River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-02-07


to be thankful for, it ID because He has
been orr strength, and our Salvation.
Our temple here is beautiful enough and
convenient enough, but there is no place
for pride or glorying. 1t is nothing, ex-
cept the Lord Jehovah, accepts it as His
abiding place, ard visits us with abun-
dant grace to help in time OF need. aEx-
cept the Lord build the house, they labor
in vain that build it." Except it fulfills
the purpose for which it is designed, it
can be only failure. What is the end
for which this edifice is erected? lis it
for the praise of men? Is it for lasting
menument of architectural workmanship
and beauty? fit is, then we have labor
ed in vain who have built it.
Is not this for which it is built rather?
For the glory of God, the good and saliva
ton Of men; and except God is glorifed
here, and men helped toward more
bHlntiful faith, and holier lives We NEST
surely shall count at last our work failure
And il will be sc. except the Lord through
us build the house.
LII this house is to serve this community
as Heaven intends it should we must
conseerate 1t unto the Lord, and our lives
with 1T. We cannot bsstow our means.
withholding ourselves, and then hope for
the Kingdom of God to come either in
our hearts or in this village.
To do the Lords work here in this
house we must make it what the old
Temple at Jerusalem was, "a house of
prayer" and then visit it as such. This
Is not a club house, for polite congrega-
tons to gather for mutual admiration.
or pleasure; but for the seeking unto God
for heavenly blessings which never vet
have graced q people prayerless and spir-
ltless. 1t must also become pleasant
place for the congregaing of the people,
II Il IS to do that for which it is designed
-Chrlstlike love, sympathy, and friend
illness must animate allof our hearts. so
that all may feel the beauty of that 'life,
that is hid with Christ in Cod and de-
sire it. Christ must be presented in all
OF his loneliness, as the friend of all. the
Savior of any who will seek Him. as the
one who has said to men of every rank
and condition, Him that cometh unto
me, | will Ill no wise stout"
Let cheerfulness and attractiveness. al
50 adorn our sanctuary and our services.
God has pat into all hearts love for
the glad and beautiful things of life. 1t
is right for us to desire them in every
place. 1t is as right and as needful in
our church as in our homes. This must
become delightsome place in which to
spend the best day which God gives us in
all the week. These are not prison
walls. Let the blessed sunlight OF God
stream In as harbinger from heaven; as
a pledge of that coming eternal day.
where There shall be no night there"
Let plants with their freshness. and flow
ers with their fragrance and beauty grace
the dwelling place of our God; then add
to this the warm hearts of true brothers
and sisters, extending to all with whom
we meet the kind and helping hand of
affection, showing that the servant is not
above the Master, but that in all of us
there is the same mind which was also
in Christ Jesus. Christ for the world.
brotherly love, peace and good will
should be inscribed upon our standards,
then we shall be successful, and can write
with Constantine, what he Wrote upon
his crossliftsd banner, "By this sign we
conquer"
Our every dependence is in God.
Without Him we can do nothing. Men
and their buildings are only necessary in
struments in the work of reconciliation,
God alone is the reconciler. We must be
guided by Him, then we cannot fail; for
He never makes blunder. Diligence,
skill, natural sagaoity often stops short of
success. but if Gods blessing IS bestowed
we must succeed.
Let US, therefore, dedicate this house
unto the Lord; that it may be the place
from whence shah flow, streams of vital
religious influences to make glad the
City of our God;" for EXCEPT the Lord
build the house they labor ia vain that
build il"
Accept, then, o, God! this house as
thine abiding place. Let the doud of thy
glory I'LL these rooms, as it did the tenn
pie when the sacred ark of the covenant
was borne into its resting place. Let
Cherubim and Seraphim oyershadow our
temple and eneamping angels from Heay-
en-; keep it and guard it(from dissolution
and danger Here let thy word be faith
fully and lovingly preached, andhere thy
praises sung to the gloiy of Israel's God.
Anaen, M
After the sermon, payer was offer
ed by Rev. Mr.. BlakesIee, ana after the
doxologv, benediction was pronounced
by Rev. Mr.. Kellernlan, pastor of the
M. E. Church.
At quarter before six in the ev-
ening the rooms allotted ts the young
peoples meeting were completely fill
ed. there being union meeting of
the Methodist and Congre sational So
cieties. The room was pesvaded with
quiet spirit, but deep concern for
the saving of souls was manifest. At
ter this service the young people adj
Journed to the audience room of the
church, which was soon filed to over
flowing, there being owes three hun
dred present. After the opening ex-
eroises, the pastor introduced Rev.
Mr.. Blakeslee, who read an able ad-
oress. He was followed by Rev. Mr..
Gill, who spoke extemporaneously for
a quarter of an hour, giving reminis-
cences of the early days af his pastor
ate, which commenced in River Falls
some 80 years ago, After a brief
prayer by the pastor, and a hymn by
the choir, the benedicEon was pro-
nonnced and the large audience slow
ly dispersed.