Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-04-04

l.
lain of the United States senate, thrilled
us through and through with a dedlca-
tory sermon from Haggai ii, 8, The
glory Of this house shall be greater than
that of the former, saith the Lord OF
Hosts
The corner stone Of that building had
been laid by the illustrious and now en-
throned Dr.. 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. Hosannah! An
other $35 600 was raised on that day.
The following Sunday 329 souls were
received into our communion, mostly on
confession Of faith At two other COM
munions over 500 souls joined at each
one At another ingathering 628 souls
entered this communion, and so many Of
ia ose gathered throngs have already en-
tered heaven that we expect to feel at
home when we get there. My! my!
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 jubi-
liant! HosanRah!
The work done in that church on
Schermerhorn street can never be I'M
done What sacrifices on the part Of
many, who gave almost till the blood
camel What hallelujahs! What victo-
ries. What wedding marches played
with fun organ! What baptisnns! What
sacralnents! What obsequies! One of
them on a snowy Sabbath afternoon,
when ali Brooklyn seemed to sympa-
thize. and nay eldest son, bearing my
own name, lay beneath the pulpit in the
last sleep. and Florence Rice Knox sang,
and q score Of ministers on and around
the platform tried to interpret how it
was best that one who had just come to
manhood, and with brightest worldly
prospects, should be taken, and we left
with q heart that will not cease to ache
until we meet where tears never fall.
That second Tabernacle! What Il stu
pendous reimbursement 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
Iabernacle8 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 this continent, and in many of
them many times, besides preaching and
Iecturing ninety-six times IN England
Scotland and ireland in nlnety-four
days
During all that time, as well as since,
was engaged in editing religious
newspaper, believing that such peri
odical was capable of great usefulness,
and have been q constant contributor
to newspapers and periodicals Mean
while all things had become easy in the
Brooklyn Tabernacle. On a Sabbath in
October, 1880, l 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 a lifetime was
about to be fulfllod. The next Sabbath
morning, about 2 o'clock or just after
midnight, member of my household
awakened me by saying that there was
a 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 hoJ&e declared
that the second Tabernacle was putting
on red wings.
secuted the idea and turned over on
the pillow for another sleep, bat q NAM
Der of excited voices called me 70 the
roof, and ] went up and saw clearly de
fined in the night the fiery catafalQde 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 a minister TO build
three churches in one city. The build
ing of one church generally ends the
usefulness OF a pastor; how can any
one preside at the building Of three
churches!7 But before twenty hours
had passed we were compelled to cry
out, with Peter of my text. Let us
build three tabernacles." We must have
home somewhere.
The cid site had ceased to be the cen
ter of cur congregation, and the center
of the congregation, as near as we could
find it, is where we now stand. Having
selected the spot, should we build on it
a barn on Tabernacle beautiful and
co1nmodious? 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. Impediments 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
IL IL. e. al 4 ,c,i,