The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-05-24
A GRAND DAYS WORK.
Dedication of the Bethany Welsh
Congregational Church
of EmpOris.
An Able Discourse Appropriate to the Oc-
easion by Rev. ". D. Williams,
of Madrid. New York.
The Indebtedness ON the Ediacs.
AmouHtlng to s4.aS4.Os. Pro
viEed For.


proved one of the most interesting and
auspicious events in the history of the
town. The morning was cloudy, but
cool and inyigorating. The brink
breeze and occasional riffs Of sunshine
dispelled all fears of rain, and IN conse-
quence quite respectable. representa-
ton was present from Dry and Coal
creeks. and the attendance was as good
as could have been desired.
The dedicatory exercises proper be-
gan at half past 10 o'clock a. n, by
which time the beautiful auditorium
and the lecture room were crowded to
their utmost capacity, the audience num-
bering probably 500 people. The pull
pit place was very tastefulIy einbel-
lished with flowers, and these exquisite
products of nature compOrted most har-
moniously with the general appoint
mehis of the fair temple whose beauty
they served to enhance.
The exercises opened by the singing
of Coronation by the congregation, and
if ever this grand old hymn was sung
with the spirit and the understanding it
Was OF this occasion. This was followed
by the reading OF portion Of the 9Th
chapter OF Paul's epistle TO tue Romans,
by Rev MIR. Davis, of ArVonia, after
which IA fervent and Impressive prayer
was offered by Rev. G. Griffitbs, of New
Cambria, Missouri. The missionary
hymn, "The Morning Light is Break
ing" was then sung by the congregation,
at the conclusion of which Rev w. d
Williams, of Madrid, New York, pro
ceeded TO deliver the dedicatory sermon,
taking for his text the S5th, 38th and
39th verses of the 9Th chapter of Paul's
epistle 10 the Romans. The theme of
the sermon was the love Of Christ and
the close union IN which it cements Him
and his followers. 1t was delivered in
a very pleasing and effective style of
oratory, and the leading thoughts OF the
sermon are embodied in the following
outline;
How singularly and beautifully ab-
rupt is the text. It is the last triumph
ant question which the Apostle places
in the lips of every Christian. Indeed,
the entire eplsile stands forth, mountain
like, a range of eternal truth. with the
first words OF the text for the summit.
The traveller in a mountainous region,
after perseVeringly ascending. arrives at
last where the descending shower d.
Yides itself to flow away upon this side
TO the lakes and upon that side to the
fHhna frnnn the infrndnHfnrxy
verses of this wonderful letter to the
Romans the inspired writer is permitted
to ascend until in the text he stands
firmly upon the mistaken divide, gazing
with Joyous amaZement upon the heaY-
en-bOrn benedictions of God flowing
here to perishing sinners and there to
redeemed immortals-upon this side
toiliDg and struggling, but upon the 9TH
CT side we are more than conquerors.
1t is well that this merciful provision
should exist for dependent man in an
erring world. Nothing Is so dependent
as man. Without him, and needless OF
his existence, the earth would blossom,
the stars would shine, the showers fall,
the forests bloom, the birds sing, and
the lowing herd pasture on their native
wilds. But without them and the love
of redeeming God, man could not live
6uG nOS 0lN- 641h } CT = o04 lClAS 10
that even dependent man may triumph
and be more than q conQueror through
"Hlm that hath loved u.s."
/. HERE IS A QUESTION: "Who shall
separate US from the love of God ?"
Here is meant Gods loYe to Us, and
not our love to HIM. 1t ia the sheet
anchor which preserves US from drifting
away from Christ. Our love to Him may
be strong, but his love to us is omnipO-
tent; our love to Him may be pure, but
His love to US is perfection itself aud
holy. So vast, so wonderful is the love
of Christ that it were as easy to imagine
one of tue planets drawn away from the
attraction OF the sun as for one of Gods
people 10 be drawn away from the love
of Christ The love of Christ is the
root, and spring, and source of our ever
lasting life. We have only to stretch
forth the hand and it will be grasped by
Qmnlpoience. We have but 10 come to
the Savior, and we shall be clothed with
the Kings beauty. 1t we flee to His pres
ence We shall be encircled by the ever
lasting arms, and triumphantly enquire ::
"Who shall separate US from the love
of God in Christ jesus ?" Our
love is so limited and moves
in its own limited courses but the love
OF God in Christ envelopes the world.
Mans love, like sprinkler, has to be
constantly replenlShed, and even then
it benefits only very limited aud de-
fined area, following Il few streets; hat
the love of God, like the generous
shower, falls upon she inst and unjust
and refreshes with ~ aud blessing ev-
cry penltent soul rs every broken aud
seeded furrnw respon Is with an abund-
ant harvest
Oh Love diviae, howsweet thou arti
When shall lind my willing heart
all taken up bv Iheep
I thirst, / faint die to prove
The greatness of Fedcemint love,
The loveof Christ to mcr'
IL The ANSWER: NAY, in all these
things we are more than eonquerors''
No suffering SD engrOssing
as to occupy our minds 70 the exclusion
of Christ Can any external difficulty
or external distress separate Us or over
bear the love OF ChrIsig No, never,
since it is Person and not principle
that keeps US unto the end. A thin
cloud may hide star, but the thick
| est storm and clouL' cannot mar its face
| nor prevent its shining. Il is preserved
and fed, and brightenend by the central
sun and is extinguished and lost only
| by the presence of the sun itself. The
church of Christ can make her boast in
| having great and illusLrious men, but
they live upon borrowed brightness and
a shadowy cloud may sometimes hide
their goodness and they are still the
loved ones of Christ and shall lose their
prominence only in the presence OF the
| Sun of Righteousness whose glory shall
obliterate theirs in the effulgence of His
redeeming and everlasting love.
| But what does separate Christians
from Christ! Do hearts grow cold and
souls grow weary? Why, yes. But moi
because the abundance of God has failed
not because the Divine help has beer
Withdrawn. Why do men in midwiR
ter become cold aud shiHet in the beat
ing storms? Why is the earth at thai
time fruitless and unInviting? Is il be
cause the sun emits less heats Has the
solar furnace been shorn of his splen
dor and power? Nay, my friends, the
fault is not with the sun. His power il
the same, midwinter and midsummer
and CLOVIS with the same heat in July ana
January. The change is in the earth
position. If Christian grows cold AMI
the church is frozen up II is because We
have swung away from God, and We ma,
well cry out, turn US again, . God
and cause thy face to shine upon us AM
We shall be saved" No power born o
created can separate rs
we lean upon our God
III. The ANSWER IS RE-AFFIRMED
For / am persuaded,P &c. This 81
curity of Christian soul IS no fancy @
dream, but an eternal reality. 1t Is a
painted freScOe 20 adorn the walls G
the temple of truth; no storm mad
cavity where shlDwrecked humanit
. may shelter; no streamlet whose cours
r may be changed by pebble and who's
, current spntters around the trivial stat
no lightning flash on the gatnerin
: storm Il is the Rock of Ages Qpo
. ! which we buiid; the heaven where "
anchor; the blesf river where We reiois
; and the Interchangeable and infallible 50
OF righteousness whose beams are Il
: the healing of the nations
3 How il reioices our heart that ma
can thus be made secure; that man ni
triumph; that men have conquered, al
;, thai all may il they choose. The Apo
e tie Paul declares himself the chief
J ! oEnnara and fe fuhilanF In sKa Io.,a