever
lasting Friendship.

Christ's Omnipresent, Almighty and Ever
lasting Friendship.
The Second Presby terian Church well
filled yesterday morning, a congregation Of
nearly seven hundred persons having gathered
to hear the new pastor, Rev. James Mcleod,
called to this charge from Buffalo, preach the in
itial sermon of his ministry. The choir had its
full complement of singers, and the music was
remarked as being unusually excellent. The
services began with a reading of the xix Psalm
in which the minister was joined by the consre-
cation. The second scripture lesson was the
reading by the pastor of the first chapter of the
gospel of st. John. DR.. McLeodis clear, force
full and effective reader, and without any pre-
tense of oratory, the reading was made exceed
tngly impressive. The text of the sermon of the
morning was taken from the sixteenth verse OF
the fifth chapter of .Solomon's song. which is a
description of Christ. The entire verse reads:
ellis mouth is most sweet; yea, he is. altogether
lovely. This is my beloved, and this is
my friend, o daughters of Jerusa-
lem" The clause, "This is my
friend" was made the text, but the
beautiful symbols of the entire chapter were
| used in its illustration, while the sermon had
| numerous and choice pOetlcal quotations. beau
| tifully put together The sermon was under
| three heads, embracing, first, the claims OF
! Christ, which were shown to be paramount to
| all others upon the score OF friendship both by
I
| human but divine, and was combined with
knowledge of all our iDffrnties and OF all our
wants; second by his conStancy and ability 10
help: third by his everlasting loveand everlast-
| ing life with the results which flow from them
| In other words, that in Christ we have an ON
| nipresent, almighty and everlasting friend. He
showed that Solomon, a great student ana great
lover of nature, did well to draw this friend with
| all the beautiful imagery he had employed-a
| friend with whom relations should be Sc
! tender and so intimate-a friend with whom our
world Is made one of joy and gladness. We'll
may he say, exultinely, this is my friend, oh
| daughters of Jerusalem. He spoke of the charge
| of indelicaey that had been made against
| this chapter of the Cantices by the
| vular- minded, and showed how insufficient
it was and that it could not stand against
this grand poem. Christ is entitled to the CHIEF
| place in affection because of His sympathy
| for man kind combined with his knowledge of ouI
| condition. There is NOT ringe of seltishness In
| His love. His love for men is pure as the
love of God. 1t is the love of God II is full OF
grace and truth and pity. Sinful, sorrowfu
men and women may go to Him and tell Him all
| that is in their hearts. We have felt many
| time His sympathy. Some of us have known
Him twenty, thirty, fifty years, and always
| found Him ready to be moved with pity. He
| wipes our tears away and fills our mouths with
| laughter and with singing. And. alasi we have
| too often grleved His loving heart When sick
and broken hearted He has brought lis into His
banquetjng house, and we have been filed with
false, frequently foolish. The friends of to-day
may be foes of tomorrow. Human friendship
can sometimes be bought and sold. 1t has
market value. Brothers have proved false to
| each other, but Christ is always true always
| tender, always sympathizlng and helpful.