The morning call., 1891-09-14
A UNIQUE SHRINE.
ST. Johns Church Opened for
Divine Service.
Sermon Of assistant Bishop Niehols-Novel
Features of the Edifco-A Gallery
for Young Ladies'

The UNIQUE edifice which the conGrega-
ton Of the Church of ST. John the Evan
gelist has built on Fifteenth street, near
Valencia, was opened for divine worship
yesterday.
The building, of the Byzantine order oil
architecture, with dash OF renaissance,
is probably the most picturesque structure
in the city, and was found worthy OF de-
scription and illustration in the New York
Herald when its foundation was laid one
wear ago. The architect, as he stood in
dark recess during the service yesterday
morning, heard many enthusiastic encom-
inns of the product of his talent yesterday.
owing to the fact that mortgage of
$4,000 hangs over the church the dedication
ritual was not used, but the service that
took its place was very beautiful and I'M
presSive. Right Rev. w. l. KIP, Bishop
of California, occupied the Episcopal
Chair. He seemed TO be unusually feeble,
and arose but once during the service. HIS
GRANDSON. Rev W. l. kip, occupied q seat
in the chancel. and after the organ prelude
the following clergympn, wearing Surpllces
and escorted by Senior Warden /. W. Van
RevnegOm, entered the church and also
took seats 10 the chancPl: Assistant Bishop
Nichols; Rev. Dr. \. l. Brewer and Kew.
W A. Brewer, Of San Mateo; Rev. John
Gray, rector Of the Church Of the Advent;
Rev Df. David Mcclure and Rev: John j.
Capwell. of Oakland Rev. 7. q. Williams,
Rev II. Movies and Rev. Henry Hewitt
The congregation filled the pews in the
auditorium and galleries, ana stools had 10
he placed in the aisles and In the many
nooks and recesSes which are formed 10y
the peculiar plan OF the church.
The singing was led by a volunteer choir.
who handled the difficult music of the old
masters most skillfully, and won for them
frFE fIra rTf in
the congregation.
The solemn dedicatOry prayers, in which
the divine blessing IS asked upon every
baptism, confirmation, marriage and conf
luuninn held in the church, were offered Oy
the assistant Bishop, after which the ser
vice proceeded in the following order: Ser
vice for the holy communion in fat Al
fred j. Eyre: Kyrie EleiSOn; Gloria and
Gratas; Credo; Hymn 43l; sermon; offer
torium; presentation; Sursum Cred0; Sane
tus Benedietus Qui VENT; Hymn 207; Az
nus Del; EuehaTlStiC hymn, "Oh. Saving
Victim" Gloria in EXcelSis; AblutiUn, Nunc
Dimittis; Recesslonal, Hymn 279; postlude,
prelude and lugue in F minor.
The sermon was preached by Assistant
Bis hon Nichols who took for his text part
uf the fifteenth verse OF the third chapter Of
the First Book Of Timothy The church OF
the living God. the pillar and ground Of the
truth" The strong statement Of the text,
lie held, assumes that truth needs pillar
and ground; for IN these days men are
tossed about BY doubts and theories, and
the skeptcal question, What is truth? is
asked again and again. The truth referred
10 in the text was not scientific, but moral
and religious truth, and it is Of that truth
that the church Is the pillar and the ground.
1t means the true knowledge Of God, the
definite truth taught in the Bible, and has
nothing TO do with the eucyclo-
pedia. 1t is around this truth our
greatest interest gathers, fer all spr-
itual discomfortS and aches arise from
insecurity as TO the faith. Minds carelesslY or
wilIfully open to Misunderstanding influences
have recoileG from taxes upon their credu-
lily and from alleged miracles. and have
become hopeless over the difference be-
tween what Christianity Is doing and what
1t should be doing
The result of these questionings does not
st . with doubt. To any heart that has be-
lieYe0 GO lose It's faith Is a mental tragedy,
for the struggle between doubt and faith is
q struggle for life
Disturb your faith but little and YOU at
once turn to ind a witness to establish il.
The question you ask yourself is: How am
] TO know what IS the truth and that it is
the trutu that will endure for all time ,"
The text, the preacher held. answers such
questions in its declaration that the church
is the pillar and the ground of the truth,
and it Is pillar aud ground that cannot
change ami Will endure to eternity.
fides, sO-ca!led, after all are believers in
some master OF some philosophy. The man
who does not believe IN Moses probably be-
leyes in Feldhausen. and if you go to his
room y on VIII fud that he has replaced the
Bible with Ingersoll, and that all his state
nents and arguments are taken from these
masters, whose themes change as the world
changes. They have no witness, n ground
10 establish that truth.
The Bishop spoke Of the new edifce as an
evidence of the strength and progress of the
church IN this city, Il was a witness OF tile
fidelity of the Bishop, the rector and the
congregation, and lie heartily congratulated
them on the result of their set-denial and
zeal. In conclusion be t0uchingly referred
10 the recent deeease of Rector Spalding's 8
brother, who was also a clergyman.
Before TecItiug the text that is used be-
fore the offertorHm Rector Spalding briefly
replied TO the Bishops address. He rapidly
sketrhed the history of the church and
warmly Landed the generosity and self
denial of his congregation, VINO. whether
Ilcl or poor, had earnestly labOred to pro-
vide a suitable temple for the God they
NUTShiped.