Morning journal and courier., 1889-02-01
BIRTH OF TEMPLE OF GOD.


 Grace Church Corner Stone Is Laid
 by Rev. Dr. G. E. Reed-Addresses
 by Revs. Baird, Chapman. Foster,
 Hutch, Geodenough ana Reed.
 Last evening was memorable in the history
 ot the old George street church congregation
 for the corner stone of their new edifce,
 which will christen their new Grace church,
 was laid amid imposing ceremonies and im-
 mense concourse of people. The preliminary
 addresses were delivered in the Congregation
 al church nearly opposite.
 After the first half of the programme as published in yesterdays COURIER had been rendered to the great delight of congrega- tion that nearly filled the church, Rev Joseph Baird, the pastor of the new church, made the introductory address. "Now," said he, "I'm going to limit each speaker to 8 few minutes, except Brother Mutch and myself, for it wouldn't do to come into Brother Mutch's church and tell him how long he could speak. Our church has endured l great deal. We have been crowded in by commerce and yet have been patient for many years. Now we come up here among you and we wish you to recognize that you are in our parish. We had many typical New Haveners in our church and I assure you that my people are as sturdy and sure as any class of men you ever saw. You have to demonstrate and illustrate and then go over it all again before some of them will thoroughly understand anything. Yet you will find them the happiest of neighbors and
 I hope that you will welcome cordially
 as we feel happy ourselves to come among you. I will now introduce to you, Dr. Chapman, of the First M. E. church, for our presiding elder, Dr. Beach, is unable to be among us.
 Dr. Chapman began by saying that he was greatly rejoioed at the rising of the new church. "I rejoice to see that the kingdom of God is gaining footho1d in this world.
 I like to see firm foundations. They argue
 of the invisible, the eternal, the divine in their stability. They are the emblems and spirit of God in Goddess world. They will
 be reality and power of the unseen and
 strengthen our belief that the kingdom of
 God will finally conquer the whole
 tHs zH'd ni1ate.s a1a dIep, ss n hfS tha whole ocean. But this is too vague. We want material evidence of Gods presence. It is the craving of the human heart not only to have God that is everywhere but God that is somewhere. A God that we can ap- proach, personal God that we may know; our vision, he broods on the value of our soul and satisfies the inmost longing of life Wherever Christians meet along the frontier or in the suburbs of @ city, they begin to put their thoughts into permanent form; they organize a church and go forward with the sweep of conquest and the glow of victory. AS look up the high sunlit walls of great cathedrals and see the cross, the em- blem of the master, shining high above the world, cannot help but fall down and give \ thanks to that great power that has built \ such magnificent mansions for him. who on \ earth had not a place to lay his head. hope your new cathedral will be 8 rallying \ point of Christian hope and the salvation of ' numberless seuls."
 Rev. I. M. Foster of the St. John street | church was then introduced. He was greatly moved by MT. Chapman's reference to the need their blessings" he continued. "How | cold is the world, and 30 ambitious that our | sole efforts are simply to gratify our person | al desires. In this work which you are doing is involved this truth. You are not building for yourselves for the mortar and brick of these new walls will out I last ages such as yours. You are not build- { ing for humanity, and I think it great \ blessing to thus prepare for the salvation of times to come and generations yet unborn. The next speaker was Rev. W. J. Mutch. He said: Though we have labored long, the time seems to have arrived when the people have come and the churches have come. This is the third evangelical church which I have been called to well come upon this street, and this is SQE0ly 8 Lu6U WS are lQCI0aS1QR power, members and means. Cultivation is the great work that must be done and to this work gladly welcome you as our neighbors. We labor together peacefully and harmoniously
 and we believe that in the future our work is pointing to glorious victory"
 Rev. A. H. Goodenough was then intro
 duced. 'I suppose this is 8 christening as we'll as corner stone laying" said he. May the new church be an altar to countless thousands and 8 salvation to many ages. church is the only friend in aff1iction. Thank God, the poor are not growing poorer, I nor the weak weaker. Man tends to evil \ and makes desperate efforts to rid himself ' of what seems shadowing curse. The periods of highest culture are sometimes the periods of lowest deprayity morally. But, brethren, establish your churches. They are the only means of reformation and are the guards of God on earth"
 Rev. Dr. Reed of Trinity NJ. E. church
 said: Brother Welch spoke of your coming up on the hill. l thought everything in New Haven was fiat, but, if you are coming up on hill, I am glad brothers and sisters that you are rising above the world. think your coming up here will also help Brother Muroh's congregation. don't like ! to see churches half mile apart. My ex- perlence has been that where many churches are together they all have larger congrega- tions than they would if alone. The greatest honors that can come to men is to be uphold CTS and pillars of the church of God. Whoever thought of building or laying a corner stone by electric lighti We'll, speed the day when greater multitudes than are gathered here tonight will gather to witness and celebrate the placing of the cap stone." \ At the close of Dr. Reeds remarks he was presented with 8 handsome trowel by Rev. Mir. Baird from the building committee of the church. It was suitably incribed. Dr. Reed wittily acknowledged the gift and stat ed that the memento would be cherished in his family and if he ever laid another corner stone it would be with the trowel presented | by Grace Episcopal church at this happy oc- casion.
 The doxology was then sung after collec- sion had been taken and the large assem- blaze proceeded across the street to the cor ner where electric light shed 8 food of [ radiance over the newly started church of God.
 The exercises here were brief Rev. Mir. Baird stated that under the stone was & box, i in which copies of the New Haven daily pa- pers, the ritual and laws of the church, the names of the church officers, directory of the city, history of some of the business I men of the city and other necessary docu | ments. The final words of Dr. Reed as he adjusted the stone closed the ceremonies: ''We lay this corner stone of 8 house to be consecrated to the worship of the almighty ! according to the usages of the Episcopal church."
 ANEW BUILDING.