Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-03
CHURCH BUILDING.
MIR. Cue Makes Strong Plea for a
New Edifice.
Inc Probable Future of the First VI.
Il. COngreg atoms Place OF Worshi
Rev, Mateer's Missionary Talk at
the Presbyterian Churches.

Il. SOnSreS atiOns Place OF WOrs ship |
Rev. Matters Missionary Talk at
the Presbyte rian Churches.
At the First NJ. E church yesterday
morning. Rev. G. W. Cue preac he'd
powerful and convincing sermon on the
matter of church building, and clearly
demonstrated the need of new house of |
worship for his congregation in this city.
Mr.. Cue took his text from Second
Chron. 2>4:
Behold, l b1iid house to the name of the
Lord, my God"
The most eventful occurrence in the |
history of Israel was the building of their
FIRST temple. They had place OF wor-
ship, but it was old, inconvenient and |
inferior to public buildings and many res.
licences in Jerusalem and elsewhere in |
their country. In all ages of the civilized |
world the best and costliest structures |
have been its buildings devoted to relig. |
ious worship. The costliest structures |
ever erected were the temples at Jerusa-
lem, especially the first built under the |
special direction of God himself The |
most enduring monuments of ancient art
and architecture were the cathedrals of
Europe. 10 this utlltarian age, it is mete
and proper that every christian commu.
nifty should erect its best and costlest
structures in which to worship God.
Never before in the history of the civil
zed world was there such a manifest
ambition to erect beautiful homes in
which to dwell and structures in which to
transact the business OF the world. No
| good christian should be willing to either
| live or transact business in a more costly
or beautiful building than the one in
which he worships his Master.
| Thirty-three years ago devoted souls
| gave literally of the means they then
| possessed and built this structure we now
occupy. In its proportions, its solidity
and its symmetry it has stood all these
years monument to those who planned
and executed the work. 1t was superior
to the houses they then occupied. While
this building has answered the end for
which it was built, it is neither conveu-
lent for the way in which christian work
is done in the later days. nor commend
able of our churchly zeal and character.
The churches OF community are an in
deX to the character and taste of the PEG
pie. They make a deeper and more
lasting impression on the minds of strang.
ers than anything else that is seen in our
city. You are strong church and can
do everything that is necessary to be
done. but you are not as strong as you
were twenty years ago, We have come
to crisis in the affairs of Methodism, and
something must be done.
There ia time, We know not when,
point We know not where,
That marks the destiny of man
For glory or despair"
While this is true of individuals, it is
also true Of churches. There comes a
time in the history of every church when
there must be an advance or there will
surely be decline. was the pastor of
church that once had eight hundred
members. and failing at the proper time
to advance. the decline came until they
had not more than one hundred in
their congregation. No church can tell
how they lose by not keeping abreas
with the times. Most christian people
looking for new home take into con
slderatlon the church privileges anc
christian influences.
First. Let me ask. do we here in Rocl
Island need a new church building.
answer, yes we do. The time has Ger
tsinly come when extensive repairing
must be done on this old church or new
one must be built The roof leaks, tn
ceiling is falling, the fresco is soied, III
floors are worn and broken, the heatin!
arrangements are worn out and We nee
new pews. There are many old peopl,
and invalids who cannot climb our stairs
Ii We should repair this old house, wha
would we then haveH Would we hav
the facilities needed for our large cougre
CATION and Sabbath schoolsi Could W
have 'clety rooms such as are found i
most OF the churches about US? No parlol
no pastors study, none of the conven
ences found in the modern churches.
We should repair our old church, will W
have that which would attract strange
to our city because of church advantages
If this building is repaired it will be frol
six to eight years before you can think {
building new church. Then the MOI
Of you who have the influence now wi
be in your graves, and they could M
possibly build then what you can nov
A new church will give you an influenC
and standing in this city and our confer
ence. that you never will have by repai
ing this old one. Some have prophesie
the decline and finally the death of Metl
odism here. Oh, how it would rejoice n
heart to see the triumph OF Methods
here such as a pslatial church would gi'
US. Then we could sing:
Have thy foes been proud and scornful,
B. thy signs and teas unmoved;
Cease thy mourning,
Zion still lie well beloved
Instead of being dead, let us build
new church, and we will prove to be Il
livellest corpse ever seen 10 Rock ISLAM
Secondly. Very few will claim tn
we do not need a new church buildin
but the question with them is, Can '
build it, | answer yes, most assured
We can. Where there is will there il
way. "All that other folks can do VIII
with pushing, cannot your The color,
people in Peoria pulled their old chur
down before they had the prospect
a
and succeeded in building proper
worth $4,000. Mrs. Spencer had t
cellar dug for the parsonage now occu
before there were any provision made t
. building tine house. We certainly can do
much as those persons did. Pull do
r. the old building and dig whole in I
v ground. Do that much and will GU
antee that we will Lave new chu.
building. Oh, for the faith Of Moses
the Red seal Every day as a new chul
progresses you grow stronger; enterpr
brings the people about you. Hor,
Greeley said, 1.-The way to resume spe
payment was to resume" So the way
build new church is to build.
sure if the capitol of the United Sta
could be removed to Rock Island "a
some time that may be done) on con
ton that the Methodists here give S.
U" 900, you would raise it inside of t
days. believe there are dozen fs
lilies in this church, who, if they sho
lose from one to ten thousand dollars
night, their business would go forw
tomorrow as if nothing had happen
| believe there are one hundred fami