Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-15

: WHICH we SPEAK
! In the attempt to advance another step, and
! secure an organization for religious purposes,
/ Just as the arrangement was TO be consummated
/ the persons most looked to for efficiency would
1 change their residence, If not their base, and
necessitate embarrassment or delay. When q
| few consistent Christians had been found who
would enter into an organization, few of them
! would have their letters of dismission some
would have certificates of fact, some would
! have incidental testimony, and most would
| have no credentials whatever.
When 1t came to the form of organization,
| the Congregational way was the easiest and
| simplest OF any, but could not satisfy more
than ne-half of those who had been reared
| IN other folds; and these would cooperate only
| from without. and await the coming of num-
bers enough to enable them to go by them
| selves. Sometimes not even a neighboring or
visiting minister could be secured to assist at
| the forming of a church, much less could a
council be convened to recognize the new
church and enter into fellowship with it and
give II place, name and power, ecclesiasti-
cally. The isolation was formidable and it was
even more SO to such minister, and helper
or two, as could never gather a permanent
handful together to complete an organization.
Yet, churches arose amid the moral wastes and
existed as GASES in the desert. if they did not
flourish as trees by the fountains of waters
These were small hindrances, taken each by
Itself, yet their aggregate and cumulative power
raised mighty barrier TO success. To these
were added the natural slowness and reluctance
OF the halthearted; the unwillingness of those
who did not come hither to be religious and
were not pleased when it was shown that they
had been known as such formerly; the absence
OF those whose religion was in suspense while
their fortune was making, and was to be re-
sumed as soon as they breathed az ain the At
lantlc air; and the deadenipg influence of the
numbers who had denied the faith and were
openly apostate.
When it came to the maintenance of ordi-
nances, the building of edifces, the payment of
wishing to push things, and put itself into So
clety as constra1ning and saving power, there
were discouragements in getting money enough
70 How regularly into the proper channels in
manning choir, Sunday-school a prayer
meeting or night school, even with women
ltor women in those days were like wisdom,
more precious than rubies) in convincing peo-
pie of their instant need of public worship and
private prayer; and in persuading them to be
active in nominations and elections to secure
exemplary rulers in town, county and State
and such legislation as would forever enthrone
the right and build a Christian State.
6. What has been accomplished? Naturally
the last inquiry is, what of it all? To this no
answer can be given in detail. Nor is it neces-
sary, since many of the actors still survive to
see for themselves; and all others can, at a
glace, comprehend that which is visible. But
the remark need hardly be made in such a
presence as this, except as reminder that the
outward and observed results, in the form of
external monuments, of the thinking, feeling and
doing OF Christian preachers, teachers and toll
ers, may but feebly express the origin, quality
and quantity OF the work they have done The
individuals, for whom they have done most,
may have gone TO the ends of the earth or been
taken from it. The families into whose life
they have poured toll and tear, sympathy and
prayer, may have been strangely broken and
dispersed, and lost to human sight Some of
the churches that have cost years of holy en-
deavor and yigils frightened only by angel
visits, may have become extinct by the de-
parture of the membership; or they may have
lost all their power and prestige and gone into
ruin through internal discord and internecine
strife. The once popuious towns, for whose
cleanliness, health, beauty, and architecture
they may have done wonders, besides spiritually
edifying their churches, adjoining their
schools, and sweetening all their moral and
social life, may have been destroyed
by rivalry; or deserted in a panic; or given
over to utter decay by the exhaustion of re-
sources. The very populations whose good
they had subServed, and whose admiration they
had won, may have been supplanted by an
alien race, or people with an imported relig-
ion, to the limiting of their usefulness. and the
destroying of their prospects. And then there
may have come over fairest fields those blights
whose origin no man surely knows those hin
ORANGES that spring forth as the tareS, and those
storms which from the ground sweep all scenes
INTO oiackness; as well as those personal limita-
tons, brought on by age, by sickness ,griet, sor-
row and disappointment, or by inaptitude, in
ertla. insomnia, eneruation, and the thousand
ills flesh Is heir to. to mar and blot and spoil
the record OF many year OF devotedness to
high service
Making due allowance for all such labors as
could not have any permanent visible record,
and such possible monuments as have persisted
by the destruction of their environment and
imagining those results which might have been
but tor their mysterious blighting, and provid-
ing Tor all alike attachments, we are to suggest,
rather than to state, what has been achieved
Here stand these States of our pride and these
territories OF our hope. In spite of all deficien-
cieS, they are as well supplied with ministers
churches and schools, and with all the other
means of usefulness and right-liying as are any
of the other and newer STATES of the union
Their general condition need not mortify us.
