Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-10-07
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DEDICATED.
Interesting and Impressive Ceremonies at
Durham, ". C.--Dedicatory sermon.
Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.l


Durham. y. C.--Dedicatory Sermon.
Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatchl
| DURHAM. N. c.. October 9, 1890.
The services at the new Presbyterian
| church on yesterday were Of q very in
/ teresting and imposing character. The
/ Baptist and Methodist churches held no
/ service today, and all united in rejoicing
with their Presbyterian friends in the
| completion Of their new house of worship.
/ The Committee on Finance made its re-
| port which showed the cost of the build
| ing to be about Sl4.5O0. It is q comforta-
/ bic, convenient, and well-arranged brick
edIfice, slate roof, lighted with electricity.
/ The seats are placed in a senl-clrcle. 80
that all look toward the preacher. who
stands in the centre Of the amphitheatre.
/ A Sabbath-school room u so constructed
| that the partition con be thrown open and
the audience-rOom enlarged. Every avail
able space was filed yesterday.
HISTORY or THE CHURCH.
| The pastor Rev. II. T.. Darnell, gave a
| brief sketch of the origin and growth OF
| the Presbyterian church IN Durham. Rev.
Thomas n. Faucett (whO was present. was
| the first pastor. and in the early days of
I this city preached 90 a small band in the
| Academy known as the Masonic Lodge. In
/ 1871 the church was organized with eleven
members. They were served by keys. Drury
! Lacy, Y. II. Dalton. and James II. Fitz-
| gerald. In 1876 plain editce was begun,
| but for some time the congregation wor-
shipped IN an unfinished house. The pull
PIT was made of boxes piled one on the
| other. aud the seats we're made OF lumber
placed on blocks. From these small be
| ginnings the church has grown and pros
pcTed until il is now strong and vigorous.
Under the present pastOrate, which be-
gan eleven years ago, an average OF TWEEN
ty-four members per year has been added
until the number now reaches 299. Durlng
the last decade nineteen have died, and
among them were three elders and one
deacon. Outside of the expenditures on
the new church this small charge has
raised for all purposes SD, 1874, which
shows degree Of liberality unpTecedent-
ed in this community. The Presbyterians
Of Durham, therefore. have great reason
TO be thankful that they have prospered,
and should take courage and make greater
efforts for enlarged usefulness IN the cause
of Christianity in this city. Reys. j.. j..
White, OF the Baptist Church, and VIII
helm and Faucet, Of the Presbyterian
Church, occupied seats in the pulpit.
OBLIGATORY SERMON.
Rev. James Y. FAR of your city, preached
the dedicatory sermon. His text was from
the Sd chapter of Acts, "A part of the 10th
verse: THE Beautiful Gate of the Temple
lie kept the attention of the large and in
terested audience for nearly an hour in the
elucidation of this text. He showed that
as David decided TO build a magnificent
temple TO the Most High God, so all Chris
tians should erect houses Of worship on
the most approved style, and adorn and
beautlfy them so "a TO elevate our minds
and inspire our devOtiOns. Education de-
mands costly colleges; pleasure, theatres;
suffering, hospitals; benighted heather,
the costiiest temples. and why should not
Christianity have her beautiful shrlnes III
which to adore her great CREATOR
TO THE TEMPLE.
As the beautiful gate was the entrance
TO the temple. 80 should we enter through
the church INTO the spiritual temple where
God can be contemplated and wOrshipped.
We should not stop short ut the gate, but
enter into the temple where We tirst meet
the altar of incense with the lamb bleed
ing TO typifv The slain Lamb Of God who
taketh away the sin of the world Then
the Saver Of Cleansing and the Holy u
Holes. emblems of sanctification and en-
tire conservation 10 the service OF God, all
these should engage the attention OF
Christians He admOnished his congre-
CATION not to trust to the outward build
ing, but TO strive after that knowledge
which makes wise unto salvation. Let the
voice OF eloquence, the strains OF sweetest
music ring through the arches of our
houses of worship, but let them be a
means of directing to Christ the lamb SLAIN
from the foundation of the world. Nor
should we stop here. This power of Christ
should be disseminated out OF the church
and carried TO the uttermost parts of the
earth until all shall be brought TO the
knowledge Of the truth.
The sermon was we'll received and all
the large audience went away feeling 1t
was good TO be there.