The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-06-30
A CHURCH DEDICATED
BLYTHE NORTHERN METHODISTS
A Number of Noted Minister'S Present.
Synopsis of the Dedicatory Ser
mon, delivered by Bishop
Ninde, of Kansas City,

Church, Rev. y. 4. Thompson and
Rev. l.. NJ. Lewis, OF the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South. The services
were very impressive and the music
rendered by the choir most excellent.
The text of the bishop was taken from
the 1st verse Of the Sind chapter OF
Isaiah: awake, put on thy strength,
0 Zion" Following, is a synopsis Of
his sermon, the theme being: "Ihe
strength OF the church,"
THE BISHOPS ADDRESS.
An important function OF the old
prophets was that Of solemn Rdmoni
tiod and stirring appeal. They were
divinely commissioned to rouse Gods
ancient people from their spiritual
lethargy TO great sense Of their reli-
gIous obligations and privileges. And
this function Of tbs prophet under the
old dispensation has been perp5tuated
under the new, only in place OF It's
now devolving upon 8 distinct Class
divinely ord aimed to this special work,
il rests as common ooligatlon upon
all Christians. lie would be the last
one to disparsge tho good and eth-
cheney of the modern church, and yet
as he compared the achievements OF
the church with her magnificent OPP
portunilies, he was disposed to think
she was serving God with the lei.
hand of her feebleness rather than the
right arm of her strength. HOW I'M
portant, then, that we should heed the
voice OF tho prophet that comes sound
ing down the ages. awake" etc.
The strength Of IiCn--in what does
/ consist?
Flrst-One element Of the church's
strength IL the greatness OF hei
armies,
When tho militant church received
her marching orders IRON the sacred
mount she was finely lifted to com
preheud the scope OF her great mis-
sion. II WIS only with tho conversion
Of Saul of TaraHs that d mind was
found OF sufficient elevation aud ardof
to seize the grand truth that the mis-
sion Of the Christian church was to
subiugage tho whole world 10 her Di-
vine Lord, and to-day we have nc
grander proof of the unwasting vitality
OF our Christian faith than the glorious
fact that the children OF our int9ni
classes are contributing their pennies
for the conversion Of tho world, and
that nom Christian pulpits and family
affairs th8 closet sanctuaries and
mothers knees goes up the prayer OF
the ages, the subiimesJ petition ever
breathed BY human lips-"Thy king.
dom come, thy VIII DC done ON Saftl
rs il is in heaven"
So cond-Anosher element CT the
church's strength is the matches;
power Of Christian truth.
Var2tl,t4a.I fNrrEa IN fhA Wny n
10 day are moral ideas, and those
moral ideas which are distinctiyely
Christian, and they are mRryellously
iorceiul because they meet response
In the depths of the human con
seriousness, Take the Bible
doctrine Of sin. The Bible Is
blood-red with the portrayal Of mans
sin, and It teaches that man is respon
sibie for his deliberate sin and hence
guilty, g truth which cOnfictswith thu
irriliglous thinking of the times
which teaches that man Is bound L
sin by rigid mechanical necessity
The Bible also insi2ts that for human
sin and guils there is 10 natural rem
edy. But the Bible does not leave u
in our guilt and weakness, 1t pre-
SCENTS another truth, the sin-burGene,
soul will now gladly weloome-re
demption through divine human So
yior, lie was glad the Gospel was tn
selt-reVelatiOn of Jesus Christ.
When the speaker began his minis
try the prevalent skeptiCism sdopte
the so.called mythical theory whic
denied the historical validity of til
New Testament and reduced ID
human Christ 10 a nero tigment. No
there can scarcely be found though
iul infidel who will not aCknowleds
that Jesus was real personage, thgnA
to the eEsCtions OF our modern hi
toric science. There are certain fea
ures in Jesus Christ that are special
fitted TO win and hold the fayorab
ret ard OF men-His peeriC
character, His unique 81
ferincs and especially q
fact that in His sutlerings there was
saCrihcial element, In n mysteriol
sense he died tor man. But joined
the truth Of mans redemption IL &
possibility OF his spiritual renewal.
may not only DO forgiven, but also ]
hcved from his mastering yicj
Lastly, the gospel reveals tho sea;
lessress u Che human spirit, Wene
tho pONllva assurance which the :,
re! alone can give. The natural IN
nations Of immortality cannot salts
We need voice divine crying ON
whitening grass and fading leaf a
stricken hearts and dying man: az {
the resurrection and the lite.n Tn,
CreG. gospel truths are fitted 70 eX
wcudrous power over men, bat
order 20 DO this they must have
voice.
Third-Auother element of
church's strength is witnessi
membership. Preaching in the beg
ming was very simplo-Scarcely mt
than the recital Of our Lords VOL
and words as witnessed by the di,
ples-aud be lhoughtthe most effect
preaching to-day was tho simple 10
mony OF sincere hearts declaring
WOudrous facts of their own Christ
experience. Men who turn away ~
the more elaborate and formal ,
courses of the pulpit will listen 10
trusted friend who declares amid
intimgcies of familiar conversst
what great things God hath done
his soul.
Fourth-A most important const
cut OF the church's strength is co
Grating Providence.
The doctrine OF a special Provide
is held 20 vaguely by many Christi
as TO lose almost entirely its prsct
interest. Ones life Is saved by 81
marked Interpolation, and this is
aided as wonderful Providence,
yet IL was no more essential proviC
tlal than the sproutinB Of tho grss
the blooming OF the flower.
But is not such teaching as this
bic to abuse? When natural laws
recklessly violated, punishment
lows ineXorably, lilo knew that
pestilence that walketh in dark
has its origin In the de lea OF the {
ges, where multitudes of HindoO d.
tees live in the plainest violation
hygienic laws, but when that ~
lence shall cross over the sea on =
pinious and spread over this fair
and reach cut It's long, gsunt q
into our own homes and touch :
ICY luger the hearts we love, IL vii
an unspeSk bic comfort 10 feel
80 far as we are concerned, Gods p
idence Is intimately connected wit
The devout believer In divine Pr
dence accepts even the calamiuo
life rs blessings IN disgulve. An
God takes care Of the soul that tr
Hin, 50 viii He care for the larger
terests Of TIE church. Mr.. Inge'
tells Us that he shall not cease
bis labors till he has utterly destr,
the Christian religion. il We had
.Nsaa 4.