The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-04-06

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han that Of the former, saith the Lord
of hosts" The corner stone of that
had been laid by the illustrious
and now enthroned DIR. Iren@us Prime.
On the platform on dedication day, sat,
among Others, DIR. Bowling, OF
the Baptist church; DR.. Crook,
Of the Methodist church; Mr..
Beether, of the Congregational church,
and DR.. French, of the Presbyterian
Church. Hosannah! Another $4,000
was raised on that day. The following |
Sunday S2s souls were received into our
mostly on confession OF
faith. At two other communions over |
500 souls joined at each one. At another
62S souls entered this COM
munion, and so many of those gathered
throngs have already entered Heaven
that we expect to feel at home when we
get there! My! Myl Won't we be glad
to see them--the men and women who
stood by us in days that were dark
and days that were jubilant Hosan-
nahl The work done in that church
on Schermerhorn street can never
be undone. What self-sacrificc on the
part of many who gave almost till the
blood camel What hallelujahs What
victories. What wedding marches
played with full organ! What bap-
tismsl What sacraments What obse-
quiesl One of them on q snowy Sab
bath afternoon, when all Brooklyn
seemed TO symppthize, and my eldest
son, bearing my own name lay beneath
the pulpit in the last sleep, and Florence
Rice King sang, and score Of ministers
on and around the platform tried to
interpret how II was best that one who
had just come to manhood, and with
brightest worldly prospects, should be
talxea, and we left with u heart that
will not cease to ache until we meet
where tears never fall.
That second tabernacle! What a stu
pendous reminiscencel But II the Peter
OF my text had known what an under
taking II 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, fifty-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 the continent, and in many of
them many times, beside preaching and
lecturing ninety-six times in England
Scotland and Ireland, in ninety-four
days. During all this time, as well as
since, was engaged in editing a reli-
gious newspaper, believing that such a
periodical was capable of great useful
ness, and have been constant con-
tributor TO newspapers and periodicals.
Meanwhile all things had become easy
in the Brooklyn tabernacle. On Sab
bath in October, 1880, announced to
my congregation that l 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 o'clock or just after
midnight, member Of my household
awakened me by saying that there was &
strange light in the sky. A thunderstorm
had left the air full OF electricity, .ant
| from horizon to horizon everything
seemed to blaze. But that did not dis
turb me, until an observation talSeT
from the cupola Of my house declared
that the tabernacle was putting on rec
wings. secuted the idea, and turned
over ON the pillow for another sleep
bat number Of excited voices callet
me TO the roof, and went up and saw
clearly defined in the night the fer!
catafalque OF our second tabernacle
When saw that said to my family
Il think that ends my work in Brook
lyn. Surely the Lord will not call I
minister to build three churches il
one city. The building of on,
church generally ends the useful
ness of pastor, how can any one pre-
side ut the building OF three churches?
But, before twenty-four hours ha'
passed, we were compelled TO cry out
With Peter Of my next text, "Let Il
build three tabernacles." We must hav
q home somewhere. The old site ha'
ceased 10 be the center Of our congrega
ton. and the center of the congregation
as near as we could find II, Is where W
now stand. Having selected the spot
should we build on 1t barn or n tabeT
nacle beautiful and commodious? On
common sense, as well as our religion
commanded the latter. But what push
what industry, what skill, what sell
sacrifice, what faith in God, wer
necessary. Impediments and hir
drances without number were throw
in the way, and had 1t not bee
for the perseverance of our churc
officials and the practical help q
many people and the prayers Of million
of good souls in all parts of the cart
and the blessing Of Almighty God, tn
work would not have been done. Blu
it Is done, and all good people who bC
hold the stru cture, feel in their hearts
II they do not utter II with their lip
"How amiable are Thy tabernacles,
Lord of hosts" On the third Sabbat
OF last April, this church was ded
Gated, DR.. Hamlin, OF Washington
preaching an inspiring sermon. D.
I, Wendell Prime, Of New York, offerin
the dedicatory prayer, and some fiftee
clergymen, during the day, taking pai
in the services. Hosannahl
How suggestive to many Of us are tn
words spelled out in flowers above tn
pulpit--"1s60" and "1s92"-for thos
dates bound what raptures, what grief
what struggles, and triumphs. | mel
tion IL as a matter Of gratitude to &c