Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-08
CHURCH DEDICATION.
COLeMAN'S NEW METHODIST
CHURCH DEDICATED.
The District Conference, of Three Days
Duration, Adjourned Sunday.
An Auspicious Occasion.


COLEMAN, COLEMAN COUNTY, TEX, July
6.-Io-day was i great day in the history
OF Coleman NcthOdisIl. 4 day long 10 be
remembered BY ali lovers of Christian al
vauccment and enterprise The district
| conference Of the Methodist church for ne
Brownwood district has been in session
mere Tor tllee days past and on yesterday
evening the conference finished its business
and adjourned. Most OF the delegates in
| attendance remained over 10 witness TO-
| DAY = exercises, today having been set
| apart specially as the day upon which the
| new Methodist church was 10 be dedicated
| Ia Cod. \ more opportune time could not
nave been selected. Everything conspired
| 10 make the occasion one long To be rclnem-
| bered. The day was lovely, and the largest
| concourSe of people that had assembled in
| coleman Tor many day began early to
| gather and occupy every available space in
| the beautiful church. The church had been
! adorned with flowers for the occasion by
! the ladies'. The main auditorium and LARGE
| lecture room were thrown into one BY rails
! ing the partition, which consisted Of large
/ stained glass movable windows. The
| crowd filled both large rooms TO overflow
! ing The aiSles were occupied for stand
ING room, and many eager, anxious list
| eners, who came too late 10 Sc
cure standing room on the inside.
occupied all the available space
on the outside. AL seemed TO be aaXious
| and restless for the services to begin. En-
pectatlon was on tiptce, and all seemed
TO realize they were not to be disappointed.
No one was disappointed The deiicat0ry
sermon was preached by Rev. c. V Oswald.
who IS at present the pastor of Comanche
station. No more appropriate person could
nave been selected; no one could have done
the occasion greater justice than did the
speaker. The services commenced promptly
al II O'Clock, the text selected being:
al flag,T SOD 3. e,
AVA The discourse was an elo0uent
and unanSwerable argument in favor of the
people building beautiful temples in which
TO worship God and complete vindcation
OF the action of the Methodist peopIe of
Coleman IN making sacrifices TO build such
house as this one, which stands to-day an
honor TO the people and the church. and one
Of the most beautiful ornaments of the
town. The speaker traced the impulse that
finds expression IN the erection of beautiful
churches from the early history of the
Jewish people, and gave an interesting ac-
count OF the early and crude structure first
used, that finally with this people reached
It's climax in the erection of the magnificent
temple at Jerusalem. The speaker then
spoke eloquently of the progress of church
building among the Gentle nations and of
the ,spread of Christianity and church
building down to the present time.
tracing the developments from the time the
Pilgrim Fathers first planted free thought
and religious freedom on the Americas
continent, eloquently delineated the pro-
cesses by which the Indians rude wigwarn
has been supplanted in all the land by the |
church spires ascending heavenward, chal- |
longing the gracious providences of God |
and standing as sentinels in every village |
10 watch, guard and preserve the civil and |
religious liberty of the American people |
lie spoke feelngly OF the sacrifices made |
by the Methodist people of Coleman in or |
der to build this church, and of the infu- |
ences FOR good it would exert upon future |
generations, and of the great honor each |
individual should feel in having made sacri- |
noes 10 oulld such magnificent church in |
which TO worship God He spoke of Cod
blessing the people in brush arbors and in |
tents, and made grand climax in demon
stratlng that while the Lord was in the
language OF his text, likewise to be found |
In the beautiful church. he would mot feel |
loath to bless his people any the less because
their love found expression in such a beauri |
fu temple for his worship.
The speaker was possessed Of full Ebar-y |
OF speech. and made a grand effort. He
was IN peculiar position to do the occasion
justice, because of his own Identification
with the building of the church from its
very inception.
Rev; Oswald was raised in Mississippi
and educated at the Mississippi state uni
yersity, and has been preaching but seven
years. During that time he has been ac-
tive IN labor and sacrifice for the GOOD of
his church. He came TO Coleman rs its pas
tor the first time in December lSSs. and n
wise providence sent him. When he came
the Methodlsts had no place to worship. He
began in very few days 10 inaururate a
movement to build church for worship
he Net with opposition and discourage
nents, both within and without his church.
put this good and brave man perseyered |
With faith undaunted, and by the time he
'eturned the next year, 1889. he succeeded |
n commencing the erection of the building
L was built largely because OF his Iabors
Not only did ne labor and secure subscrip-
ions and interest of his church members in
he cause, but he seized plane and saw and
vent into the building like the other me-
hanics and worked in its erection and that.
90. without pay, and he succeeded. Such
spirit OF force, labor and individual sac