Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-27

tent by timely words and holy example.
Inc year was made rich by works OF faith
and labors of love. Happy year Happy
souls thus hallowlng ~
CAN sEvER UNDO THE PAST.
IL your way OF spending il was the re-
verse of all this. you may lament, but you
| can never undo the past. But one thing
you may do. pray God TO help you TO do
IL. You can JOIN these faithful laborers
who made the past year one OF blessing 10
themselves and others when the new year
begins. and in happy union and co-opefa-
ton With them you may 60 through its
weeks and months. If God spares you 10
/ its end, and make the whole OF the coming
year the most useful Of your life in pro-
noting the good of others aud the progress
Of the kingdom of Him = ho came TO pro-
claim peace on earth and glory TO God IN
the highest.
THE sUHDAY-soHooL CELEBRATION.
| The Sunday-school celebration of this
church will take place in the lecture-room
at o'clock Friday afternoon. 1t will con-
sist Of singing, Rotations. and other fea--
! lures that will prove instructive and
amusing TO the children.
GRACE-sTRKET PREsBYTEBIAs CHURCH.
| At the Grace-Street Presbyterian church
OF night Mr.. Fair preached upon The
J Lessons Of the Closing Year" He empha-
sized the fact that il was the last service
of the last Sabbath of the year and asked
/ What emotion does this reflection awaken
/ Can we look back upon the year with
! complacency Is our faith stronger. our
| love more ardent? Can we recall some
/ sin overcome, some cross Of duty taken
! mp, some sorrow meekly, swePtly borne
! with many the closing OF the year" DIR.
| Fair said is q timefor arranging business
and settling accounts. They complain
/ that their collections are bad, their debt
| ors disappoint them. in no equivocai terms
! they denounce their carelessness, say 1t Is
! downright stealing. But remember you
| have an account TO settle with God. Have
! You been honest with Him. met all OF your
| obligations If He should demand full
ana immediate settlement where would
! you stand? While you insist your debt
| ors shall not defraud you don'tyo defraud
| God Of His just dues.
TYPE or LIFE.
But the closing year is also type Of
| life. Through alternate sunshine and
| shadow, the beautiful days of spring. the
| flowers and fruits of summer, the golden
| harvests and gorgeous tints OF autumn the
| year has rolled. and now the chill, bleak
winter has come, We stand upon the last
| Sabbath of the year. SO lite IS fleeing.
| Some time we will Gil reach the inevitable
end. The Sabbath Ia approaching when
y
| hear your last sermon, your last hymn,
| your last benedlction. II you knew 1t was
| the last, how eagerly YOU would listen,
| how earnestly YOU would pray, how SOL
| EMMY you would spend the day
THE STORY or THE CROSS.
II would not seem too long a Sunday 10
yOu-nO service tedious or dull. Let not
| the preacher hurry TO close; let him tell
me faithfully Of my sins-not mince his
words. No metaphysics, no dramatic dis
| play: let him tell the story Of the cross
! simply. as to a little child That last Sab
! bath is inevitable; each one NAV be the
| last, so spend it as you would If you knew
| il 10 be the last. Every Sunday as the
| echoes of the church going bells roll
| through the streets, across the river, and
! die away upon the hills, think 1t nay he
| the last tlme-the last time Tor me. Inc
| next time il sounds NAV be 10 call nv
| friends around my grave. The day Is
coming when you will go down town for
the last time-be seen on the street, IN
your store, or Office for the last time.
NO SIGNAL OF DANGER.
Most men think when the end comes
| there will be some red signal OF danger
| flung across the path TO warn them of It's
approach. II not SO. The majority SINK
unconscIously into the slumber OF death.
! So that last day will be the same as others.
