The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1891-06-10
DURHAM RECORDER.
"WEDNESDAY June 10, 1891.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

The Dedicatory Ceremonies Impress
lively Carried out Last Evening.
Last evening q house full of people
heard the Christian church Of this
place dedicated to God. On the plat
form in the rear of the pulpit were
seated the pastor, Rev. Mr.. Clements,
Rev. R. J. Norman, pastor Of Trim.
ity M. E. church, and Doctors @. ].
Jones, of Norfolk, Va; w. 7. Hern-
don, and W. S. Long, president Of
Elon College.
It was stated that there was a
small debt Of $3.50 still hanging over
the church which must be paid before
the services began. This amount
was soon raised, the pastor, Mr.. Glenn
ents becoming responsible for sos, |
DR.. Herndon giving SOS, Maj. Guth.
RE s25, Mrs. j. s. Carr $50, DR.. A.
G. Carr $50, s. L. Adams $40, James
Southgate S., Leo D. Heartt IS and
w. +, Ellis $40. The remainder was
gathered by the collectors with their
hats. Then DR.. Herndon's work was
ended. Twas he who had collected
the first, last and every dollar for the
building of the church.
After appropriate music DIR. G. j.
Jones announced his text: 4th and
9Th verses Of the 3rd chapter Of Exc
dus, The Lord appearing unto Moses
in the burning bramble bush in Mid
lam From this he drew some of the
essentials of the visible church of
Christ. First as tolocality. He had
no sympathy with the pantheistic
idea of a church in every place and,
as consequence, a church nowhere.
Nor in the super stitious idea of any
special place, as in Jerusalem, Mt.
Carmel, Horeb or Mt. Sinai.
The church was first established in
the family, and the father was the
priest as witness Noah and his family
on the food of waters. Then wher-
ever an altar was erected, as when
Jacob wrestled with the angels, and
set up stone and Amounted it, and
called the place Bethel, which means
the house Of God. Organization is a
prime necessity and locality must
be selected, where heaven comes
down and greets, and grace and glory
crowns the mercy seat.
In the church there must bea sym
Dol. In the text the lowly bramble
bush, which we account as worthless
was chosen. The humble little chap
el here with fifty others like il might
be hidden in st. Peters in Rome or
st. Paul's in London, but God would
use it as a symbol, and make it his
abiding place. Here would be the
honest effort Of the soul in its endea-
vor to communicate with Christ. II
was the bramble bush with Gods ON
impotence added. This was not a
place to advertise dress and exhibit
rank, club house could do this
much, but 10 show forth the power
of Jesus Christ.
God would furnish the place and
the emblem and add power, but it
was the part Of humanity &c furnish
the communicating Nospecial num-
Der was necessary; there was only
one at INDIAN. Moses represented
humanity and God, omnipotence.
Then was given the obligations ex-
isting BY reason Of this relationship.
First was reverence. The sin Of II
reverence was the conspicuous one Of
the age, especially across the water.
Then obedience. God has said ..un-
sandal your feet" Put yourself IN
communication with your God. You
can't enter heaven until you repent.
Come, just as you are, with full ODE
dience.
Again there must be service. In
outlining the future for Moses, God
gave him work 70 do. 50 tile service
Of the christian means work. not q
dress parade. like q lot Of drum ma
j0rs On exhibition. The chief aim u
the church should h. for the spirit.
ual education Of its members: III
should be q school and drill camp.
In these days nearly al the energies
and finances Of the church are ex.
pended on itself: and but little Is done
FOR the outside world. This should
not be. Thechurch exists that the
world may be saved. Christ said,
II am come 10 save that which was
lost, 8 and illustrated Il in the beafIti.
ful parallels Of the lost sheep. the lost
coin. and the prodigal son. Minister
in all things, Il 20 Be Il souls may be
saved and fitted for the skies.