Bridgeton pioneer., 1889-05-02
DEDICATED TO SERVICE.
THE FOURTH M. +. CHURCH
EDIFICE OPEN.
The DedicatOry Services Con-
Quoted by Bishop q. ID. FOss.
$4,000 Raised.

| Just as the church bells ceased ring
ing out their glad notes of welcome
Sunday morning, the sun peeped out
from behind the dark clouds which
had hid its bright face FOR two days.
and the managers of the dedication of
the Fourth M. E. Church were glad,
for good congregations were expected.
The first service was held in the
Commerce street M. E. Church in the
morning, and the congregation was u
very large one. Upon the pulpit sat
Bishop Cyrus D. Foss. DIR. Thomas
Hanlon, of Pennington; Presiding Ell
der Dobbins, and Revs. Johu Handley
and Ct. G. Stanger. A choir of twenty
voices, conducted by John w. Hewitt,
sat in the gallery and added to the in
teresting occasion. The sermon was
preached by Bishop Foss, his text be-
ing Hebrew, 18th. chapter, and 1st.
verse: Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of
things not SEEN" Upon this line he
presented four thoughts which were
beautiful in their simplicity, and so
easy in application. The Bishop has a
soft, musical voice, and his sermon
was given in a conversational tone,
which was pleasing and interesting.
Space alone forbids complete synop-
sis of the sermon.
After the sermon G. w. Shoemaker,
one of the trustees of the Fourth
Church, read list of those persons
who had subscribed to the building
fund, and Presiding Elder Dobbins
stated that $35O0 was needed for the
payment of every debt. Subscriptions
were then opened, and before the
benediction was announced $S70 had
been added to the fund.
In the afternoon the new church
building was opened to the public for
the first time. A light rain fall had its
effect upon the attendance, but when
the choir sang its first anthem, large
congregation was. seated in the hand
some room. Rev. George H. Neal, O
Trinity M. E. Church, preached the
first sermon from the pulpit, his text
being from Ephesians, 4th chapter and
5th verse, ''One Faith" The sermon
was plain and forcible and at its con-
clusion collection was taken, and
$162.76, was realized.
On behalf of Miss Elsie Ogden, the
little daughter of S. M. Ogden, the
church was presented with hand
some Bible and hymn book for the
pulpit. 1t was also announced that
the iron fence to placed in front of the
building was presented by Cox & Sons,
and the labor by the workmen of that
place. The curbing was laid and pre-
sented by M. w. Appelgate.
In the evening the seating capacity
of the church was severely tested, over
five hundred persons being crowded in
the building. Hundreds of persons
were turned away, unable to gain an
admittance.
The sermon was preached by DR..
Thomas Hanlon, of Pennington Semin-
ary. He took his text from Matthew,
10th chapt. and 10th, 90, 21st verses.
This declaration the Doctor thought,
was one of the most remarkable ever
uttered, and we did not realize it, be-
causeit had been taught us from child
hood and was made by Christ. The
great trouble with the average man is
that we forget the two claims of wants.
| We are apt to think that we must
only take care of our bodies. When
this church becomes old and gone in
decay, we will be gone and what we
wear or what we eat here, is of little
| moment.
The first thought is that success
teaches us to look into the future.
The instinct Of man is to add to his
fortune. 1t is based upon the right
line, but we do not look far enough.
The more we look in the future the
more are we enobled. The great
difficulty with us is that we want
everything now. He asked young men
to look into the future by ceasing to
spend money for sensual qualification,
and study and prepare themselves for
future success. No man can attain
success without forethought.
Another thought is, we may all be
rich. OF course the resources of the
world are not SO great that we can all
have surplus of this worlds goods,
but we can attain the greatest rich
ness. True riches is attained through
the gateway that is open for everyone
of us. Lay up for yourself treasures in
heaven.
Earthly riches amount to little. Men
who built the houses and factories here
fifty years ago, where are they? When
great man dies what does it benefit
him because he was great? What does
it profit q man if he gains the whole
world and lose his own soul? Napoleon