The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-24
UNITARIAN CHURCH.

UNITARIAN CHURCH.
Rev. william @. Eliot, Jr., Greeted
DR.. NJ. j. Savage breaches.
The reopening of the Unitarian church
was celebrated yesterday morning by serv-
ices Of great interest. The audience was so
large that when the hundreds of chairs
were filled many left for want of seats,
while others patiently stood throughout
the services. The floral decorations were
beautiful and special choir for the occa-
sion added to the interest.
After choir anthem and "0ld Hun
dred" by the congregation, Mr.. Joseph
Shipper, president of the board of trus-
tees, gave the following words of greeting
He said:
Weafe just closing our summer vacation. We
meet this morning under mott favorable auspices
e begin another year Of church life aud aetiv-
psihisDg visitors from this and other cities;
end " are glad to have as our preacher today,
kev. d. Savage, OF Boston, who began his min-
bfry ne missionary to this then distant coast.
ln yoqf present return. DR.. Savage, We greet
and welcome ron as a representative of modern
liberal CHRISTIAN religious thought
Aud, friends, we have the privilege of also
esecfnS and welcoming this morning TO our
chnrch, our homes and our hearts Mr.. William
=. ELIOT tr., who has accepted our invitation to
school for year, TO become our minister and
pastor for that period. That it was his own
vish and offer to come in expectation of receiv-
ang no stipulated salary, but only such c0mpen-
sation az the ability and wishes OF this young
ana struggling society may grant, challenges
our admira,ion and financial liberality;
honored name our new pastor bears-that name
OF Eliot so identified with missionary zeal and
With Chrf tan morals and education-from the
John Eliot, who. two centuries ago, translated
the Bible into the Indian tongue, TO Charles w.
iiot, president Of Harvard university, and his
son, who was one OF the pioneers in forming this
society. and the donor Of our handsome pulpit
Bible. Fain would / speak of Rev. William @.
Eliot OF revered and sainted memory as the
nssfppf valley-the president of the Western
sanitary commission during our civil war-the
founder and chancellor of Washington univer-
eity at g. Louis: and also of his son, Rev.
Thomas l. Eliot, our loved minister at Portland.
hut our new pastor comes with no undue pride
Seore M o on the s 81 sss me
young knight full of enthusiasm and earnest
conservation. He is here to put on the armor
light to render the church militant the church
triumphant shall we not see to 1t that by no
eoldnees or indifference OF ours that enthusi-
se Thoe ns geS ii.
wish that this eyent--a crisis In both his life
and the life OF the society-be celebrated with
our pleasing privilege as well as our duty TO re-
cetve him with assurances Of our welcome and
cooperation.
Turning the Mr.. Eliot Mr.. Shipper said:
So, my friend, Mr.. Eliot, personally and on be-
nall OF the board Of trustees and the members
liberal religious people of this city represented
oy this large audience, with sincerity and pleas
ufe, 1 e,d you welcome; assuring you that here,
- In all Unitarian pulpits, there is perfect free
: dom Tor the ufterance OF your earnest thoughts
IN search OF truth, OF your doubts ss well as
eonvietions We take this occasion to renew to
pledges aO-nn
uon a. disciples of Jesus Christ, and of our de-
nN 70 become co-workera with you rs our
friend. pastor and spiritual leader to do what
we can to built up in the lives OF ourselves and
o!hers the kingdom OF God. Accept our grasp
o. hearty greeting as our minister and pastor.
The brief, spirited, hopeful and sympa-
thetic response of Mr.. Eliot won all hearts,
preparing them for earnest union in the
devout and impressive prayer by DIR. Saw
age. Scripture reading by Mr.. Eliot was
followed by Whittier's beautiful hymn,
On, sometimes CLEANS upon our sight,
Which was given out by Rev. Herman
Hangerud, of Puyallup, after which came
the sermon by DR.. Savage. Owing to the
WEAKNESS incident to a weeks travel with
fatigue and loss of sleep the preacher, con-
trary to usual custom, read his sermon,
which was, however listened to through
out with wrapt attention. The subject
was THE Church in Modern Life" and
the discourse was based upon the follow
Ing passages:
The removing OF those things that
are shaken, as OF things that are made, that
Nose u ngs which cannot be shaken may re-
main Heb. I2:2T
The word Of God, which livesh and sbideth
forever, Peter l:2&
The sermon was as follows:
An Intelligent friend of mine said TO me the
hA 81 Ia
Win the freshest modern thought-"In giving
~ tue OLD ortrines is not the motive for
ssnnsehgoiag taken away" This question I'M
o0notediy represents a large BODY of present
sh.nlon: thousands OF persons have lost their
W motives Tor church attendance, and are not
Ssssie whether there are any other valid ones
- axe their place.
Ayear OF two since an eminent Greek scholar
England, Professor Mahaffey publ shed his
Ss.aon That the eond tons OF modern thought
~ SUITE changed the mission and outlook of
sssaaufch. He inclined to the op Mon that eulu-
~ 49, men and women no longer needed II, and
osss. ~ rork now lay chiefly among the lower
ihere are large numbers, in both England
-. america, who are saying my books, my
P,Fis communion with nature, rest-these are
ennfeh. l set more out OF them than can
usm hum-drum service, concluded by ser
~. 40 mat Is packed full of opinions with which
ave no longer any intellectual or spiritual
sympathy." Were all sermons services of this
Sihd, should have nothing 10 say.
- cave lately read that, in some of the larger
00o souls in which there is but one church.
snd that one very thinly attended.
NJ Elilur Wright, in q recent address at Al
oany, said: "Relgion is passing away and hu-
mainly Is tskfug it. place.
And In one of his later books, Mr. Philip Gil
pert Hamilton devotes chapter 10 Glow We
Are Really Becoming less Religious" His
algnment is that the perception OF q nat
ura order in plsee OF system of
osprfcious, supernatural interference. Is = pro-
ceSs OF substituting science for religion. He
oh.y notes what he regards as fact He does
not regret IT,
avery intelligent man Is acquainted with the
acn; but may there not lurk dauger-too
essty inferences-trom them? Because some
Sody sees certain changes going on, suo because
ae concludes from those changes that the
Snu'ca q mission Ia ended, shall we therefore,
sth book on geology in one hand and sun.
eas paper IN the other, proclsim the decease OF
as rehgionY Shall we lock up the churches
snu inscribe 'sie transit aerost tAeir doorwaysF
so lar as can see, nothing very strange mas
Eappened IL Is only that men have been learn
ss certain things which they did not know be-
..Sts, ABOUT the universe, about man. and about
Ne innnite power manifested in universe aud
.a sn, sno this new knowledge has compelled
tssensuucton OF our theories 10 bring them
Ase harmony with the new fscts The author