Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-11-27
DEDICATION SERVICES.


Church Last Evening.
The new Berean Baptist house of wor-
shin. corner of Pearl street and WlnOoski
avenue, was dedicated Friday evening with
impressive and interesting services. The
house was crowded to its utmost capacity,
among the audience being many represen-
tatiyes from each of the churches in this
community. On the platform with the
pastor, Rev. +. u. Gould, were Rev. G.. b.
Crane, ID. D., Rev. T. Crudgenton, Rev.
Dr. Halves of the First Congregational
church, and Rev. NJ. ID. Jump of the
Methodist Episcopal church in this city.
The exercises opened with an organ vol
untary and the TIE Deum in G by Buck,
performed by the choir of the First Con
gregational church. Then followed the
opening prayer by Rev. r. Crudgenton
and the reading from the Psalms by the
pastor, Rev. Mr. Gould. A hymn was
sung 10y the congregation after which
Rev. DR.. Halves read the Scripture lesson,
the passages being Solomon,s prayer at
the dedication of the temple, and the
twenty-iirst chapter of Revelation. -
The dedicatory sermon by Rev. c. b.
Crane, ID. d, of Concord, n. H., upon
"The New Things in Religious Truth"
was a broad able, fresh and forcible dis
course, full of fine thought, in original
setting, and it held the closest interest of
it's hearers Rev. DR.. Crane chose his text
from Ps. 40, the 18th verse: open thou
mine eyes, that | may behold wondrous
things out of thy law" Only as Il
man shows himself to be original, said
the preacher, can he completely justify
his existence in the world. Every man
has an individuality, and because of his
individuality he has his own work in life
to do. Now can II mans instinct for orig
al ,isti va .f.I tiaN H,,l
scope III the realm of religious truth and
life Religious truth is vaSter than scen-
tiiic truth. The whole of religious truth
is not in the Bible. The Bible is not II
finished revelation from God. Its truths
are not perfectly unfoded, but germinal.
The truths that are in the Bible are mex
haustible. Admitting these two facts, we
must conclude that man finds ample scope
for original discovery and achievement in
religious truth.
Original discovery in religion is forever
possible. The church of Christ and the
ministers of Christ can do nothing which
will so effectively foster doubt and scepti
cism as To deny the possibility of any
further discovery in religious truth, The
prospect of the everlasting opening up of
religious truth is glorious. The last word
has not yet been spoken on any of the
great doctrines of grace. 1t is the privi-
lege Of every Christian to make original
discoveries in the realm of religious truth,
upon one cOndtion-that God shall open
your eyes.
We are defeating tonight, in this heau-
tiful New England town, in this bright
New England community, new house
of Christian worship. For my own part,
| should have no interest is this service
If thought this would be reputation
meeting house, with Il regulation pastor
and regulation members in the pews.
Can not this new church, in this thought
all, Il
it should prove itself such a church, it will
be welcomed by all those who have or
seek the secret of the Lord
A contralto solo, Memberships, "The
Lord is Mindful of His own" rendered
by Miss Mayo, followed; and an earnest
prayer of dedication was then delivered
by Rev. G. S. Pratt of st. Adams After
an anthem by the choir Rev. NJ. ID. Jump
in his uniformly graceful and witty
way presented the congratulations of
the churches. He spoke of the theologi-
cal aspects of the location of the
supplied from the Unitarian church in the
West, its orthodoxy is braced up by the
First Congregational church on the OppO-
site corner, and its fire supplied by the
Methodist church little further down
the street 1t was also the only church in
the town said the speaker, which had Il
street railway passing by its doors. Rev.
Mr.. Jump remarked upon the large num-
Der OF representatives of other denomina-
tons present; spoke of the architectural
beauty of the house built, he SAID, on the
Methodist plan,-and closing by extend
ing the congratulations of all the other
churches in the community and invoking
Gods blessing upon this new body Of
Christian workers.
After Il hymn by the congregation the
dedicatOry exercises were closed with the
benedlction pronounced by the pastor.
The Berean Benefit Concert.
The pleasant interior of the new Berean
Baptist chapel was well filled, Saturday eve
ming, with an audience assembled to listen
to a concert and organ recital by our best
local talent. There was considerable curios-
ity hear the handsome new organ which
the Bereans have just put in, and the Sc
lections by Messrs. Hadley and Davis were
very cordially received, The instrument,
aside from Il slight huskness and harsh
ness of tone is an excellent one 1t is of
remarkable power for its size, and capable
of wide range of expression The vocal
selections were all fine. Mrs. Nay has Il
very pleasant voice, and met with Il graft
flying reception. OF the singing of Misses
Lemon and Mayo, it is only necessary to
say that it was of the uniform excellence
of these faVOrite Vocalsts, and was much
enjoyed. The concert was in every re
spect Il most pleasant and successful one.