The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-02-17
AN INTERESTING EVENT.
Ordination OF Rev. {. A. Derebey at
Williston church.

Yesterday an ecclesiastical council, called
by Williston church, convened in their house
Of worship, and proceeded to examine the
candidate for ordination, Rev. g. A. Dere-
bey in regard to his Christian experience
and theological views. Many interesting
facts of his life were ELECTED. Christakes A.
Derebey was born in Broossa. in Bithynia.
Turkey, and his father was one of the first
converts under Rev. DIR. Hamlin. missionary
of the American Board. The church was
organized in his fathers house. and when
II years old he was himself converted. He
entered Roberts College at Constantnople
and studied also several years in the uniyer-
sity of Athens, Greece. After laboriDg some
time in that country he came to America for
the study OF theology. Professor Tyler, who
''likes the Greeks" interested himself in
Mr.. Derebey. and through his influence he
was graduated at Amherst College in 1889,
and took his theological course at Hartford
and Andoyer. After year of ministerial
service at Cornish, Me-, he came to this city.
where he has made himself useful as oppor-
tunity has offered.
After satisfactory examination in theo-
logical views. which appeared to be sound
and evangelical he was approved by the
councilwho voted to proceed to his ordina-
ton in the evening.
A social tea was served by the ladies in
the parlor, and at 7.S0 the council listened to
a sermon from President Hyde of Bowdoin
College, on "The Practical Bearing of the
Doctrine.of the Trinity" of which the fol-
lowing is an abstract:
The text is from Matt. x.41-42. Things
equal to the same thing are equal to each
other. Straight lines parallel TO the same
straight line are paraleed to each other. The
impact Of a good conductor Of a physical
force is practically equivalent to the impact
of the generating agent of that force. The
same law holds goodiin the spiritual sphere
In relation to persons who are in spirit one,
our attitude towards one of them is the same
q. our attitude towards the others. If you
and stand for the same spiritual aim and
lif e, receiving you is receiving me.
Now the doctrine of the Trinity rests on
two propositions. First, it declares that in
spirit and life, in love and justice, In grace
and truth, IN all that constitutes the essence
or substance of their being, the Father arr
the Son are one and the same. This is the
inevitable consequence of Christ's perfect
obedience. 1t is upon the fact that he did
nothing of himself, but did all things as the
Father gave commandment that Jesus rests
His claim to perfect oneness with the Faith
er. 1t is a spiritual oneness, not physical
identity.
How this truth meets mans deepest needs
We cannot look on this universe, instinct
with reason, purpose, intelligence, law, Or
der, harmony beauty, gloryi this universe,
which is, at every point, the infinite compile
ment of our finished minds, and believe that
it has its beginning and end in chaos or in
chance, in dead matter or blind fate, or
aught that Is inferior to the spiritual priuci-
pie in man. Yet this belief that there is
satisfy our minds and hearts. 1t awakens,
at best, little more than awe and reverence,
The living God, in the fullness of his love
and grace, Christ declares unto us. Seeing
Him we see ali of God that can have spir-
itual meaning to our souls. He is the full
ness of the Godhead, bodily and humanity.
Thus vague awe towards inconceivable
greatness gives place in us to warm ad0ra-
ton of appreciated excellence; dread gives
way to- trust; love casts out fear.
So, the all great were the all-l0ying too
so through the thunder comes a human voice.
saying, 20 heart made,a heart healed here.
Therefore to every burdened doubling soul
the gospel presents the Divine human Christ
and says: see him as he is; interpret his
words and deeds, his life and death as best
sion and then If you can believe that such
one as he does not condemn you, know that
God does not. If he forgives you and is
ready to help you God does so too If you are
not afraid to lay bare your heart, just as it is
with all its badness and baseness, with all
its sin and guilt before him, then you need
have no fear of God. If the sacrifice of his
life is the measure ofiChrists love to you,
Gods love is not one whit the less The in
carnati0n, thus apprehended is the heart and
core of Christian faith.
The second truth inherent in the doctrine
Of the Trinity Is less generally recognized. 1t
is this: The Christian man, in so far as he
b v hae o 10
even as Christ is one with God. Even as
thou Father art in me and in thee that they
also may be in u.s." is ChIist's prayer.
Obedience is the key to this oneness of the
Of Christ with the Father. The obedient
disciple, becomes this expression and power
of Christ, even as Christ is the expression of
the Father. The Holy Spirit as DR.. Bush
nell remarks is not ''some hidden fire. some
impersonal force, some holy gale" The
Holy Spirit is the life begotten of God and
Christ in the human soul And God in man
is in nowise inferior to God outside of man.
The Holy Spirit is also 'of the same essence
with the Father as the old creeds profound
ly teach.
What responsibility this lays upon the
Christian man! 1t means that in our lives
and persons we are to reproduce and multi
ply the life and work, the principle and
power of Christ. 1t means that we are to
present God and Christ to our fellowmen in
all our dealings. the merchant to his Gus
toner, the mistress t0.her servant the mother
to her children, the employee and employer to
one another, so that by virtue of the spirit
that Is in us our text shall be fulfilled. HE
that receiveth you receiveth me-"
The working out of this great doctrine to
precise intellectual expression in the forma-
tive period of Christian thought was the
grand achievement Of that race to which the
brother whom we ordain tonight belongs
We send him forth to practical work in this
far off western world in the hope that he may
exemplify in himself and impart to others the
spiritual power which it had in the minds
and hearts of thoe searly Greek fathers who
formulated the doctrine and gave it the right
full place which it ever since has held and
eyermore will hold at the centre of Christian
Theology
The ordaihing prayer was offered by Rev.
DR.. w. H. Fem. The right hand of fellow
ship was given, with appropriate and tender
words, by Rev. A. H. Wright, who was fol-
lowed by an address to the candidate from
Rev. f. T. Bayley. After prayer by Rev. L.
Ii. Hallock. the benediction was pronounced
by Rev. c. A. Derebey and the council was
dissolved.
1t is an event of much interest that native
of old Bithynia, familiar with the cradle
scenes of Gospel lands, whose vernacular is
the Greek tongue, should come to this far
Western world, to preach the translated Cos
pei to this newest Of the great nations.
THE DYNAMIcs OF LIGHT.