, 1892-03-28
A RED-LETTER DAY.
THE UNITARIANS DEDICATE THEIR
NEW CHURCH EDIFICE.

/
lY Decorated Rev. Dr. Eliot, ths
Noted Unitarian Divine, DeIivers
ForcfBIe and Eloquent Address
IT was a red-letter day for the Unitarians
!, the dedication of their new building yes
terday. The interior of the building really
looked metropolitan. The ample spaces
the high ceiling, the supporting trusses
the three large windows east, west and
north, the spacious gallery, the spick and
span opera chairs, the ample platform,
choir alcove and retiring rooms, everything
was suggestive of newness and beauty ana
happy utility. The elegant little pulpit,
in antique oak finish, and of original de-
sign, was the gift and handiwork Of our
I Olympia cabinet maker, Mr. VIM Stern
berg, jr The large sliding doors were
thrown back in order to utilize the large
platform, which was decorated in an artistic
manner by the ladies of the society, under
the direction Of Mrs. DR.. Watt. There
were floral emblerns, wreaths and Islands
/ of flowers and fern in luxurious profusion.
| so that the place had the look of a we'll
/ kept conservatory.
A few minutes after II O'Clock the exer-
cises began, with Miss Nellie Frost at the
organ. Nearly every one Of the four hun
dred chairs were filled with sympathetic
and eXpectant listeners. At the conclu-
sion Of the brief voluntary the anthem
''Glory be to the Lord Forever' pealed
forth from the choir which consisted of
Mrs. J Joseph Chilberg, Mrs. Geo. f. Stone
Mrs. @. r. Simenson, Miss Addie Burn
TRACER, Mr.. B. H. Hill and Mr.. Day
Crandall, all under the direction
n A ri MN r. CapiTlhaIJ
scripture reading was from the Old and
New Testaments and was given by Rev.
VIM. g. Eliot, Jr. Then followed the beau
tiful dedication hymn. written by the wife
of a former pastor, Mrs. Rebecca Palfrey
Utter. 1t was written for the dedication of
the former church, which was opened iii
1877, but was afterwards destroyed by fire.
DR.. I. L. Eliot led in tender and uplifting
prayer, which was responded to by a solo
from Mrs. Chilberg. Then came the re-
sponsive reading, in which minister and
people dedicated the house to the worship
of God. After the reading, hymn written
by the pastor, Rev. Napoleon Hoagland
was sung, and then came the sermon by
DR.. Eliot. The leading text thoughts were,
Dwelling iii the house of the Lord, }" and
"Where there is no vision the people per
ish." The worth of religion the value of
reverence and worship on character, was
dWelt upon III a sWeetly impressive Way.
Infants smiles, yet withal a sermon whose
strength was in the man behind the word.
One of the striking passages was his refer
ence to Ruskin's conversion from narrow
views of religion to those so broad that the
word and strength of God could be dis
cerned and felt in noble works of art as
well as in scriptures old. 1t was at Turin,
Ruskin was impressed by the divine
strength and beauty OF painting, by an
artist who had put an expression Of his
soul into his work. Ruskin was deeply
touched with sense OF the divine. He
crossed the street and entered a darkened
church.
Here was an idiot in the pulpit talking
to an audience of seventeen old women and
three louts, telling them that all who were
not in the church would be damned, that
God cared only for these who were mem bers
of the church and that all others would be
burned as chaff on the thres hing floor tt
broke the fetters of ecclesiastical slavery
from Ruskin's sout, and he walked forth
into that large church lofty as the love of
God and ample as the wants of man. In
order to dedicate this church to God, we
must dedicate ourselves to his service, to
the service of the highest. After the CON
clusion of the sermon the hymn beginning
"The Morning Light is Breaking" was
sung, after which VIM. G Eliot, Jr., stated
the financial condition of the society and
made a strong and stirring appeal for CON
tributions. Over four hundred dollars was
collected in pledges and cash at the meet
ings during the day. After the collection
Rev. Herman Haugerud, OF Puyallup,
made brief but stirring address of well
come to the new members, twenty-three of
whom were announced as entitled to the
full fellowship of the church. They were,
DR.. A. B. Woodland, Mr.. and Mrs. 0. R.
Simenson, Mr.. and Mrs. r.. +. Prickman,
Mr.. and Mrs. ]. @. Robertson, Mrs. M. b.
| Oadpc Mrs r., n Gpav Mrs X az Mo
Kinzie, Mrs. Lily Hits, Mrs. Retta NJ.
Shepard, Mrs. Mary j. Mars, Miss Ella
Mars, Mrs. G. HI. Chase, Mr.. Chas. D. King,
Mr.. !. W. Dent, Miss Ida Hill, Miss Dora
Sternberg, Mr.. Bradford H. Hill, Mr
Geo; Geonar II. NJ Baylegy' Mrs. Mafs,,.J N j.
Mrs MIST L. D. Gray. The choir sang the an n
them, "Guide Me @ Thou Great Jehovah, Y
the congregation joined in singing
sOld Hundre and DIR. Elliot pronounced
the benedlctiop of the first service in the
church auditorium.
In the afternoon there was a service for
the children, which was intended to take
1 the place Of the regular Sunday school
session, though not at the usual hour.
After the voluntary the lofty sliding doors
on the platform were moved apart disclos-
ing the Sunday school children grouped
promiscuously among the flowers. Imme-
diately they began singing "Open the Doors
/
The superintendent and Sunday school
then recited the usual Liturgy, the school
sang another song, Rev. Herman Haug-
erud led in a touching prayer and Mrs.
Austin followed with an appreciated solo.
The feature of this afternoon service was
the conservation of three little children,
aged aboutsix months. Waterand flowers
were the emblems used. DR.. Eliot officiat-
ed in his own sweet, Winsome and impress
i've way. The little ones thus dedicated to
a life of purity and truth and Christian
grace were Jessie Oades, Henry Isaac Saw
age and Helen HOagland. Mrs. Ida Bolton
4 followed with sweet and appropriate solo,
and Rev. VIM. Eliot, jr., made an address
to the children, with an aside to the older
people. He spoke ofthe difference between
saying and doing In a way that every child
was likely to see the force. Rev. j. S.
McCallum of the Christian church spoke
of the value of having good model or ex-
ample for children to shape their lives af-
ter That perfect man was Jesus, who
grew from boyhood TO youth and maturity
and grew in favor with God and man.
learning the lesson of obedience and duty
the corner stone of Christian character
Mrs: Bolton sang "Hark, the Lilies
song I'VE are Sailing Ger an Ocean" and
the exercises closed by all repeating the
Lord prayer.
The evening exercises which were IN
tended to consist principally of addresse!
by leading laymen, in the interest of a lay
mems religious organization, departed con
siderably from the printed programme
The unexpected absence of many whom i
was hoped would be present and the en-
forced absence of several who expected tx
) be on hand compelled the addresses from
> the laymen to be deferred. Judge Josepl
:, Shippen who was to give the leading ad
Z dress was suddenly called to appear in
) ooo bnfopn hQ 7 g a