The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-31
DEDICATED TO THE LORD.
WESLEY MONUMENTAL CHURCH
FORMALLY CONsECRATBD.

WESLEY MONUMENTAL CHURCH
FORMALLY CONSECRATBD.
Bishop Wilson Receives the Edifice
from the Builders and Sets it Apart
for Gods Work-A Magnificent Mon
unlent to BIethodisn's Great Found
er-The Congregation Freed from
Debt by over $500 in Contribu-
tons - Bishop Wilson's Dedicatory
Sermon resident Gambler and DR..
Morriscn's Discoursss.
Wesley Monumental church, memorial
e. the founder OF MethCdism, was formally
set apsrt for worship yesterday.
The church was begun fourteen years ago
under the ministrations Of its present
Dqss9r. who has now seen his work brought
almost to completion, and a magnificent
monument built IN honor of the great
preacher who, during his early life. labored
almost on the very ground upon which the
church is built.
Tie dedtcatory service was at II o'clock.
Long before that hour. though, the church
was crowded with people. The magnificent
auditorium with its spacious galleries
was hacked Every pew was filed
unable to pet inside at all. There were no
decorations. They would have marred the
beauty of the auditorium.
In the pulpit with Bishop Wilson were
Rev. a. II. Wynn. pastor of the church;
Rev. C. H. Morrison, d. D., of Atlanta; Rev
Warren Gambler, D. D., president Of Emory
College; Presiding Elder L. I. Christian,
and Rev. d. r. Riley, Of the New Houston
Street church.
After the singing OF the hymn GAN Hail
the Power Of Jesus Name" the pastor de-
livered fervent invocation and the dedica-
tory anthem was sung.
THE OBLIGATORY SERMON.
Bishop Wilson preached the dedicatory
sermon from the text: ''This is
my beloved Son; hear Him" Supreme
interest, he said, conferred in Christ his saw
ings, and his deeds. His words were
weighty; his expressions we're divine wis
dom. who is this man with such wisdom,
who does such mighty works." the people
asked. He was mystery to them from the be.
ginning. His transactions and his utterances
touching their secret life were mystifying.
His teachings passed beyond the thought of
that time and included the world, not alone
as it was then, but as it will be even up to
the end How could such a man, a carpenter,
born in a stable, with no ecclesiastical
training or rank. bid the people come unto
him and give them rest. This man, with
poverty his best feature, how could he
command those in authority. God so loved
the world that he gave his only bsgottep
son, that whosoever believed his word and
would come unto him should have eternal
life.
This humble man, said the bishop,
startled the people when be told them II
am the bread Of life" Such expressions
as these led them to inquire about him and
to look into the clements of his character
and the manner of his life.
He spoke of eternal things and he knew
of eternal things He spoke not as q scribe,
but as one who had right to speak, because
he knew. His demand was implicit
and unqualified. As the people began to
inquire about him light began 20 dawn
upon northern Jerusalem, and Christ asked
them, Whom does the son Of man say that
ana Whom say ye that ans" The heav-
ems seemed to open, and they replied, 'Thou
art the Christ, the son of the living God.n
This, said the bishop, was necessary. Be-
wlldered by his forces, they were not pre-
pared to see the Christ 60 into degradation
and suffer criminal death. They saw in
him God, and they realized that with him
all things were possible. They had come to
the acknowledgment of tho fact that he
was the son of God.
MANS HIGHEST ATTAINMENT IN GOD.
God came so us in human ferm," the
life that nen reach their highest attain
ment. Man must have communion with God
and when everything earthly is swept away
grandeur, If he has il, will shine brilliantly
and if he has character it viii stand out re-
splendent. Moses, the bishop said never
knew his real condition in the rank Of Gods
elect until tenpests had shut him in and he
heard the still small voice of God. Thea
he was commissioned and qualified. The
old prophet did not know divine
profession until an earthquake
passed without harming fiber
of his prophetic soul. Then came the still
small voice and he fell down and worshiped
God. With God ali things were possible,
except to change his character as God. He
could have renowned his attitude of that
time; be could put off the freedom of life;
he could be marred and bruised, but bis
character was that of the son OF God.
Wherever he went, he was subject to no
earthly jurisdiction and no power could
change him.
''about the humanity of our Lord, often
times in this strain, they unconsciously
charge him with incapability of compass
sion on man. 1t was not in human nature
that he reached his highest point. | know
how far humanity can go. We can calcu-
late what human nature is capable of do
ing and if that is all of Christ, there is
ue1eCt uLlu 4aluIe.
GODS POWER.
The people thought, the bishop said, his
+ power might make a kingdom over which
they should rule with Christ, hut they got a
higher meaning when Christ spoke to them.
IT Philip had been with God at the time of
the TRANSPORTATION he would not have
asked "Show me the father. .
What is the rank of this mana
the preacher asked. What is his standing
in gospel record and christian history! His
rank was such as to dispIease anybody with
the slightest ungodliness. Further, his
holiness was so powerful that it could not
remain with corruption.
81 stand at his grave and look at him
appalled, by his death, aud inspired by his
majesty. | thank GOD for the revelation.
That covering, that garb of poverty
could not hide the character of
God. Tt shone out with life.
Now you ask of his rank
among men, answer that he had none.
There was no nobility that could recognize
@him. The kings could not, for Christ was a
prince; the wise could not, for his name
stood first in the court of the eternal king
dom. The angels worshiped him. He had
n name above any other. He was raised
from the dead above the principalities and
powers, and overy name that is in heaven
or earth. He was the first born of God the