Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-12-18

INSTALLATION OF the Rev. William Ii.
johnson as pastor OF the First Unitarian
Church OF this city. was held in that
church yesterday afternoon, commencing
at l.3o o'clock and ending at 4,30. The
following named ministers were present
from distance and took part In the pro-
ceedings: The Rev. w. P. Tilden Of
Plainteld. N. j.; the Rev. J. L. Corning,
Camden, N. j.; the Rev. w. L. Gilbert,
Nineiand, N. j.; the Rev. NJ. j. Savage,
Boston; the Rev. ID. w. Morehouee, New
York; the Rev. G. r. We'd, Baltimore;
the Rev. W. (. Nichols, philadelphia,
and the Rev. j. II. Clifford OF German
town.
The church was very Handsomely de-
corated with evergreen. and flowers fes-
tooned around the room and almost cov-
eriDg the pulpit and table.
The music was furnished by trio OF
voices and five instruments, Mr.. and
Mrs. George W. Stone and Mrs. John p.
w ales being the vocAllsts. with j. Norris
Robinson, first vlolinist; Horace Belts,
second violinist; Walter Butler, viola;
and Ralph Stone, vlJllncello.
The exercises began with voluntary
by the choir, followed by prayer by the
Rev. Q. X. Weld. The pastor-elect, the
Rev. W. Ii. johnson, delivered an ad-
dress OF welcome, after which the con-
ference organized by the election OF the
Rev. W. P. Tilden, chairman, and II. W.
Littleded, secretary.
The Rev. W. l. Nichols then delivered
hn address upon 'The Religious Educa-
tion OF the Young" In which Sunday
schools and young peoples literary 60.
cicties were strongly recommended.
An admirable paper upon "Church
Life 10 the New Faith" was read by Geo.
w. Stone, In which he said:
THE church life In tho new faith
should have as its chief corner stone
what the author OF 'Ecce Homo calls the
enthusiasm of humanity. Or, to phrase
II In the language Of the early christians,
the Christ In man, the sweetest and
purest manifestation oil life and character
| that we come In contact with. If the
church is fully absorbed with tAis divine
enthusiasm, the methods of its nantes.
StRtion can tc LETT 10 develop themselves
| with perfect confidence In the rcsuli,
"llow can man be generous when his
life Is struggle for means 10 livei How
| can he rise above the temptation to be
| exacting and unjust to hie brother when
| TO get ls the chief concern OF lie, and
poverty and wretchedncss IL possible
penalty for generosity? That men are
good iu spite OF all these uniownrd Gil.
| cumstancss OF their surroundings proves
the essential divinity of their natures.
"The church OF the new faith will OK.
hort Its members to staud erect on tte.r
feet with faces to the light, children OF
| the light seeking the eternal truth, aud
when found standing loyalty by it, It's
conflict will not be with an imaginary
satan, but with wroDg-doing.
"The thoughtful and intelligent man
Of to-day must not be satisfied with the
distant and nusty view OF divine provl-
deDce. That was sufficient for his ances-
tors. His horizon extends beyond the
lines of the past.
SIN these changed conceptions law has
| lost poue OF Its majesty, love none OF its
| sweetness and nearness, and man with
bis increased wisdom bows with deeper
reverence before the majesty of life and
its author"
ReY. j. Fl. Clifford made an earnest ad-
dress on "Re,igious Union the Basis of
| Universal Peace" aud Miss Gertrude
Magill read paper on "The joy OF Be-
lieving."
All the foregoing topics were thorough
ly discussed by a number Of ministers
present.
After the adjournment OF the confer
ence supper was served to visitors and
members OF the congregation.
THE PASTOR INSTALLED.
The installation services commenced at
| 7.30 o'clock by the rendering of musi-
cal selection called "Inspiration and
Heaven OF Prayer" by Samuel +. jack
son, as voluntary by the choir.
The invocation was made by tho Rev.
w. ]. Nichols of the Spring Garden
Church, Philadelphia. The reading OF
the Scriptures Was by the Rev, G. r.
Weld OF Baltimore. The frat congrega-
tional hymn was announced by the Rev.
J. l.. Corning of Camden, N. J. The
installation sermon was preached by the
Rev. Minot J. Savage Of Boston.
At tue close Of the sermon and the
singing of the second congregational
hymn the Rev. J. II. Clifford, OF Phila-
delphia. delivered the charge to the pas
tor, and extended to him the right hand
OF fellowship. The charge was feeling
commendatlon of the pastor and people
to the tender sympathies OF each other.
To the preacher he said: although you
are not the preacher in dogmatiC
theology nor the pastor OF church with
written creed, l welcome you to q holy
priesthood. Some will say to us you are
|
name, yet are We priests in the holy
brotherhood OF humanity, where the di.
vnest thing is TO suffer and be strong"
Rev. w. p. Tilden, the late pestor o.
the church, who declined call to tht
pastorate OF the church on account of li:
age, made feeling address to the con-
, gregation, in which he said:
"Treat your minister as you treated
i. me. Be as leneut to his faults as yol
were to mine. Slide over his poor ser
8 mons rs you did over mine, and when h,
does his best tell him Of 1t; oh, tell him o
It, Love him, work with him. for tn
Kingdom of God, and your light shal
break forth as the morning, and you
health spring forth speedily, and right
eousness shall 60 before you, and tn
Z glory OF the Lord shall be your reward.
The congregation then sang, 'Neare
Ny God to Thee" and was dismissed b
the new pastor.
, Seventy Years Organized.
1 | Tho Delaware Truck and Fire Com