The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-09-15
MINNESOTA.
Dedication of the Second Church in MINI
eapolis.

| Compiled from the Minneapolis papers.I
Long before the hour get for the
dedication exercises at the new Second
Universalist church yesterday morning,
there was not a pew In the cozy lit
tie edifice but what contained it's full
complement OF occupants. The new
church is one of the prettiest in the
city, and is deservedly appreciated adj
dition to the East Side. There are num-
erous members of other churches present
in addition to Rev. L. g. Powers's regular
parishioners, and the dedication exercises
were singularly impressive and appro-
pirate. On the platform we're DIR. E. l..
Rexford, of Boston; Rev. j. F. SCHNEIDER,
of Saltwater; Rev. w. Fl. Harrington, of
Excelsior; Rev. w. 81. mclaughlin, Rev.
A. W. Mason, Rev. J. s. Fall, Rev. A.
Dellgrep, and Rev. L. g. Powere, pastor
of the church. Mr.. Priestly presided at
the organ and the choir was augmented
by four selected voices. After the open
ing anthem by Hayden, the invocation
was offered by Rev. w. Fl. McGlsughlip,
and the temple of worship dedicated to
the service Of the Lord in pray or. Follow
ing this came Scriptural reading and q
prayer by Rev. j. F. SCHNEIDER and Rev.
W. 81. Harrington respectively; and after
the response" 1.-THE Lord is My Shepherd"
Rev. E. L. Rexford, d. D., delivered the
sermon.
1t was most impressive discourse. DR..
Rexford is a little below the medium
height, has dark hair, iron gray side
whiskere, lively eyes, pleasant smile and
a delivery that is more than agreeable.
There Is not the slightest trace of the
"sone ecclesisstical" in his voice. His il.
Illustrations are all drawn from practical
subjects and there is nothing strained
either in his language or his thoughts.
His text was from Hebrews I, liz: "God
who, at sundry times and in divers places
spake in times past unto the fathers by
the prophets, hath in these last days
spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath
appointed heir Of all things" The SER
mon was practical and interesting one,
and was filled with telling illustrations.
At the conclusion of the sermon, an
eloquent appeal was made for funds to de-
fray the expenses of erecting the church.
byRsv. J. B. Starkey, of the M. E. church.
There was still q $1,000 deficit on the
$4,000 necessary for construction, and
as result of DR.. StRrkey's eloquence &c.
600 was collected in an incredibly short
space OF time. At the evening service
the remainder OF the amount necessary
was pledged.
The Second Universalist church build.
ing and the society which it represents,
started under the fostering care of the
Church of the Redeemer. The lot was
donated by Mr.. John Dudley, an East
side UniversRlist. On this in 1888 was
erected and dedicated neat though
small structure. The cost Of this early
structure was in large part met by the
contributions of the Church of the Re-
deemer, Hon. W. D. Washburn and Hon.
Dorillus Morrison contributing $1,000
each, and others various sums, large and
small. The first building was dedicated
and opened Cor service December, 1888
The church was ORGANIZED sometime be-
fore this at meeting held at the resi-
dence OF Mr.. James McMullen, who was
also a liberal contributor to the earlier and
Ioka k1,; fnn osv
had passed the church became selt-sup.
porting, and it has tinued so ever
since. Slowly and steadily the parish
grew, and at last it became evident that
a new edifice must be built to take the
place of the one, which, though modest
in it's proportions, had BEEN large enough
to supply the earlier demands.
In October, of 1885, the Rsv. L. G..
Powers took up the work which had been
begun by the first pastor, the Rev. l.. d.
Boyntop, and soon the new pastor began
casting about him for the necessary
means to supply the needs of his grow
ing church family. He had been pas
tor at Anoka, where he had successfully
built up thriving church; he had been
au earnest worker in Illinois as the State
Superintendent of the work in that
State, and he had shown himself to be
man who could put his shoulder to the
wheel and work hard and long. Under
his care the healthy growth of the par
ish continued till now there are about
fifty families. The old quarters becom-
ing cramped, the pastor and his able &C.
laborers decided to build new church.
No sooner decided than acted upon.
The illness Of the chairman OF the build
ing committee, threw upon Mr.. Powers
the main part OF looking after the build
ing proper and he has been personally
superinte nding the erection of the church
from the very start.
Work was begun on the new church in
July, 1887. The Sunday school rooms
were completed and opened for service
Dec. ], 1887, and the whole church is
now finished. fs
The main au Hence room is located in
the front part of the church, and is 72x42
feet in size, and will have seat ing ca
pacity of about 600 when the gallery is
completed. In the rear is the Sunday
school room, opening out OF the main
Sunday -school room are six class rooms,
three on either side. These are all sepa-