St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-06
A YEARS GRAND WORK
The First Service Held in the
Park Congregational
Church.
The Occasion Made DOubly
Impressive by the Pastors
Installation.
The Exercises and DeScrip-
ton of the New Edi-
flee.
Sermons Preached in Promi-
nent Minneapolis Pulpits
Yesterday.

The public installation of Rev. Frank
P. Woodbury. as pastor of the Park Az
enue Congregational church occurred
yesterday afternoon at the beautiful
new editice, on the corner OF Franklin
and Park avenues. What made the
services more impressive and gave
them double significance was the fact
that they were the first ever held in the
new church. The doors OF the house OF
worship, the plans of which were laid
just year ago. were opened to the
public for the first time, and the tuneful
music of the skillfully rendered
"Te Deum" echoed through the
for the first time. The pulpit
a small and simple affair was decorated
with two large vases filled with roses,
and the rostrum and other portions of
the church were lined with flowers and
plants. The services began at 3 O'Clock,
but long before that hour had arrived
the church was crowded to its fullest
capacity, every seat in the main audi
torium being filled, necessitatlng the
opening of the huge sliding doors OF the
chapel and seating the rest there.
THE CEREMONIES
began by the singing of the anthem in
excellent time and voice by the choir,
composed of the following well known
singers: Mrs. Gleason. pianist; Mrs.
Marks, Mrs. Ides, Mrs. Woodbury., Miss
Baxter. Miss fowler and Messrs. s. III.
fowler. James and King. God hath
appointed day." sang the choir--"ap-
pointed day" swept through the church
by the chorus.
The report of the result of the exam
lining council was then read by Rev.
George S. Paddovy, of the Como Ave
nue. church, and the invocation was de-
livered by Rev. Samuel Rogers, OF st.
Paul. After a sscrilptura.l reading ny
Rev. w. Jones, the beautiful hymn, IL
Love Thy Kingdom, Lord" was sung.
Rev. C. f. Thwing then delivered his
sermon Oh The Dignity of the Christ
tan Ministry" He took his text from
the book OF jeremiah. XXI, ia: Il will
Satiate the souls of the priests with fat
ness"
THE SERMON
was very interesting one and delivered
in very able manner. During his dis
course he said that when it came to
using the term called as applied to
the ministry, he understood that any
man who wished to use his life in the
service of the Lord, and who had clear
brain and believing heart, might be
termed called to the ministry. ANY
body who believes he can best serve
God in the ministry" said the pastor. lis
called; but any man OF minister VINO
thinks he can serve God best some other
way than in the ministry is not called.
Any man who hears me to-day and
thinks his heart is fitted to serve God
through the agency OF the ministry. and
whose mental functions are dellcately
enough strung for the ordeal. is called
to the ministry"
Rev. Thwing went on to say that it
was claimed by some that the taWdry
and snowy were the qualities necessary
to assure success rather than belief and
solid good sense. He, however, thought
different, and thought the man who was
tawdry and snowy in his actions would
become the same himself. AS a rule,
clergymen were of the intellectual and
intelligent class. The ministerial brain
was none too large, although it was not,
perhaps, any smaller than those of men
of other callings. 1.-The dignity of the
ministry" continued Mr.. Thwing, sis
materially injured by the evolutions
of this age which does not like SIM
plicity and studiOusness. which constl-
tute the dignity of the Christian min
istry. 1t may be said OF the ministry
the same as the poet said: Nothing is
foreign to me that belongs to the
world With the ministry it might be:
Nothing is foreign to it that belongs to
the universe The study OF medicine
is narrowed down to the morbid condi-
lions of the body, while the study of the
ministry is widened out in the study of
man. mans body, mind and soul. The
ministry has dignity because it is an
embassy and stands between God and
man."
After Rev. Thwing had finished his
sermon the ''Te Deum'' was sung. This
was followed 10y the prayer OF installa-
ton by the moderator, Rev. A. Had
dock, and the charge to the pastor by
Rev. George r. Merrill. The beautiful
song entitled, Hear Our Prayer" was
then rendered very effectively by trio,
after which the fright hand of fellow
ship was rendered the new pastor by
Rev. S. w. Dickinson and Rev. S. VS..
Fisher delivered a lenghthy charge to
the members of the church.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
The Park Avenue church was orga-
nized Oct. IA. 1867, under the auspices
OF Rev. William LedVlIt, WIZ Ldu d
membership of twenty. Rev. Leavitt
renamed in charge until Nov. IA, 1869,
when Rev. Prescott Fay succeeded him,
and occupied the pulpit until Nov. Is,
1871. On May /, 1872, Rev. Bumstead
was ordained as the pastor. He re-
signed in March, 1875. In 1871 two lots
were purchased on the corner of Thir
teenth street and Franklin avenue. and
new church erected. Rev. E. S. Will
Jams was called as pastor directly
after Rev. Burnstead's resignation, and
remained until July Is, 1894. In No
vember of the same year. Rev. ii. c.
Hovey, was ordained, and he continued
the work until May 3, 1887. Rev. Wood
bury who was installed yesterday. was
called, and began his work March 25,
1883.
THE NEW CHURCH.
The new church edifce is built of hand
some red stone, and cost, together with
the chapel, $4,000. The ground on
which it stands is valued at $4,000.
The seating capacity of the audita-
rum is 700, and the chapel 400. 1t is
beautifully finished and upholstered on
the interior with oak and red plush.
The trustees of the church are. Wyman
Elliott. William Jennings, A. H. Bode,
c. S. Bardwell, and Charles l.. Cove.
MISSIONS IMPERATIVE.