Democratic messenger., 1889-10-26

gOOu as dOu. we nave shtu tuht VIC uuu
a total loss. But there was one exception.
The only things we saved were the silver
communion chalices. for they happened
to be In another building, and I take that
fact as typical that we are to be In com
munion with all Christendom. II believe
In the communion Of saints :"
] think, II all the Brooklyn tiremcn aud
all insurance companies should search
among those ruins on Schermcrhorn
street. they would not find a splinter large
As the tip end Of the little finger marked
with bigotry. Aud as II Is said that the
cxhumed bricks Of the walls Of Babylon
have on them the letter n, standing for
Ncbuchadnezzar, declare TO you that u
we ever get new church the letter we
should like to have
on EVERY STONE AND EVERY TIMER
would bc the letter Z. for that would stand
both for Christ and for Catholicity. The
last two words uttered in the old church
On Friday night, some of you may remcm.
bcr, were "lIallclujah Amcn!"
The two words that utter now MS most
expressive Of my feelings in this our first
service. after the Baptism Of Fire. are
"iIallelujah! Amen" "Nonc Of these
things move me-"
We are kept in this m8od by two or
three considerations. The first Is that
God rules In what way the church took
fire do not know. II has been charged
on the lightnings. Well the Lord con.
trolls the lightnings. lie managed them
several thousands Of years before our
electricians were born. The Bible indi.
Gates that, though they flash down the
sky rccklessly, God builds for them road
10 travel.
In the Psalms il Is said: "llc made u
way for the lightning and the thunder
Ever since the time of benjamin Frank.
lin the world has been trying 10 tame the
lightnings and they seem TO be quite
well harncssed, but they occasionally kick
over the traces. Blu, though we cannot
master great natural forces. God can aud
does, and that God is our Father and hest
Friend. and this thought gives us conf
dence.
We are also reinforced by the increased
consolation that comes from confratrrni-
" Of SORROW. The people who during the
last 10 years sat ON the other side Of the
aisle. whose faces were familiar to YOU
but To whom you had never spoken-you
greeted them this week with smiles and
tears rs yen said: well. the old place
is gone. You did not want Ia seem tn
cry. and soyou swept the sleeve near the
corner Of the eve. and pretended il was
the sharp wind made your eyes weak
All ! there was nothing the matter with
your eyes ii was
YoCR soUi. IrBIliNG OVER.
tell you that il is impossible Ia sit for
years around the church iirsidc aud not
have sympathcs in common. Somehow
you feel that you would like those people
you know In, little. prospcrc'l, and par.
done,. and blessed. and saved. Iou feel
as if yOn are in the same boat. aud you
want to glide up the same harbor aud
want TO disembark at the same wharf.
If you put gold and iron and lead and
zinc in sufficient heat they will melt into
u conglomcratc mass and | really feel
that last Sablmlh's fire has fused us ALL
grnsscr and finer natures, into one. II
seems ms IL we all had our hands on q
wire connected with an electric battery
and when this church sorrow started il
thrilled through the whole circle. and
we all felt the shock The oldest man and
the youngest child could join hands in this
misfortune. Grandfather said: i cx-
pected from those altars To- he buried y
and one oi the children last Sabbath cried
"Grandpa, that place was next TO our own
house" Yea. we are supported and con
fi,leni in this Time by the cross Of Christ
That is used To the fire. On the dark
day when Jesus died the lightning struck
i, from above, and the fumes of hcl
! dashed up against il from beneath. That
fearful. painful. tender. blessed cross siil
stands. On /, we hang all our hopes he
meath il We put down all our sins ; in The
light Of Il We expect to make the rest oI
our pilgrimage. Within sight of such :
sacrifice. who tan feel he has il hard: II
the sight of such u symbol, WHO can III
discouraged, however great the darkness
that may come down upon him: Iesn'
lives The loving. patient, sympa,hizine
mighty Jesus. |, shall not he told on
earth, or in hell, or IN Heaven. that three
Hebrew children had the Son of God be
side them in the fire, and that n Who'll,
church was iorsakcn hy the Lord whcr
they went
THROUGH \ FURNACE
about 80 feet wide. q Lord Jesus shal
we take out of Thy hand the flowers ant
the fruits and the brightness AMI the jo. 5
and then turn away because Thou dos
give MS one cup Of bitterness 10 drink
oh no. Jesus; we will drink il dry. Bu
how II is changed! Blessed Jesus, wha
hast 7 hOu put into the cup To swecten II
Why Il has become the wine of Heaven
and our souls grow strong. come now
aud place both of my feet deep down int
the blackencd ashes of our consume,
church. and cry oui with an exhilara
ton iha, never felt since the day of N,
souls emancipation, Victory! victory
through our Lord Jesus Christi"
Your harps. yc trembling saints.
| Down from the willows take.
| Loud to the praise the lOsc divine
Iiid every string awake.
We are also reinforced by the catholic
iiy that have already referred 10 W.
are in the Academy tot day. not because VI
have no other place To go. Las, Sabbath
morning at o oclock We hal hut on'