The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-30


/ cided, however, that inasmuch as the meet
1 ing was general parish meeting and was
/ for the purpose Of obtaining the views Of
the congregation as to the advisablhty Of
| offering TO sell the church site,
| every member Of the congregation who is
! n regular worShiper in the church Is en-
TITLED 10 a vote.
THE VOTE
The first vote was by reclamation, and it
| was so evenly divided that the
| chair was in doubt which way to decide.
| division was called for and
the vote was taken standing, and
stood G3 in favor of and IS against
the adoption Of the resolutions. At the
announcement Of the vote the'meatiug, which
! lasted from half past twelve until after
| o'clock, adjourned.
The matter is now in the hands Of the
wardens and yestry and they are 90 decide
! what shall he done In the vote the vestry
was sohdly opposed TO the resolutions.
THE REcToR's SERMON.
The rector, in his sermon before
the meeting, referred to the
matter at some length. He said that while
be did not wish to influence the action of
the meeting IN any way, yet, as he had been
asked frequently what was the effect of the
| conservation OF CHI Sch upon It's sale or use
for other purposes, he would treat Of that
asked. "Of old God dwelt by his special pres
ence first in the tabernacle set up 10y Moses,
and then in the temple built by solomon,
but at Chrlst's coming into the world this
was changed, and God no longer dwells
IN city or special church build
ing. He now dwells by his holy spirit
III the church universal and in individual
man. As the apostle says: Nv are a tenn
PIE Of the living God even as God said, 4
viii dwell in them aud walk in them, and !
will be their God and they shall be my PEG
pie" Would that we could all realize that
God now consecrates men. This cousecra-
ton of the person takes place in baptism.
Yet, we need TO be very sure of this-that
God now dwells III men, that the special
promise of presence in worship is not TO a
building, but to where two or three are gath
cred together IN Christ's name and author-
ty. But this great truth does not prevent
It's also being true that buildings can be
consecrated to the service OF God, and that
lie can bless material objects, whether as the
water of baptism or the bread and wine in
the holy communion to high and holy uses,
and so building, church in this sense,
after it has been consecrated to the high
Office Of being used only for the service of
religion, is a sacred building so long as it is
used for these purposes.
HOUSE GIVEN TO GOD.
ut should be loved and reverenced for this
reason, II il Il house given TO God and 50 is
"a house Of G. d." and a mere building it.
self which has been so conseCrated 10 God is
not likely to be transferred to some other
purpose There must be good and sufficient
reasons for doing this, reasons of spiritual
validity, before the act be done, but if the
question be not fought this to DO done in a
given case, but rather, "can it be rightfully
done in any caSeN the answer, he said, is
plain and distinct
Mr.. Boone then quoted from Blunt's Die
tiOnary of Theology and from canon "A,
title !, Of the Caaons of the General Con
ventIon, TO show under what restrictions
such action can be taken Both Of these
statements he said, the one of church doc
trine and the other Of church law, permit
the sale of a consecrated church building
for adequate reasons and with the consent
Of the ecclesiastical authority of the diocese
but when we pass on from the
consideration Of the effect Of the consecra-
ton upon a building, to the reasons which
would influence persons on such grave
question, we find them to be of two kinds:
First, those reasons which concern the sDr-
| itual work of a parish; and secondly, those
which spring from sacred associations with
certain spot or certain building. A wide
distinction, however, must be made be-
tween a parish and a church building
The first has continuous life
and history; the second may be
of recent date. No one who has the true
welfare of Christ's kingdom at heart can
doubt for an instant that the spiritual in
terests of parish are its highest interests.
All else should give way TO plainly proved
spiritual good; a pnrish only exists for the
glory of God and the good of man, and if
these objects can be better served by
change of location, then the change should
tie made. But if there be not any such gain
TO he had, then come i'll reasons of associa-
ton and of high and even noble sentiment.
AN HISTORICAL SPOT.
''The spot chosen by Oglethorpe for the
iigst church in Georgia, the spot upon
which a church building was begun while
George Whitfield was rector of this parish
and ON which a church was completed and
| dedicated TO the service of God, on July Z,
| 1850, when Bartholomew Zouberbuhler was
| the good and faithful pastor the spot
! upon which new church was rofounded
on an enlarged plan in 1903, which was
| taken down in 1888, and on which this
| present ed fee was erected and consecrated
| on March %, 1870, is a site dear FROM its
| associations 10 many persons, as | know.
| Then there arc sacred associations which
| cling to Il church building hich attach to
! no other SPOT not even IA cemetery, for SO
| many persons. There arc memories of
| haptisnIS, Of combinations. of weddings, of
| funerals, of comforting and helpful COM
Inunions Then there are memories of
the faithful pastor, under whose min
| istrations the building was erected and who
| built upa spiritual as we'll as material
| church-the Rev DIR. Neufville then, many
remember lovingly, Georgia's first Bishop
who, though he belonged to the diocese and
not exclusively TO any parish, yet for four
| teen years, in cloud and sunshine, in peace
aud in times of war, held in connection
with his episcopal duties the rectorship of
| this parish and preached in this building.
| Here are the two sides of the question which
| have tried TO state fairly.
EFFECTS OF A CHANGE.
"Can the parish orits Sunday school do a
better work in another location aud in an
| other building! Would the parish be
| abandoning or rather so INTO population
| by movei Would she gain or lose the
more by removal. Such are some Of the
| questions which you will loo asked to con
! slider to-day. and honest and good men may
/ take different views on the sub ect and vet
/ be equally devoted 70 the best interests OF
! the church But whatever it may seem
| best TO do in this particular church
/ matter let US ever remember what and
I where the temple of God now IS That
| next TO Christ, the head, your love is due to
! Christs body the church; first to the one
| church of Christ next TO your own national
/ church, which is primitive, historical re
! formed, catholic, conservative, progressive