Morning journal and courier., 1885-07-20
A mEmORABLE DAY

A- - At St. John Street MI. E. Church-Rev.
 MT. Wyatt Burns the $6,O0O MOrt-
 gage Deed-The Pastors Eloquent
 Disc0urse-OId Times Accounted.
 The services at the St. John street M. E. church yesterday morning were among the most notable in it's history of this place of worship, and were attended by an unusually large audience in view of the vacation sea- son. The services were opened with vol untary by the full choir of the church to the inspiring words of the "Jubilate Deo," com mencing 70, Be Joyful in the Lord" Then followed the responsive reading by pastor and congregation, after which the hymn 1T love thy church, Q God. Her walls before thee stand; Dear as the apple of thine eye, And graven in thy hand"
 In this hymn, as also in the hymn succeed ing the prayer, the people seemed to sing in joyful anticipation of the event which called them together. The words of the first verse were:
 "stand up and bless the Lord, Ye People of his choice;
 Stand up and bless the Lord, your God, With heart, and soul. and voice.
 Then followed the sermon of Rev. A. Il. Hyatt, the pastor. The text was Gen. g: if. AuO ADTdudAn CcAAOo 1A4O hcAAAO OA S-Ao place Jehovah Jireh."
 The opinions we hold, said he, are the slow growth of ideas. This name Jehovah Jireh" was not sudden inspiration, but the seeds of this grand conception of God were sown long years back, and by all the pro cesses by which opinions develop, reached this consummation, this flower of the cen tu1y plant.
 The speaker then traced the growth of this idea in Abraham's life, showing how step by step he came nearer to it, through obedience, faith, trial Then followed thrilling pen
 leading Isaac up the Mount Moriah with the following colloquy:
 ttHail, thou man of God, whither goest thoug
 "Up this mount to sacrifice to my God"
 ftNay, but thou art going up this mount to victory"
 victorye What sayest thoua Seest thou this lad? He is my only son. He is the child of promise, the child of my old age. Sarah loves him and I love him as we love our lives But on this mount he dies. This is the sacrifice make to God"
 May, but Abraham thou art marching up this mount plumed warrior unto victory.
 'tI have gained all the victories I shall ever gain Victory over Sarah? I did not tell her. She waits at the foot of the mountain for our return, but shall go back alone; all the rest is sacrifice. Alone I go my hard way up to the altar where I shall offer Isaac unto God.'
 'tNay, but protest, Abraham. Thou art marching up this mount in view of all the generations Other fathers will be called up- on to offer Isaacs, other saints to suffer, and a look at thee will give them courage.
 And thou shalt find name on this Mount that will interpret for thee thy whole life, and throw light in the dark hearts of all sui ferers. March on, thou man of faith, march on. On this mountain top thou shalt view the grandest victory over self, world, devil, mortal ever gained.
 At the conclusion of his sermon the pastor made powerful application, exhorting his people to continued faith and good works. He then recounted briefly the determined struggle which the officiary of the church, backed up by the people, had made to duce the church of debt. When the present board of trustees entered upon it's duties little over four years ago it found the church burdened with mortgages amounting to 5000. With scattered congregation, depleted treasury, $90O annual interest and the current expenses of a large church to full
 It was resolved, however, first, that cur rent expenses should be met second, that no further membranes should be placed upon the church; third, that efforts should be immediately put forth to raise $5, 900 of the debt. The last $100 of this subscrip- tion was raised Thanksgiving day, Novem- Der 24, 1881, under the pastorate of Rev. Charles Harris. In November last the idea was preached in the board of trustees of in augurating movement to sweep away the remaining debt of $10,000. At 8 first glance this movement was thought to be i'm practicable if not impossible. When it was however, that the trustees were willing to take about three thousand dollars of this amount, the ladies of the church another thousand in ten dollar shares, the Oxford league and the Sabbath school five hundred dollars each it was then felt the time had come for launching the enterprise. The subscription to date have reached nearly nine thousand dollars. By vote of the subscribers it was agreed, if possible, to pay in on the first Sunday in July, enough pro rata to cancel the largest note of six thou sand dollars.
 This amount said the preacher, as he stepped down into the chancel has been raised and paid. This church is free: The mortgage for six thousand dollars hold in my hand and shall proceed to burn it in your presence. He then placed the paper on a large tray prepared for the purpose, and as he ignited the document with spirit lamp, he motioned the congregation to rise and sing. At the same moment the choir led with full organ accompaniment, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow" During the cere- mony many eyes were wet and many voices were choked.
 The pastor then prayed fervently that no trustees might ever again be elected who would permit dollar of debt to be placed on the church.
 As the congregation retired the organ pealed out Handel's grand hallelujah chorus.
 At meeting of the trustees held at the close of the sermon, a second cremation of the joint note took place, and it was voted that vase containing the ashes ofboth docu nents together with the lamp should be ap propriately encased in cabinet work and placed in the parlors of the church as con- stant reminder to the people.