Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-30
A CHURCH DEDICATION.
Interesting Exercises n Campbell A. n.
Church In Hilisdale Yesterday.

Shurcu IN uHusO8ie Hesteruay.
Campbell A. NJ E. Church Of Nichols avenue,
Hillsdale, was dedicated yesterday. During
the day three services were celebrated, the first
ut II 80. the second at O'Clock and the third at
$50. Unusually well-attended Sunday school
exercises were presided over in the early fore
noon by Superintendent VIM. H. Liverpool,
and prior to the first service love feast was
enthusiastically observed under the super
vision Of the pastor, Rev. DR.. F. Jesse Peck. jr.
The sanctuary was a floral bower and the pull
pit was handsomely decorated with flowers.
The morning service was opened with prayer
by Local Preacher Moses Brooks and the sing
ing Of 'God Moves in q Mysterious Way" by
the regular choir Of the church Then followed
the twenty first Psalm, 1.-The Lord is my shep-
herd and shall not want" The sermon was
delivered by Rev. ID. G. Hill, pastor OF Ebe-
nezer Church of Georgetown, who chose for his
text the seventeenth Psalm. II shall behold
His face in righteousness. shall be satisfied
with prayer by Rev. Silas French Of Ohio.
collection Of $50 was taken up.
THE DEDICATION PROPER.
At 8 o'clock in the afternoon a procession OF
distinguished colored clergymen filed down the
south aisle from the vestibule to the pulpit and
took seats behind a veritable rampant of palms,
ferns and flowers. There were Rev. DIR. j. w.
Beckett of Metropolitan A. NJ. E. Church OF
Washington, Rev. DIR. Fitzhugh OF Mount
Pisgah A. NJ E. church of Washington, Rev. s.
johnson of Allen A. NJ. E. Church of Garfield,
Rev. ID. G. Hill of Ebenezer A. NJ. Z. Church
of Georgetown, Rev. DIR. j. II. A. johnson.
presiding elder of Potomac district: Rev. l.. NJ
Beckett of New York, Rev Silas French OF OHIO
and Rev. DIR. Peek, pastor of Campbell Church.
Behold the Temple sung by the choir
OF Allen A. NJ. E. Church, Garfield. Pastor
Peck explained that Bishop A. W. Wayman,
who was to have preached the dedlcatory ser
mon, was unable to fill his engagement owing
to illness. DR.. Beckett of Metropolitan Church
read the dedicatory service and preached from
Psalms, cxxii:1-'I was glad when they said
unto me- let us go into the house Of the Lord"
DR.. Beckett said: This psalm seems to have
been penned by David for the use of the peo-
pie OF Israel when they came up to Jerusalem
to worship at the three solemn feasts. 1t was
in David's time that Jerusalem was first chosen
to be the city where God would record His
name. He had frequented the sanctuary and
he knew some of the joys occasioned by his
dwelling in the courts of the Lord. In this
statement we learn something of the character
OF the individual We only know God, who Is
pure.holy, just and good, as He manifests him
self. Jesus says: Out of the abundance OF the
heart the mouth speaketh." and only when 1t
does speak may we know. You hear man
say II love the theater. opera or saloon" He
Is of the world. So through all the avenues of
life. 1t is the spirit in the man that rules him.
Men do not gather grapes of thorns or figs
Of thistles." And whatsoever is in the heart
will be manifest, whether it be good or evil y
God is every where but especially is he to be
found in His sanctuary. He manifests Himself
especially in His house. As He especially abode
with Israel in the tabernacle, SO He abides in
the congregation of the righteous In
Isaiah God says: Il will glorify
the house Of My glory" A church may be
said to be the house Of Gods glory, in the first
place, because it is erected for the honor of His
great name. The church. although plain COM
pared with the gorgeous temple of Solomon.
indicates worship to Almighty God and calls
silently but eloquently to the passer-by to bow
Of these houses of worship as showing forth
the glory Of God can scarcely be overesti-
mated. 1t may be q log cabin. The chief
glory of the Christian church is that God
promises to dwell there. Where two or three
are gathered together in My name there am 1
in the midst of them" He promises to meet
with man in the church and that promise Is
kept from age to age. Has 1t not seemed re-
markabie that whatever enterprise may arise
among men apart from the church it seems to
grow old, to decay, to die9 You have political
parties that today have their speakers
pervading the whole community, but the
struggle over men care nothing for
the banners they followed few
days before. The church Of the Inv
ing God has its crowds through all
been open, and never were they SO crowded
today. The highest intellect tnds enjoyment
there, and the poor unlettered man, who has
no knowledge Of the sciences of earth. learns
the science Of salvation. He may know but
little Of the languages of earth. but he learns
the language of repentance and redemption.
How many come beart-broken. sorrow-stricken,
pressed down, bruised and bleeding to the
house Of God, and HIS word is made life and
Joy to their souls. The house of God is at the
very gate Of heaven. God puts special glory on
His church in giving these glimpses of heaven
and showing how eternity can recompense us
for the sorrows Of earth.
MR.. FREDERICK DOUGLASS REMARKS.
After the sermon by Mr.. Beckett Rev. Mr..
Peck, the pastor arose, and at the solicitation
OF the members of his congregation invited
Mr.. Frederick Douglass, who was seated in a
distant part of the house. to make few re-
marks. Mr.. Douglass said he must decline to
make a speech, because he did not wish to dis
turb in any way the impression made by MIR.
Beckett. He was, however, glad to be there
and was happy to observe the evidence which
that edifice afforded OF the progress and pros
perity Of the colored people Of Hillsdale. The
present church was q most gratifying contrast
to the little school house on the hill the place
Of meeting where he met them twenty years
ago, and he rejoiced to the change. The
dedfcatory service was concluded with prayer
hxD pAs Inb