I
| Won be so sharp In driving trade. 80 close
in your collections so hard upon the poor;
so impatient with your employees! Would
not q spirit of kindness creep INTO your
| heart. be beard IN your voice, felt ID the
grasp Of your hand? If you met even an
! enemy and felt II was the last time until
Won and he should meet at the Judgment
bar of God. would you not be inclined TO
forget and forgiven Remember. too, You
NAV be in the wrong after all. and that
your soul may 60 up TO God with COM
| plant against you. Let Us learn the lesson
of the closing year, so that when the end
! comes we may meet 10 with JOY, lay our
heads upon our dying pillows at peace
with God and man. pass away TO enter the
new. unending year above"
About the Baptists.
The morning services at Grace-Street
church we're largely attended on Sunday,
! and the pastor, Rev. Or. w. L. Hatcher,
preached an exceedingly appropriate ser
| mon on Christ. the Great Gllt-Maker."
| An exquisite solo was rendered by Miss
| Kate Nichols, of Loudoun. There were
| several additions to the church, among
| them Rev. Joseph Walker. the venerable
minister, who received most enthusiastic
! welcome.
At night the services were conducted
under the auspices Of the Boys Society,
and the exercises were of q very interest
! inc character. Excellent music was rem
! dered bv several lads who had been spe-
! cially trained for the occasion. MIR. II. >.
! Watkins sung a solo which was greatly en-
! loved. Mrs Gill and the inmates OF the
/ Male Orphan ASYLUM were present.
/ collection! was taken up for the benefit OF
! the Baptist Orphauage al Salem, and about
| S65 was contributed. DIR. Hatcher dellv-
| cred an address upon Our Orphanage
and the Reasons for Helping it, He was
! followed by Rev. Mr.. Cook, who spoke IN
the same strain.
The BOYS Society has been organized
lust seventeen years and has member
ship of 100, which is composed OF lads
from 10 10 - years of age. The organlza-
/ ton has raised $500 for the church build
ing and hope shortly to be able 70 make
a contribution of 500 to the orphanage.
The infant class Of Grace-Street church,
under the leadership of Mrs. Is. Is. Van
/ Buren,, will have a splendid entertainment
| Tomorrow at noon. The chef feature
will consist of Christmas cantata. IT
which a number OF the little ones will
| take part. Refreshments will be served,
and q quantity of presents will be distrl-
| buted to the scholars. The entertain
ment will be free 20 the public.
! Rev. DR.. Hatcher will address a church
reunion at Bethel Chesterfield county, TO-
day at noon.
! LEIGH-sTREEr CHURCH.
Rev. w. L. Wright preached at Leigh,
| Street Baptist church Sunday morning and
night. While no attempt was made TO
| celebrate the day as the anniversary OF the
/ Sayiour's birth sermons were based on texts
! appropriate TO the day, and the music like
| wise was suitable to the occasion.
In the afternoon the Sunday school
elected the following officers for 1888 Is.
! +. johnson. superintendent +. G. CARR
] son. assistant superintendent; A. Is.
| Clarke. superintendent primary depart
ment; Branch Allen. assistant superin-
| tendent primary department; Wortley
I Dickle. secretary; A. ). Williams, assist
ant secretary; Thomas w. Iigner, trea-
surer; George L. Kappes and ". Il. Ford,
! distributors of Bibles; Wallace Scherer
and Cabel Murray, distributors Of papers;
/ r. /, Butler, librarian; w. 4. Gale, Percy
! Taliaferro, W. A. Dewell, W. Q. Butler,
! and Fdw. Woodin, assistant Librarians;
! s. E. Woodfin and James c. Harwood.
! leaders of singing; Professor Watson. or
panist Committee on Library: r. MOTIFS
sett. Il. A. Gary, j. c. harwood, +. Ii. But
| Ter, and T.. G. Garrison.
SANTA CLAUS BIG AND LITTLE
The thirty-eighth annual celebration OF
/ LEIGH Street SUNDAY school was held yes.
terday morning. The children assembled
/ in the auditorium of the church at 10
y 49,. ana. an