The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-02-05
BISHOP BROOKS SPOKE.
The Dedication of St. James Epis-
copal Church To-day
BISHOP CLARK OBLIGATED.
Churches. Like Great Trees, Which Spread
Out Their Branches-A Very Inspiring
Address by the Great Preacher In the
New Church ON broadway.

st. James Church, corner of Broadway
and Courtland street, was to-day dedicated
with solemn and impressive services ac-
cording to the rites in the Episcopalian
Ark Of Prayer.
At IL o'clock this forenoon the process
sional was sounded and the rectors of the
several Episcopalian churches in the city,
church wardens, vestrymen and choir
headed by the Rt. Rev. Thomas NJ. Clark,
marched up the aisle responsively reading
Pslam "a Seats were then taken within
the rails.
The instrument of donation and conse-
Grafton was read and the reading was fol-
lowed by prayer. The sentence of conse-
Grafton was then read and was followed
by solemn ceremonies. After the reading
of the services of the day the conservation
sermon was preached by the Rt. Rev.
Bishop Phillips Brooks. Bishop of the
Diocese of Massachusetts. The sermon
was inspiring and eloquent
The text was from l. Kings, vi. s: "The
door for the middle chamber was i'm the
right side of the house; and they went up
with winding stairs into the middle cham
ber and out Of the middle into the
third
The temple Of Solomon was described 10y
Bishop Brooks who said, then when the
priests brought the ark of the covenant
into the temple they brought it into IA
most holy place. Solomon's temple was
built with the most wonderous skill of all
those devoted to the service of the King.
In the heart OF the ceremony, in the
bringing of the ark of the covenant into
the temple the priest appeared and set
down the tables Of the commandments.
How the old book OF Kings contains the
very inspiration OF our Christian faith.
Out of every past there are second
thoughts TO be brought forward. And
some of these thoughts must come to you
while you are gathered here for the con-
secration of this church.
Churches are like great trees. They
have when young to be nourished and
out their branches in all ways. While we
are here in one way the past seems TO dis
appear. and we can only look into the
future with its bright promises. On the
other hand we can only but look back
while memories come into our minds of
those who worked and planted for this
church but have gone before us. we
Here Is a new church. From this day
its walls will echo with the strains of
Christian worship. Your children will
gather here ana continue to carry on its
work. Every new church is a new page
in the great volume of Christianity. The
new church must have the faith of by
gone centuries while planning for the
future. The combination of the old and
new must be the complete vitality of the
church.
That it may do this it must have com
plete faith in the personality of Christ.
Only in Him shall the soul OF man find
everlasting rest.
Beside the connection between the old
and the new is the connection between
religion and morality. Morality does not
go before religion. The good churchman
should mean the good man. Religion and
morality should go linked together hand
and hand.
There is also this connection between re-
ligion and human life in general. What
a man does when he becomes religious is
to lift himself up TO the level of God.
Heaven is the fulfllment of mans best
dreams, and the church is that which per-
fects man. Are you better, or is your life
more happy because of the communion
you hold with God 2 This is what is
meant by taking the ark of the covenant
to the heart.
Remember where we stand day.
Another new church stands to-day com
plete, ready To go on with the work God
has given it to do. Human life is rich
and mysterious, but it only seems more so
when old age is reached.
Friends, love this church. BE jealous
of It, Work for it, Make every soul in
the city feel that the church exists for
him. Amen.
The dedicatory services were then ended
with the celebration of the holy commu
Mon.