Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-12-16

hopes aud expectations Of our Metho'
dist people have been centered fol
weeks past took place on Sunday last
and the services throughout were OF
the most impressive and pleasant char
acter. On Saturday evening Presiding
Elder Leidy, OF Altoona preached a
powerful sermon from e.
His that "God so loved the world that
he gave his only begotten son, that
whosoever believeth in him shall not
perish but have everlasting life," af.
forded special opportunity to dwell
upon the great blessing which Gods
gift proves to this world and to impress
the people with the Unreasonable love
and mercy OF our creator. The dis
course was indeed very appropriate
and able Introductory for the occasion
On Sunday morning early a bright
sky and the sweet notes Of the church
bell invited the members of the congre-
grtion to come to their new house of
worship and participate in "loye-
feast" At about ten O'Clock the
christian population of Millheim
streamed to the church to attend the
dedicatory services and in very short
time the handsome auditorium was
we'll filled. Besides Revs. Leidy and
Hickman, Rev. E. j. Cray, d. ID.
President of Dickinson Seminary, Will
Transport. Pa, and key. DeMoyer, of
Houtzdale, Pa. who abuot % years
ago labored on this charge as the NJ. E.
pastor, were present to assist in the
work of dedicating. After the singing
of several hymns by the congregation
Rey. Gray offered up stirring prayer
and then proceeded to preach bis ser
mon, taking the prayer of Christ re-
corded in John IL: Is for his text. He
stated in the first place that Christ's
words II pray not that thou shouldest
take them out of the world. but that
thou shouldest keep them from the
evil" must he viewed first in negative
and then in positive sense. He spoke
Of the individual and general mission
of Jesus and plainly illustrated the
Christians duty to perform his mission
in the time allotted to him on this side
of eternity. Unexplained how through
the ministry of trials the Christian
may gain better and higher triumph,
and though everything about him look
dark and drearY it will all serve 10
make him a purer child of God and
tend to glorify the Heavenly Father.
He pointed out how all things Immature
unfold aud tell of God, thus to remind
US that He wants man to be everything.
In forcible language DR.. Gray told his
hearers that God mostly honors mans
character and though your station in
life may be lowly you may do His work
more effectually ard build up nobler
christian character than men in better
question with us should not be how
little we can do for God, but how
much, and the first and negative part
of Christ's prayer has particular refer.
ence to the Christians work while per-
mite to sojourn here. The speaker
then went on to the second division OF
his text, telling of the continuous
struggle of mankind with evil' terming
sin an organized power and showing
that Christ's prayer was for the defeat
of evil. Jesus greatest desire is that
no man be defeated in the continuous
and fierce battle with Satan. He closed
his edifying remarks by expressing his
firm belief that the worlds army of
Christian soldiers, fighting the noble
fight of Christ's cause is daily growing
larger and that Christianity in stead of
going down is gaining in power at
rate that promises the conversion of
the entire worth In the end DR.. Gray's
words were listened to with the closest
attention and his audience seemed
greatly pleased with the amount Of in
struction ard knowledge given them
by the able and learned divine.
The next important task on hand
was the raising of $ll00, the debt rest
ing on the church which had to be wip-
ed out on that dag. Rev. Gray went
to work with will and succeeded in
soliciting subscriptions amounting to
over 800. The morning services then
came to close and everybody hurried
home to be ready in time for the chill
dren's meeting which was held in the
afternoon at 3 o'clock. AS may be
pIesupposed the church was packed to
its utmost capacity, the half of the
seats in the front part being reserved
for the Sunday school scholars. The
meeting was opened by singing and
prayer and then followed addresses by
Revs. DeMoyer, Leidy and Gray. The
| Doctor interested the children very
much by his ''pig talk" On this oc-
casion 500 were raised in the name of
the Sunday school and the exercises
we considered a success all around.