Morning journal and courier., 1890-12-11

Milford.
4 SPECIALLY INTERESTING oCCASIoN-A FORMER
PASTOR.
Dec. 1o-The people of the First Congrega-
tional church came together Sunday morning
with the pleasant anticipation to hear one of
their most highly esteemed former pastors, the
The The, confidence and love which he inspired as
pastor Of this church have not grown less
during the years, as was shown by the large ap-
His text was from Ruth xvi, 0: will give to
thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: The
sermon was hopeful and inspiring, especially the
latter part in which he referred to the church in
these words:
And now let me remind you as congregation
of Christian people of your vast trust in the
possession of this ancient church. Two hun
dred and ffty.on years ago your fathers in the
wilderness in simple faith In Jesus Christ took
the keys of the kingdom.
At once they swept away the superstitions OF q
thousand years and set up the simple altar Of
Apostolic days. They said it was their right:
Christ could trust them with his Bible, his sacra-
ments, his spirit, they would see these great
gifts did not suffer in their hands.
SO they. stood face to face with God
and made this covenant with him: ave do give
up ourselves wholly to We Lord Jesus Christ, to
conditions and conversations in this world.
avouching him to be our only prophet and teach
or. our only priest and Precipitation our only
Think Of that scene; Those seven men, your
ancestors, in the great barn at New Haven when
all was wilderness in Connecticut. stand
and make for themselves and their children such
q church To me It Is one OF the sublimest scenes
in history. From far across the sea they had fled
from pleasant homes that here alone they might
give to themselves and their children liberty to
obey Jesus Christ. This was their hope: That
here cody nation would grow. whose people
would make the law of love their law in all
nere would i've who would
ship In love, do business In love- bring up their
children in love; that in politics, education re-
should have but one simple law-"Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as myself" That is the law of
Christ. and they said they would have no other,
governed by that.
You cannot read the only records of this town
all ' their doings. The wheie aim Of the politics
| and business, as well as the worship of that
not to but to give They
| life was hard, but they made it easier by this
| spirit OF mutual forbearance and helpfulness.
their oseet obey and live egether
brethren in love. And what riches is like thats
Nog enS
| this town were laid in love. Its cornerstone
was Jesus Christ It's civil law was Thou shalt
love tty neighbor as myself" Its religion was
to visit the fatherless and widows in their affic-
] lions and to keep unspotted from the world: It's
ali the people in one assembly to the one all Civ
1 That. friends, was the SeeQS your 1atnerS
planted by the little river. Was it not precious
| seeds Did ever men act more unselfishlyf What
! could we wish that they had done other than
| they did ,d dos Wherein could we improve upon
/ Those Wise, stern iron hearted men, who
buried themselves . as the seeds OF new and
VEIL bretsren, Would not recall the achieve
q ala e think
| not remind you Of the fathers from which you
l sprang did not think that you, were worthy of
such an ancestry. would not trouble you with
the tale of their great work did not think that
l you were able to complete the task they so
| They call upon us from their unmarked graves
to be as worthy Of our great day as they were of
The one great lesson of their lives is this: 'Ex-
cept corn of wheat fall into the ground and die
it abideth alone, but If it die it bringeth forth
| II they had cared for ease and comfort they
| would have stayed in ''merrie England, " but they
sacrifice all present hope of ease, and now see the
fruit of their doing in this great land Of freedom
Gn
hated and forgotten! The iaurels of our fathers
| will not let US rest.
| watered in blood and tearsl What of storm and
| hail has 1t not enduredl But still it stands in
religion Of love Over all its foundations, walls
and spire all men may read: Thou shalt love
Jesus Christ with all thy heart. mind, soul and
shall cease to speak in such a language then let
the old church be burned to ashes and let its site
be forgotten.
But It has not ceased, nor will it cease to
speak for brothers hands, sacrifice and love.
OF all things in Milford, still 1t is the most valua
| BILE and sacred. Its life is the best life Of the
To-day, as look over this audience and see
your dear familiar faces, / know speak to loyal
souls, who love this church as they love their
| life Well, 1t is worthy Of such love- any
man loves his own viii, or opinion, or money or
ease, or himself, more than he loves this church,
he is not worthy of such q church If any man
is not willing to sacrifice his will, or ease, or
health, or any other possession, for the love he
bears the church, then he is not worthy of such
D church.
Indeed it seems to me that any sacrifc of
time or wealth. or labor, feeling, or will,
would be easy, nay glorious, If by any means
the life Of the old church can be promoted.
Whatsoever fails in Milford town it must go
on. It must do its work You must complete
the task of its founders.
So once more covenant with God, that you
will love the good Jesus Christ supremacy and
that whatever betides, you will walk together
as brothers In holy love.
Hear Christ say to you: / give you the keys
Of this old church, its Bible It's sacramcnts, It's
fellowship, its fathers, It's welfare its future,
| rs good NAME its work. All give to you. /
| trust you. I belieyein you.
How ahall We respond 10 speh trusti