Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-06-13
THE THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE
Welcoming Session and
Formal Opening Last
Night.
Speeches and Responses and In
struction Bestowed.
An Auspicious Beginning of the
Two Weeks Institute for the
Clergy of Dakota.

The heated hours of last evening.
from 8 o'clock until 10, were very
pleasantly passed by o large number OF
people at the Congregational church.
where the first session of the theological
institute was held. When about q year
ago the idea of an institute for Dakota
ministers was first conceived those who
decided to arrange for it had no present
iment that an event of such great i'm.
portance IN points OF attendance and
general interest would result from their
efforts. This fact will seem ali the more
strange when it is considered that upon
the institute itself depended the re-
sponsibilities OF defraying the expenses.
there being no institute fund. But the
institute is now in session and one has
but to visit the church during o Session
and see q house filled with ministers to
be impressed with the Importance OF
s1Gh a gathering. There are ministers
young ministers, ministers OF middle
sge, and ministers who have grown
grey In the work OF spreading the Cos
pei, and they are one and all present for
the purpose of deriving the last Iota oil
benefit from an interchange of views
upon topics religious.
Last nights session opened with the
singing Of the doxology by the congre-
cation. This grand old anthem was
never sung with more spirit than upon
this occasion and as a means of opening
such q meeting was most appropriate.
Rev. Jos. T. Duryea invoked divine
blessing In a prayer fervent and elo-
quent, and Rev. W. B. D. Grsy, White
Lake, read the 4th chapter Of the book
OF Ephesians.
Rev. Mr.. Sabin, of Elk Point, follow
ed this with another prayer and then
Rev. ID. F. Bradley, in q few we'll chosen
and nicely expressed sentiments, bsde
the ministers welcome 10 the homes and
churches OF Yankton. Mr.. Bradley fore
saw In this institute q great blessing tol
Yankton, and In the name of the Con-
gregational church of Yankton, the
mother church OF Dakota, he babe the
visitors q happy fortnight, Mr.. Brad
ley called the attention OF each minister
to the growth OF the Yankton church in
twenty years and advised those who
were sometimes discouraged with effortl
to do in this frontier country to neyel
be discouraged, but work as work had
been done in Yankton from the first Il
the last.
Rev. J. 81. Kyle, of Ipswich, respond.
ed on behalf Of the visitors to the re
marks of MI. Bradley. Mi. Kyle spok'
most earnestly, saying that to the Don
gregationalist OF Dakota the sounding o
the name OK Yankton was most sweet
| Yankton seemed to be the ministerial
mecca for Dakota, and he considered
himself most fortunate that he was in.
duoed to make q pilgrimage to thi
mecca at this time. he returned tn.
heartiess thanks OF his fellow sojourner
for the inequalities extended to then
and assured Yankton that forever woult
the ministry of Dakota hold in tende
remembrance this fortnight of pleasure
Rev. a. d. Wizard. Of Mitchell, res
pended still further to the address o
welcome. He paid all honor to tn
Yankton church, saying that this ;nsti
tute q simply o gathering coming
home OF the children OF the church. Tn
success of the institute, according to Nj
Wards view OF the case, depended no
upon Yankton people, not upon Di
Duryea, DR.. Goodwin and the other
who will lecture, but solely and sntirel
upon the ministers. Attendance apo
every session and strict attention to th
business Of each hour would bring sue
cess and all departures from this cd
monition would prove disastrous.
Rev. JOS. T. Duryea spoke next. Hi
remarks assumed the form of an instrue
ton to the assembled clergy upon th
necessity Of holding institutes IN Da
kota Of the natuEe OF that about to be
gin. he said: IA wise man lets us in
to the secret OF the course Of his wisdom
when lie says: Go to the ant and /
wise. The ant rests by backing up an
looking at its work. The naturalist sa1
that the ant al this time Judges his wor
and frequently begins anew and do,
better" Upon this metaphor Dr'Duryt
enlarged until he had shown that q mir
lister must often consider and resonsid'
and thereby improve his labors. I
order 80 to do it is necessary for o mil
lister, or any other man, to be abrea
OF the times, to understand the needs
his surroundings and to fit himself 4
Supplying them. The tasks Of humanit
vary circumstances are altered, tin
works changes, all OF which demand co
slant attention and study upon the pa
of humanity in order that the be
methods for success may be used. I
Duryea was overwhelmed with the r
probabilities OF the clergy OF Dakoi
Religion entered other places slowly, a,
only after much sacrifice upon the pa
OF the s%preaders of the gospel, but
! had como into Dakota on railroads. "G
walked inso other sections but He b
come into Dakota on wheels" Z
Duryea's theme was for keeping Ahe'
Of the engine which drew the gosI
train, OF get of the track. he mes