Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-29
ALL BARRIERS DOWN.
Episcopal Bishop Whitehead in the
Presbyterian Pulpit.
A UNIQUE SERVICE IN KNOXVILLE,
But as Full of Brotherly Love as it Was
Out of the Ordinary.
OTHER RELIGIOUS SERVICES OF THE DAY

A unique and impressive service took
place at the Presbyterian Church corner Of
Jucunda street and Knox avenue, Knox
Vile, yesterday afternoon. The Episcopal
ians transferred their service thither from
st. Martins Mission room. The pulpit was
adorned with beautiful vases of cut flowers,
and the rcstrum had the appearance of an
Episcopal altar.
Not many years ago an Episcopal
service like this would have been
deemed impossible. 1t has been
the policy of the Presbyterian
body to invincibly oppose and condemn any
thing savoring of the ritualistic ceremony,
and, on the other hand, the Episcopalians
have rigidly conformed to their ceremonial
customs. The service was held to awaken
people in sympathy with the church to the
needs of better accommodations for the dis
trict II is hoped church will soon be
built and a collection was taken to further
that object.
The Bishop, rector and choristers robed
themselves in one of the vestibules at the
west end of the church. The choir, clad in
purple cassocks and white cottas, led the
procession. The rector and Bishop followed.
The Bishop was robed in full canonicals.
The professional hymn was, pleasant Are
Thy Courts Above" and the recessional,
"There Is Blessed Home" The service
was choral throughout. Midway in the ser
vice six baptisms took place.
BISHOPS PREFACE AND SERMON.
Right Rev. Bishop Cortlandt Whitehead
preached a sermon, and prior to his sermon
he made the following remarks:
scarcely know why am here. came to
see the mission school, and for other pur-
pose. l had not expected to preach, especially
here. But some people seem to think when a
Bishop comes into their midst he must preach.
would be faithless to my ministry to my office
and to the people committed to my charge if
had not a message.
He then went on to say that st. Martins
Mission was privileged to be in connection
with st. Marks and be under the guidance
of the rector of that church; for, whether it
be a vine, a child or a mission, some stronger
hand must necessarily guide it to insure sue
cess and vitality. He then continued:
The service this afternoon is perfect in all its
detail, and l thank the authorities of this
church for the use of this house. and will show
them evidences of our gratitude. Our text will
be found in the 9th chapter of st. Marks
by the hand and lifted him up" Did
it ever strike you, the popularity OF Christ's
working of miracles ever strike you? He spoke,
He touched and He lifted up. How differen.
from our ways. Imagine man cf refinement
aud culture going into an almshouse and
touching all he might see there. He would be
Tepelled, and to touch them would be to send
thrill of horror through them. Yet Christ did
SO. He not only touched them, put lifted them
up.
Men preach about the resurrection, and with
some it is their constant theme; yet so few
preach on His incarnation. The incarnation
is the proof of Christ's divinity and without
His incarnation His atonement would have
been of no avail.
ONLY ONE AvAILED.
Thousands of men have been crucified; two
were crucified on either side of Him. Why
was Christ's atonement any more than the
malefactors'? Because Christ was the incar-
nate Son of God. The incarnation is the
stretching down of the holy arm to lift human
ity up.
Another way Christ reaches down His holy
arm is by baptism. We become members of
His body, His flesh, His bone, not only in a
spiritual sense. but in a physical. The Church
is an organic body. visible body. and every
member who is baptized is Joined to that body.
Christ, though not here has left something
tangible. We touch Christ through the church,
and it is the channel in winch He gives His
grace. The Episcopal Church stands firm on
the basis that man cannot bring anything
worthy in the sight of God. and he must ever
be the recipient of Gods mercy. So, then. bap-
tism is a sacrament of grace, and thus we
should receive it
The Bishop concluded his sermon by re-
ferring to the service they were engaged in,
and said:
Many people in the congregation will. no
doubt. be opposed to it, but we come with
message. Our way of delivering it may not
conform with your views, but Earnestly en-
n DellPVR n
churches, and in the erection of more of them,
wherever they are most needed. As the saloon
keeper and grocer choose their store. so that
they will be easily available, the Church should
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