a c Orf nf 4iFng .safr.
ton and sweetest dream. How broad and
rich, and fertile, and grand they are: and
becoming what objects of desire, and what
scenes OF attraction for a tributary CONT
ncnt and wondering world. How well
they are governed; how intelligent their
citizens, how content their populations, how
serene their condolences how assured of their
futures. Here sit these metropolitan cities, mis-
tresses OF land and sea, reaching out for the
commerce of the nations by steamer and ship
and for the trade of the continent by railways
that fork and flash as do the lightnings of the
sky. Here are these State Capitals, with their
costly structures. seats of government for COM
monwealths of freedom, up TO which the people
go 10 frame their will into law and retire to be
obeoient to the statutes which they ha ge framed
alike for ali. Here are these vast industries so
peacefully pursued and so largely in consonance
with individual gain and the pubic advantage
unique in their character and contributing to
human comfort as no like region has ever done
before since time began. Here are these rivers
and roads, reaching to every extreme inter
union, gladening fellowship and giving new
meaning TO life and new sense to labor.
Here are the great public school systems,
ramifylng every dIstrift, reaching every family,
telling every child of the world and man of the
worlds and God. And here are these provisions
for the higher education by high school and
acaaemy, college and university, normal school
and seminary, availab to all determined and
aspiring natures and sufficient, or nearly So
for our two millions of people. Here are these
huudreds OF newspapers. some of them growing
iSfi Iic1, a,,t- 4
all. and becoming, more and more, a wonder
fully educating power However much some of
these may need toning and tempering. as
whole, they characterize us fairly aud do credit
to our rising importance, and we may pay them
the honor due to their enterprise. And besr of
ali, here are these Protestant Christian churches
thousand OF them, more or less, whose spires
are drawing down sweet influences from the
stars upon city and country, and whose
prayers are opening heaven upon Us, bringing
light into our minds. love into our hearts, and
redemption into our natures. These are puri-
Tying the very air around hallowing the sceues
of our activity, imparting unwonted sacredness
TO hill and valley, and Transforming the native
beauty of the landscape into a garden Of God
Their worship may intermit, but their influence
ceases not. Day and night it pervades our be-
ing. entering into all the secrets of our life and
governing all the issues of our conduct There
bring conjunction of earth and heaven to our
shores. These bring God afresh into our hu.
mainly. These multiply celestial sympathies
with us. And these enlist on our side forever
tlOASS NhS bVJN- VI Tue EhSIlldl. WHOSE Name
is Love. II this were alias it is the summation
of all-then, indeed, were all the pains and tolls
OF these forty eventful years well repaid
In fine, here are these States and Territories,
these populations and industries these churches
aud institutions, these harnessed forces these
elastic spirits, these lofty aspirations and these
loyal hearts-sometimes humbled, long proved,
to know what was in them, whether they would
keep the commandments OF the slightest or not
here they are, with story to TELL with power
behind them some prestige of victory on them,
and the urgency of vast momentum pressing
them pausing but for moment on some ami
versary occasion, TO reflect, TO consider, pro-
pose, p an, and purpose-resdy for the word
the spring, the push, the stern activity the high
endeayor; born of a resolute courage an
Astounding hope, self sacrificing soul, and
steetedged will; ready to take the land into
fuller possession, conquer the future, and build
the generations coming with shining splendor
into that glorious kr gdnm, (which is righteous.
ness, peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost
Fratcrnal Visit.
A wagonload of members OF the /. o. G.
T. of this CITY visited Freeport Lodge at