Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-18
SET APART F0R W0RsHIP.


THE NEW CHBIsTlAN CHUECti
vCRMALLN DEDICATED.
Re-. 4. S. Lucas, p--.tdent OF the Con
venuon OF Christian churches in "o"r-
cia. prescbrs the Ded.oatory sermon -
Fev. ~. S. Payne TO be Pastor OF the
New Coseregation-s services 20 be Held
This week.
Tie Christian oluTDl q. the corner OF
Bolton and Howard rse.s was formally
dedicated Yesterday afternoon. There
Yves 30 special omaaty, however, about
The dedication. or as Rev. G. 3. Lucas, OF
Au-usta. r1t.t, "no rad tape
Tls structure is neat. new frame
buiIGiug. comfortably large, and WITH.
enough architectural style TO make it az
tracfEe without an attempt q, osten.a-
iiou Every seat within its unfinished
walls was occupied when the service bee
gan 2t $50 p. m. yesterday. quite a
number had 20 stand. The Grst TWO
Things noticed upon entering were the
pretty flowers about the Ilsll am ana Lue
incline Of the floor from he doors to the
chancel. The sloping 7oor which gives
those In the back OF buldl0g chance
10 see what is going on 10 front, mas been
peculiar TO public halls ana places OF
amusement so long that Il is quite novel,
but none the less an advantage IA church.
The church Is the urst one which this
society has erected lu Savannah. IT was
put up hy about icrt cluIeus and has
cost $4,000. The walls are 90 be frescoed,
and stained glass windows will be put in
shortly. About 900 is needed to com
plete tine building.
Rev w. S. Payne, the pastor ofthe new
church, Rev. z. ;. Lucas, who has built
three churches for this nOn-sectarian sect
fin Augusta. Rev. j. 4. l.. Holmes Of the
Savannah Baptist Church, and Rev. Il.
W e50, recently pastor OF the Seamcn's
Bethel we're in the pulpit when ths choir
B strucE up the voluntary 'He is Risen
That song was followed by Come Holy
Spirit" Nearer MY (+Od to Thee" Gath
ering Home" and "All Hail the Power
OF Jesus Name" all sweetly rendered.
Mrs. Gustin was the organist, Miss Gross
alto, Mrs. Wade and Mrs. Readlck
soprano. Mr.. Fl. W. Readick and Mr.. Nc
Donough tenor, Mr.. F. NJ. Readick and
Mr.. Fuerson bass.
Rev Dir. Payne prayed fervently, and
Mr.. Lucas read from John xvii, Neither
pray for these alone, but for them also
which shall believe on me through their
word that they all may be one, +" etc. Mir.
Lucas theme was unity OF spirit. 1--WE
come here this afternoon, my friends, for
lIE AIAti VA Az GShEEli anu TEX u VI INC
people Of Savannah he began. 1--WE
may be misunderstood in this age of as
Ceticism. Every new church should be
compelled to show her credentials, and
show the people that she has a right to
exist"
The speaker said that the Christian
Church is now in the focus Of one Of the
most remarkable of al religious eDochs.
He briefly 5ketched the history Of the de-
&. rlatfr WI Igf
seCtarianism from june IL, 1911, when -
consecrated men and women met together
IN grove Of oaks IN Brooke county, West
Virginia, and earnestly prayed that sect
ism might be obliterated. To-day, after
three-quarters Of century, that
little movement has spread until
10 touches every shore In the
Lnited States the church stands third in
numbers according to the government
records. From the apostolic number Of
T. the body bias grown 10 $50 600, and is
now growing at the rate Of 100000 every
year. It's growth during the last two
decades rs said TO be 80 per cent. more
than all the other Protestant denomina-
tions combined. II has y colleges and
universities, - weekly religious papers,
and 5000 preachers.
Mr. Lucas termed its growth phenome-
nal Intellectually il need not fear com
psrison with any church. 10 Canada the
church is strong, and in Australia, Great
Britain, Germany and France it is large.
Also In Denmark IL has missionaries in
COnstaptlnOple, eight or ten in Armenia,
nine in India, seven 10 Japan and one on
the way to China. such men as eN-Presi-
dents Garfield and johnson. Judge Jere
Black, Judge Kimball, GOV. Fiske, and
a dozen other Governors, were mem
bers. Twelve Senators and fourteen
Congressman Of the present Congress are
communicates OF the Christian church.
~ has places Of worship in Boston, New
York BROOKLYN, Philadelphia. Washing
ION, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Louisville,
Memphis, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Angus
Ia, etc.
This increase was accomplished, the
speaker remarked, at a time when a spirit
Of conservatism had settled down upon
religious sentiment. The preacher as
serted that II the growth continues for
another decade at the rate il mas during
the past I'D years the church will have
double the number of any other Protest
ant denomination. he stated that the
Christian church is the largest single
body Of Christian people in the United
States. Moth0dism has 10 or 10 denomi.
nations and the Baptist seven or eight,
classed under one general head. The CEN
tral thought of the movement has been
the unity OF ChrIsteudum. This
Is always uppermOst in what
the clergymen of the Christian
church preach. Annihilation Of every line
that separates The Protestant church is
the motto oil NE Christian demon nation.
''W look upon seciism as a sin before
high Heaven continued the preacher.
Eve believe that we should al be bonded
together. Therefore we cannot be p8rti-
sans. The plea Tor unity" Mr.. Lucas
added, sic DO longer peculiar 90 the Chris