Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-04-04

us through ard through with dedica-
tory sermon from Haggai ii, 0, 1.-THE
glory Of this house shall be greater than
that o. the former. saith the Lord Of
Hosts.
The corner stone of that building had
been laid by the illustrious and now en-
throned DIR. Ireneus Prime. On the
platform on dedication day sat. among
others, Dr. Bowling. Of the Baptist
church: DR.. Crook, of the Methodist
church; Mr. Beecher, of the Congrega-
tional church, and DR.. French, of the
Presbyterian church. Hosannahi An
other $35, 900 was raised on that day.
The following Sunday 32S souls were
received into our communion, mostly on
confession Of faith. AT Two other COM
munions over 900 souls joined at each
one. At another ingathcring CPS souls
entered this communion, and so many Of
th ose gathered thIongs have already en-
tered heaven that we expect to feel at
home when we get there. Myi myl
Won't we he glad to see them-the men
and women who stood by us in days
that were dark and days that were jubi-
Iantl Hosannahl
The work done in that church on
Scheim rnorn street can never be un-
done What sacrifices on ,Ee part of
many, who gave almost till the blood
camel What hallelujahs! What victo-
iies! What welding marches played
with full organ! What bapti.ms! What
sacranents! What obsequie. One of
them ON a snowy Sabbath afternoon,
when all Brooklyn seemed to sympa-
thize, and my eldest son. bearing my
own name, lay beneath the pulpit in the
| last sleep. and Florence Rice Knox sang,
and a score of ministers on and around
| the platform tried To interpret how it
was best that one who hal just come to
manhood, and with brightest worldly
prospects. should be taken, and we left
with heart that will not cease to ache
until we meet where tears never fall
eThat second Tabernacle What stu
pendous reminiscencel But if the Peter
Of my text had known what an under
taking it is to. build two tabernacles, he
would not have proposed two, to say
nothing of three. AS an anniversary
sermon must needs be somewhat auto
biographical let me say have not been
| idle. During the standing Of those two
Tabernacles tifty-two books, under as
many titles, made up from my writings,
were published During that time, also,
| was permitted to discuss all the great
questions of the day in all the great
cities of this continent, and in many of
them many times, besides preaching and
| lecturing ninety-six times in England,
Scotland and Ireland in ninety-four
days.
During all that time, as well as since,
| was engaged in editing a religious
newspaper, believing that such peri
odical was capable of great usefulness,
and have been constant contributor
to newspapers and periodicals.. Mean
while all things had become easy in the
Brooklyn Tabernacle. On Sabbath in
! October, 1899, announced to my con-
gregation that | would in few weeks
visit the Holy Land and that the officers
of the church had consented to my
going, and the wish of lifetime was
about to be fulfilled The next Sabbath
morning, about 2 o'clock or Just after
midnight, a member OF my household
awakened me by saying that there was
strange light in the sky. A thunder
storm had left the air full of electricity,
and from horizon to horizon everything
seemed to blaze. But that did not dis
turb me, until an observation taken
from the cupola of my house declared
that the second Tabernacle was putting
on red wings.
scented the idea and turned over on
the pillow for another sleep, but num-
ber of excited voices called me to the
roof and | went up and saw clearly de-
fined in the night the fiery catafalque of
our second Tabernacle. When | saw
that said to my family: II think that
ends my work in Brooklyn. Surely the
Lord will not call minister to build
three churches in one city. The build
ing of one church generally ends the
usefulness of pastor; how can any
one preside at the building of three
churches" But before twenty-four hours
had passed we were compelled to cry
out, with Peter of my text, Let us
build three tabernacles." We must have
n home somewhere.
The old site had ceased to be the cen
ter of our congregation, and the center
of the congregation, as near rs we could
| find it, is where we now stand Having
selected the spot, should we build on il
a barn or Tabernacle beautiful and
commodiousy Our common sense, as
well as our religion, commanded the lat
ter. But what push, what industry, what
skill, what self sacrifice, what faith in
God were necessary, Inpediments and
hindrances without number were thrown
in the way, and had it not been for the
perseverance of our church officials and
the practical help of many people and
the prayers of millions of good souls in
all parts of the earth and the blessing
of Almighty God, the work would not
have been done.
But it is done, and all good people
who behold the structure feel in their
hearts if they do not utter with their
lips, "How amiable are thy tabernacles,
. Lord of Hosts" On the third Sab
bath of last April this church was dedi-
Gated, DIR. Hamlin, OF Washington,
preaching az inspiring sermon, DIR. Wen
dell Prime, of New York, Offering the
dedicatory prayer, and some fifteen
clergymen during the day taking part
in the services. Hosannahl
How suggestive 10 many of us are the
words spelled out in flowers above the
pulpit-"ls69" and "1S99"-for those
dates bound what raptures, what griefs,
what struggles, what triumphsl mem
tion it as matter Ut gratitude TO God
that in these twenty-three years ! have