Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-12-04

organ voluntary.
Anthem.
Invocation. Rev q NJ cro,ho..
PORN Of Rehabilitation. Rev. Z. W: whitney
Dedicatory Prayer. Rev G. r. MO-" Moer
Sermon. Rev A A MIner m m
Hymn, 0eo A uinss
Prayer. rev ! ai1ard
Hymn.
Benedictiou by the Pastor.
The ceremony OF formal re dedication vas
impressively performed by Rev. E. W. Whit
ney, the pastor, who used the following form
Of words
by the generosity Of men who believed heartily In
the Christian religion this church was founded and
built. Nor their labor in vain Within this piace
Of worship msny souls have gained light nd euidapee
for seasons Of perpeIty strength 10 hours Of veat
ness comfort for their sorrovs and, by communion
with God have attained the peace that passeth upder
standing. To-day. my dear people, as the reSnt Of
our siI years Of effort together. We conseorae this
ballowed place anew to the service Of Almighty God
aud the religion Of his Jesus Christ We accent
the scriptures Of the Old aud New Testamepts a. con
taining revelation Of Gods character aud yin aud
OF tue duty Interest and FINAL salvation Of I'll men
Firmly believing that morality and holiness are essen
a 70 true happiness, dedicate this church TO the
teaching OF honesty, purity TRUTH faith and love 10
the nurture Of every Christian grace and yirtns ~
the minstrations Of this church may men be heiped
70 do Justly love mercy, and walk humbly before God
mere may they gain faith in the Iuhuite Goodness
which shall support them 10 the trials Of life and BE-
an unfaing reliance in the hour Of death. Nay the
all who shall minister this altar upon III Who shSil
assemble within these walls may the blessing Of God
De given 10 abundant measure, now and evermore
The sermon by Rev DR.. Miner was based
upon Ephesians iv;25: 1--WE are members
one OF another" Illustrations were given of
the way in which all things in nature are
bound together by mutual relationships As
no physical force can act alone so no man
can be in an absolute sense independent.
The only thing which q man can do without
aid from his felowmen is to die-and he can
not do that II he is in a hurry without the
help OF gunsmith or chemist Dot Of this
dependence grow the institutions Of society.
Whatever good the individual finds he must
share with others. Truth cannot be mopop.
ohzed, It tends to become universal. The
spirit Of Christianity is one Of cooperation.
Every member Of the community must learn
to live for the common welfare, each church
must put itself in relations Of sympathy with
Its sister churches, and each individual mem.
Der must labor for the body Of which he is
but part.
The preacher believed that the whole
trend OF the times Is in the direction Of great
er unity. Humanity is coming 10 be placed
before party or creed. He reioiced In the
tendency shown during the last campaign
toward independence in politics. In the re.
n
ing in the hard dogmas which were accepted
without question generation ago. The
new version Of the Bible was claimed "A a
triumph for the Universslist teaching The
word hell had given place in q large number
OF places TO the words ''sheol" and blades"
which express only 1.-The unknown state Of
the dead" without any suggestion Of its char
acter as q place OF torment Dr. Miner.
however, said that he would have no obiec.
ton to the word hell il it could only be un.
derstood in its original sense. Ia Anglo
5 IKon II meant to cover, aud referred 10 The
place covered from human gaz, "Onoe
people helled their houses, which was ali
well enough, but after awhile they took to
hellng souls"
The time is coming when all lines Of di.
vision between the children OF God will be
broken down and all men will recognize their
brotherhood.
Rev NJ II. Harris Of Worcester Addressed
the congregation, oonRraiulatinR them on
the prosperity which had thus far attended
them. He earnestly urged them not 10 rest
content with what they had already attained
win their added resources came new re-
sponsbilities. He suggested several practi-
cal lines OF activity in which they ought TO
engage. The least important part of A
work is that which it does for itself.
There are many objects which call for help !
schools for the Indians and freedmen new |
churches in the west homes for the friend |
less In the great cities. Beside this there ia |
lhllanlhropic work to be done at home The |
church should go out to seek those who as
yet were unohurchtd. 1t is in vain for the |
minister to preach the gospel on Sunday II |
The members OF the church are not preach.
Ing 1t and acting according TO il during the
week. The Universaiist church has a great
future before it II it Is only faithful to the
work which has been given il TO do.
Mr.. Whitney prefaced the reading of Mrs.
Wilder's hymn with q statement that its Au.
!hor is daughter of the late Col. Al.
Hines, and that during her residence here she
was an active and interested member Of the
society and singer in the choir. The mu-
llo to which the hymn was set was written by
W. a. Morrell, a nephew Of Mrs. Wilder and
grandson of Col. Hines.
An attentive congregation which filed the
'hnTch was present the music by the choir
ma organ was excellent and the services were
u every way fitting and impressive.
Inc elegant new Bible which was used for
he hrst time on this occasion, was the Gift of
Mrs. Evans OF West Brattleboro In memorv
" her husband, the late Edwin Evans.
At the services held in the evening mot
wen standing room was left. The scriptures
we're read by Rev. j. G ford, Rev E. A.
tead OF Hinsdale offered prayer, and Mr..
Whitney then introduced Rev. @. r Moor.
whose theme vas the "Universalist Faith"
This faith, Mr.. Moor said, means to those
Who accept it, the DhOle Of Gods truth II
means universal truth. Those who say
nat OniVersallsm means instant salvation for
he wicked aud unrepentant aud the right
Gus alike, are guilty of base libel. The
MY true salvation comes through repent.
nee, regeneration, clean heartedness, obedi
nee. The way to this salvation God has g.
ablished for all his creatures.
Rev Mr.. Harris, who was down on the
rogram for an address, was obliged to de-
me speaking because of lack of time for
PREPARATION, and DR.. Miner followed With an
ddress on the duty to the church Of those
no accept this great aud glorious faith"
his duty he found to consist In an earnest
I'd enlightened performance OF all the du-
es which devolVe on men and women in