The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-06-04


onstitute that great and strong Central
-nion Church In their behalf I would
Express our great satisfaction at this
more than ample iu.flment OF the pledge
L that time given THAI new edifice for
,ur united worship should be built. To
AIRY out that pledge, you have much
Church had already purchased, and viii
nave multiplied their small building
und many fold. We of the old Bethel
rejoice in the zeal and Hberahty OF our
Central Union Church. And now in
behalf OF the standing committee, /
would say, that while greatly rejoicing
N your liberal zeal and your large plan
ming, and IN the imposing statelIness
promised by these ascending walls and /
tower, vet We of this committee having /
t as our special charge 10 consult for the
spiritual growth and Tor the benevolent |
activities OF this church, would, In all |
afeCtionate humility, beseech this |
church and congregation on no account |
to forget that neither costly and noble |
architecture nor interiors ornated and |
constitute either the glory |
or the power OF a church; nor do they
In themselves render any church pleas
ing TO Christ, or services Die to his king
dom among men. 1t were bet
ter far, TO assemble in the rudest barn.
with Jesus love richly glowing in our
hearts, and with lives radiant with gra-
cious labors for men, than to luxuriate
in a costly hall holding ourselves in the
least unloving and aloof IRON the strug-
Cling and suffering world outside. With
such q noble fame as this now rising
before us, comes the great temptation to
become absorbed in our pride and state,
and TO cease TO follow our Master into
lanes and by-ways. But We believe you
will not yield to the tendency. The
strength and stateiiness OF this temple
well mai; " remind YOU at Christ's inn
perative demand upon its occupants To
De a central power of Christian love and
light among the people Of this commun-
ity. And as these fitting and shapeiy
stones, hewn from coarse and
shapeless clinker heaps, are being
built into this noble structure, SO
may our beloved church housed here
in, ever gather to itself out OF dark
and SHINING world great ranks of spirit
ual stones, ransomed and purified
souls, building them up into the holy
temple OF the Lord.
Rev. W.B.OLEsoS-Ic count it a special
privilege that l am permitted to repre-
sent in these exercises today the consti-
tuency that is most vitality concerned in
the erection and maintenance of this
house of God whose corner stone is laid
this day. In speaking in behalf of the
congregation that shall assemble in CON-
ing years in yonder building, l wish TO
al-ES rlfs.
bility. Being dedicated TO God, anu set
apart for His use and His purposes, this
building must be as inviting and free to
Gods children as the sunshine and air
things which God wIthholds not from
any of His creatures. Yonder thresh'
hold must be freely crossed by men and
women irrespective OF station or belief OIL
character. No human barrier of custom
or of prejudice, or OF pride, or OF self
ease, must be allowed to abridge the
hospitality of Gods house to any sou
however astray in belief or life. Let tn,
| church maintain Its standard OF ortho
doxy with jealous watchfulness, but lie
| it be done with the amplest spirit o
| cordiality and winsomeness to all VIII,
seek the house OF God. The house o
God must be ample in its hospitality t,
| the erring and the unbelieving and tin,
disbelieving. Let every soul in the com
munity feel that in Gods house there i
| light and freedom and the saving grac
OF the gospel OF Jesus. This is not to b
| a club house erected for the comfort o
enjoyment OF special class or coterie
| but it is Gods house, broad in all it
avenues OF approach and wide as human
necessity in its hospitality. Restriction
that hold elsewhere should never hol
here. The amplest freedom of acees
must be encouraged and the spirit of
common need and of a common Father
hood must peryade US all. Social ran
or intelligence, or other human distinC
ton must not hold sway here, but til
spirit OF Christ must be all and in al
When human hospitality shall duly n
feet Gods own hospitality, then the al
gument for Sunday observance and fc
church attendance will receive powerfr
support in the house of it's friends. Ho'
matchless was the compassionate an
sympathetic aspect of Jesus towards sir
ful and maynard and perpies ed and III
believing humanity. In what whoiesal
way Jesus attracted to His gospel thos
who needed its gracious healing most. |
all His aggressive endeavors to reac
even with hoiler impulses, how success
ful he was, and how the people gathere
to the spot where Jesus wasi Doubles
there is no more imperative or accep
able service possible for Christians |
render unto God than that of making II
house attractive and hospitable an
homellke to every form OF human neeC
The power OF Jesus Is in the world Il
day as the great gravitaiing principle
the moral universe, drawing all men ur
to Himself. Men yield 10 the blesse
influence of the example and spirit
; Jesus as they yield to no other motiy.
Here then is the mission of Gods hous,
to afford kindly hospitality and welcom
to all men whether near TO God or "a
. from Him in belief or life. Here too
the duty Of those who are intent on SER
ing tue humanity for which Jesus yieIc
ed up His life. Here too is the respons
bility which rests on every man an
!. woman in the community; for recogni
!, ing the devotion of this building to II
service OF humanity under the graciot
guidance OF God. What a summons
there In this service for men to covenal
to accept and gratefully use the inestiu
able blessings OF religious worship.
MIR. j. L. ATERHoUsE, JR.-Des
members and friends of the Centr,
Union Church. | have been asked
represent the c.. u. <. School to-day.
; is no doubt a very joyful occasion
each member OF our school for the corn,
stone OF our new church and Sunda
school room, is laid to-day, and We sha
be more than glad, when the day come
for Us 10 occupy it. In the box that
TO be put into the corner stone, are I'll
names OF our tiity-two teachers, seve
officers and 4S7 scholars, making III
, total OF $40 members. | hope each men
. Der from the youngest TO the oldest wi
feel that it is our church, and will hay
deeper personal interest in churc
and school. You will remember in La