Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1884-05-08

OOnREeR4G1OmA1
Fair Haven.
The installation of the Rev. Erastus
Blakeslee as pastor of the Second Congrega-
tional church, Fair Haven, occurred yester-
day. The council of ministers and deacons
assembled in the church at 1890 a. m, most
of those invited being present. The assem-
bly, was called to order by Rev. w. T.. Rey-
nolds, of New Haven. Rev. J. A. Gallup, of
Madison, was chosen moderator and Rev. G..
| W. Banks. of Guilford, scribe. It was as
certained by roll call that the following were
present and they were duly organized as the
installing council:
From Branford, Rev. @. P. Osborne, Bro.
| q. G. Harrison; East Haven, Deacon A. L..
Fabrique, Raw. D. J. Clark; North Bran
ford. Rev. Franklin CountrYman, Bro. E. G.
Iinsley; North Haven, Rev. W. T. Rey-
nolds, Deacon Whitney Elliott; Northford
Charles Foote; Fair Haven, First
church, Rev. Burdett Hart, Dea-
con W. Hemingway; New Haven, First
church, Dr. Newman Smyth, Thomas R.
Trowbridge, jr.; United church, Brother j.
G. North Yale college, Rev. W. M. Barbour,
D. D., Brother Cyrus Northrop; Temple
street, Rev. A. P. Miller, Deacon John God
EFT; College street church, L. L. Blatchley;
Wsstville church, Brother Milford Ford;
Church of the Redeemer, Rev. J. E. Todd,
D. D. Davenport church, 81. A.
Harrison; Howard avenue, Rev. Charles
W. Park, Brother A. W. Minor; Hum
phrey street, Rev. s. 81. Bray. G. D. Mer-
win; Taylor church, G. I. Scranton; Dwight
Place, Deacon John G. North; Bridgeport.
Second, Rev. r. g. McNeille, Deacon j,
BIakeslee; Stony Greek, Rev. G.. W. Noyes,
Brother Frank Brainard; Madison, Rev. ia.
Gallup; North Madison, Rev. J. r. Gidman;
Guilford, Third, Rev. G.. w. Banks; Dur
ham, Rev A. D. Cheeseboreugh; invited
guests, Prof. George T. Ladd and Rev. N. j.
Burton.
| A letter was read from the Second church
of Minneapolis extending thanks for COM
pIimentary invitation to send delegates.
Prayer was offered by the moderator. The
candidate presented his papers. The repre-
sentatives of the church offered for reading
the invitation of the church to Rev. Erastus
Blakeslee to become their pastor at salary
of 81, 600 and with an allowance of $3.50 for
moving expenses, and Rev. Mr.. Blakes-
lees letter of acceptance. Rev. DIR. Bur-
ton inquired if no provision had been
made about the pastors vacation. The
church committee and the candidate
agreed that it had been understood that
the pastor was to have an annual vaca-
ton of four weeks. Rev. MIR. Blakes-
| lee was asked to give
| statement of his religious experience. He
| rose, and said that he had been taught from
his childhood to have faith in Christ. He
| was surrounded in youth by people who had
| faith in prayer, but who knew that good
| works also were necessary. When he was
seventeen years of age he felt himself direct
| IL moved upon in the matter of his salvation,
! and determined not only to become Chris
4 tian but Christian minister. He commenced
4 to study to that end at once. Then when the
| war broke out he enlisted and served
| three years in the army. When he returned
| home his desire to become a minister had
vanished He went into business and re-
NAMED in business for several years before
| his old purpose came back upon him. He
/ then entered Andover, finished the course
there and entered the ministry at Greenfield,
| Mass, where he remained until he received
the call to Fair Haven.
THE PASTORS CONFESSION OF FAITH.
MIR. Blakeslee submitted the following con-
fession of faith. After saying that he ap-
proved of the new Congregational creed and
| of the creed of the church, he read as fol-
lows:
When Christ healed the blind man at Beth
| saida he said 81 see men as trees walking"
As compared with total blindness this was
much; as compared with perfect sight 1t was
little. When look out on the realm of
spiritual truth, I see many things SO uncer-
tainly that they seem to be las trees walk
ing" Not protesting then to understand all
mysteries and being fully aware of the imi-
| tations which must be mine till, at the touch
Il =. III.
| the light of another world, I do yet reverently
| hold certain truths which seem to me to be
either taught in nature or revealed in the
Bible
| 1. believe that there is one God and that
/ he is revealed to us in scripture as the Faith
| er, the Son and the Holy Spirit I believe
l that the distinctions between these three are
| not distinctions in name only, nor that they
| are merely distinctions in official relations to
/ the way of salvation; but that there is some
l thing in the divine nature which is the foun
| dation for these differences in names and in
| official relations. What that something is 1
| do not know. The undeniable truth is that
| God is one The mysterious truth is that he
| is Father, Son and Holy Spirit and yet one
| God.
| 2. believe that God is the maker and per-
sonal ruler of the universe; that his loving
providence is always with US and that he is
| very patient 1 believe that his foresight
| and care extend to all events,
and that nothing comes to us which
he would not turn to our benefit
We're it otherwise, in view Of the doubts and
| tragedies of earth, should faint by the way.
believe that his good will towards US is
often thwarted by the perverse will of man;
and that God has such respect for mans free
will that he will allow nothing, not even his
| own hearty desire for our good, to induce
him to trespass on the freedom of our action.
God is king, but man is free.
halia hat
created holy and fitted for communion with
God; that they were tempted and in the ex
ercise of their freedom sinned, and SO be-
came opposed to God; that under the
action of the law of heredity,
their descendants are born with
tendency to sin and that they do sin as soon
as opportunity is given. The race of man,
therefore, which ought to have glorifed God
by 10 ring service forever has freely come
under the bondage of sin. 1t is wholly op-
posed to God and will not serve him. ''There
is none that doeth good and sinneth not; no,
not one"
f. believe that Gods personal govern
ment of the universe is in accordance. with |
fixed principles of action which we call laws;
that these laws, both natural and moral, are |
the constant expression of his will, and that |
they are immutable because he is unchange- |
able. These laws of God form |
large part of mans environment. 1
Man must live in accord with them or suffer. /
One of the most important of these laws is /
that which attaches penalty to sin. The 1
nexus between sin and retribution is certain. 1
In general sense the bondage of sin and its /
self-propagating power, as well as the feeling |
of guilt which follows it, are manifestations
of the law of retribution. In stricter sense
retribution is punishment. The law is
simple, its application is very complex. 1.-THE
soul that sinneth shall die" Ia its miIder
forms the workings of this law begin to ap-
pear as soon as sin is committed. Retribu-
ton in its extremer forms seems sometimes
to lag, but it never fails Nemesis
lives and sooner or later will appear
The absoluteness of this law is
the greatest argument against the fact of the
atonement. If makes an stonement presum-
ably impossible. 1t Is so for aught that any
one but God can do. The sinners present
bondage to sin is bad enough; his outlook is
worse.
8. believe that God is love. That is the
central fact in my theology. Mans greatest
need is way of salvation, Gods greatest
gift to man would be such way. Gods
love insures such gift If it be possible.
6. believe that the scriptures of the Old
and New Testaments were given by inspira-
tion Of God; and that they
contain the record of what he has