St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-22
PLYMOUTH CHURCH REOCCUPIED.
Rev, MEG. Dana Delivers an Interest
ing Sermon to Large and
Appreciative Audience,

Yesterday, this church, enlarged and refur-
nished. was opeued to its own congregation and
friends, and the improved condition within and
out seemed to make every one happy. Great
taste and economy have been shown in the at
fractions made and few believed the church ad
mitted Of SO much change. A large audience
well filling the spacious auditorium gathered for
the initial service. DR.. Dana took for his text
the words in Ephesians, s; 80, "Christ and his
church, following substantially the following
line Of thought: {" The two sweetest words in
onr language are Christ and church. The one
supplements the other, for neither would be COM
plete alone. IT'S in the church the blessed
fruitage Of our Lords work and grace is gath
cred up and made effective, The churches as
soul homes and reservoirs of holy help and in
spiration ought to be the most loved and resorted
to of all places open to men. Churches are the
CREATIONS OF RELIGION.
They did not create religion as sometimes people
seem TO think. They represent the truths of
religion before the world, and interpret their
meaning Their methods and statements are
subject to change, for they are the instruments
OF that which is permanent and potential. Forms
Of truth shaped by the exigencies of thought
and practical life; forms of church life by the
experience of special circumstances; forms of
worship by the conditions of prevalent culture
and feeling. 1t is imperative TO note the hu-
man and divine elements in the church, and not
confound that which is Christiantiy's expression
and embodiment with that holy divine faith
given to US by Christ Between the circumstan-
tial and essential the line of distinction must be
drawn, else we fall into conventionalisms and
intolerances and bigotries. 1t is the inner life
we are to remember to maintain and develop,
and for this the church exists. Churches are
Gods machines for making men, for developing
and DIRECTING his best efforts in the way of wor-
ship and work.
cosTLIEsT SACRIFICES
Have been made by men for their churches in
all ages. No people emptied of religion were
ever genuinely great, and the institutions Of re-
ligion were evidences of its power and worth.
Look at the fanes built by man in the past; what
thought, what toll, what treasure, were put into
them. Note the grand structures Of the cathe
dral age, and what tase, and reverence and faith
they betoken on mans part-such as the his
toric piles of Antwerp, Of Cologne, of York, Of
Strasburg They are monuments to his skill, his
aspiration, his of the glory of his religion.
Churches must be progressive, leaders of their
times, not baggage wagons bringing up the
rear, but pioneers, blocking out the path for
humanity's advance. The church is the advance
gusrd of civilization. 1t must deal with to-day
problems in thought and life, and grapple with
the social evils now needing cure. Not what the
church has done is the justification for its exist
ence, but what it will do. The churches are
Gods workshops for the making of men. They
are the latters servants and helpers, not their
masters. The apologies the church needs now
/ to offer the world must consist of holy, devoted
| lives, renewed characters, and philanthropies
which promise TO bring a kindlier spirit and
better conditions. That church which has most
of Christ's spirit emphasizes the ethics OF the
| gospel, and goes after the lost and neglected
with a loving heart is the one the people will
| trust and follow" The application the doctor
made to his own people was trenchant and earn
est and carried the sympathies OF the large audi
ence. The service of song was the most impress
siye, the selections being made with great taste,
! and rendered by an effective double Quartette
! The acoustic properties were pronounced perfect
for both the music aud the voice Of the preacher.
EVENING SERVICE.
The attractive speakers announced filed the
church beyond its capacity. Representatives of
all churches. old Yale graduates. friends OF the
earnest temperance advocate, were OF the au
/ dience, and greatly enjoyed the exercises. Mr.
Murphy spoke on the duty of the church and
the christians to the signers OF the pledge and
also to guard their own example.
President Northrup, who is fine speaker,
with a choice diction and delivery, emphasized
4 the worth OF the church to various classes and
earnestly appealed to the young men TO stand
By and work for the church Of their choice.
| The services were deeply interesting and faith
| crowned the gladstone church opening.