Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-05-15

/ pierce callOuS hearts and send REBELS to Jnelf
| knees and win trophies for the cross, 1t must
| be driven to the mark by the Holy Ghost; and
| this is rarely done when the outward ordinan
ices of religion have displaced its spirit and
thus changed it from living body into body
without q soul. Where the blessing is un
sought. it commonly is withheld. Jesus does
| not cast His pearls before swine, nor give that
which Is holy to dogs.
| 1t should never De forgotten that II Ia his
blessing only that maketh rich and addeth no
| sorrow with it and that where it is withheld
| neither architectural spendor nor imposing
ritual can take its place. When the true sig
| nificance of SolomOn's temple and it's sacrif-
1 cial worship WAS lost sight of by king priests
! an d people, their vaIue in Gods eyes was all
| gone, and both were swept away for seventy
years. Would you avert such a calamity from
| this edifce? Would you have it not only
| stand upon its foundation here unframed by
wind or lightning-as It may. though GOD
| its sacred character as Gods house? Would
you make sure that every religious service
here shall be fruitful of good to some human
| heart and prove q wholesome stimulus to
| some human lie? Would you have Jesus, the
Elder Brother, always here as the JOY of the
desolate. tia Light of the strayiue, the Hope OF
| the penitent, the Rest of the weary? Would
| you have this day to become fountain which
shall send ever. widening and ever-deepening
streams of fertilizing grace into every home
| in this community Then pray that the eyes
of God may be open toward this place night
and day; that no congregation may assemble
| here without the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
and that no worship may be offered here that
| shall not be offered in spirit and in truth
ID
ator between God and man.
''Arise. o Lord. into Thy rest; Thou, and the
ark of Thy strength. Let toy priests pc
clothed with Righteousness; and let Thy Saints
| shout for joy"
.'The Lord bless you, and keep you. The
Lord make his face to shine upon you. and be
gracious unto you, The Lord lift up His coun-
tenance upon you, and give you peace"
In presenting the entire discourse as above
we realize that we render most acceptable
service to the congregation and the church
generally. DR. Murray is an able minister OF
Lexington Presbytery, the largest In territory
In membership, and of the churches planted
In colonial days. and where the Presbyterian
faith and practice contributed so largely In
moulding our civilization which takes rank
with the most enlightened of the world. 1t
was apparent to the most casual observer that
between pastor aud people, the strongest
bonds of affection existed. AS the words OF the
inscription OF the memorial to DR.. Mcfarland,
the pastor for more than forty years, were not
ed down reflections involunta rily arose regard
ing the people and pastor of this day. If in
Providential dispensation his life is spared,th
descendants of the generation past will find
one of their highest aims as Christian people
accomplished in the continuity of the relations
that now exist, The example and associations
of the past evidently have living illustration
now.
The discourse concluded, DR.. Murray offered
the dedcatory prayer. he then announced
that the congregation wo lid have the opport-
unity of making fire. ,-wili Offering which was
done, the organ rendering an offertory
The concluding hymn, $50. was announced by
Mr.. Wolfe, and, after it was sung. the benedic-
ton followed by Mr.. Shutord. Thus occurred
theimposing religious services commemorat1ng
an event that the future historian Will inscribe
on the brightest pages Of the Bethel records
There were present at the services at least
three persons who witnessed the ceremonies
when the church OF 1921 was dedicated-Mrs.
George L. Argenbright, Miss Margaret Nc
Cutchan. and the venerable elder Mr.. Matthew
Pilson, who occupied seat near the pulpit
"A Preacher Of tsse Unveiiets TRUTH
At st. Michael and All Angels Protestant
Episcopal CHI urch, in Baltimore last Sunday
morning a week the Rev. DR. william Kirku
delivered sermon touching the centennial
address of Bishop Potter. He. took for bis text
st. Paul's words: -'Eot walking in craftiness
nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but
by manifestations Of the truth commanding
ourselves to every mans conscienc9 in Tue
sight of God" He sal /; Everybody VINO mas
read accounts CT the commemoration OF the
Tooth anniversary Of Washington's Inaugural
ton must have read something about Bishop
Potter's sermon OF st. Pauls Chapel, New
York. All who have observed the life of that
prelate, especially those who personally know
him, knew perfectly well that he would not
indulge in foolish fdttery or partisan ad-
dress. They expected him to deliver the SER
mon he did. He was not at all EN- barrassed
by the presence of the President of the United
States ex- Presidents and members Of cabinets,
because he had nothing to do with party poll
tics or the distribution of offices or spolls, but
with high principles and honor, and the per-
manent good of the whole people. He aVailed
himself OF that opportunity, which has occur
red but once in this century, of saying what
he knew to be true, to the very people VINO
need to be reminded oft on the very occasion
upon hich it might come home to them most
effectively. Indeed by that brilliant example,
and sincs then by his communications to the
representatives of the press, he put himself by
the side of st. Paul as "a preacher of the IN
yelled truth 1t is easy to say that this way
of dealing with the truth is obvious, and that
no one wound do anything else. Doubtless 1t
is the best way to deal with The truth. 1t GER
tainly is not obvious, from the comments on
Bishop Potter's address by the press OF the
whole country. Foo the most part the address
has been highly pral. ell, but it seems to have
produced upon the rep resentatives of the press
q profound surprise. They seem to say, is 1t
really possible that g Bishop of the Protestant
Episcopal Church can be an honest man? That
he can say, in the presence of high dignitaries,
what he means, and that without bringing
against them g single charge. he can make
them understand in their own case, what ID
Fight and what is wrous?' Now am quite
sure that the press bfs done nothing less than
justice TO the distinguished Bishop of New
York, but do venture to hope that by impli-
cation ii has done little less than Justice to
some of the inferior c!argy. 1 want you to un-
dsrstand the extreme value, not only of what
Bishop Potter said last Tuesday in st. Paul's
Chapel but the yaIus of the example he set to
all of US of the unfa,0ring courage an perfect
honesty in whatevc, ;ce say to you from the
pig."
HAMPDRN SiDNET oLLEGB.-We are receipt
OF the catalogue u; The ll3' Ii Session OF his
celebrated and tiiue honored Institution OF
learning located III Prince Edwa county,
Virginia. THIS ancient Institution was caart-
cred by act of the Les isature in May 1888, and
among the Trustees were Rev. John Blair
Smith, Patrick Henry and James Madison, and
| in it m any of the most distinguished men OF
this State were educated. Among t e Trustees
| a. this time is Rev. Fl II. Halves. d. D., of this
city, upon whose son, S. P. Halves, at the pre-
| cedine session, YVES conferred the degree of