Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-02
A CORNER STONE LAID
For the New Building for St. Andrews
Congregation.
Impressive Exercises AccOmpa n y In 8
the CeremOny-Rev. DR.. Addi-
sons Eloquent Discourse.


large throng the corner stone of the new
magnificent place of worship. soon to be
completed by the parish of St. Andrews p.
E. Church, was laid with simple bat i'm
posing ceremonies. The new church is to
at the corner Of 1ith and Corcoran streets,
and q full description of 1t was given in
Saturdays Star The services at the church
yesterday were appropriate to a proper cele-
bration Of SO important day in the history
Of the parish, holy communion being cele-
brated at 80 a. m. At $50 a. m. holy
communion was again celebrated. the ser
vices being partly choral, and a history of
the parish being given in an address by the
senior warden. Morning prayer was the
service at IL a. m, and Bishop Capers OF
South Carolina delivered very eloquent
sermon upon the text, There shall no
temptation come upon you. but is common
to all men, and God will show you way OF
escape" At the service for evening prayer,
at D y. m, there was a sermon by the Rev.
Alfred Harding. rector of st. Paul's Church.
his interesting remarks being based upon
the subject, The House of Prayer"
The Formal Ceremonies.
Upon the conclusion of the evening ser
vices, the clergy, Sunday school. vestrymen
and congregation proceeded to the northeast
corner of the site of the new building.
where the great corner stone was in readi-
ness to be lowered in place. The choir of
the church, Herndon Morsell, tenor and d.
rector; Miss Bertha Lincoln, soprano; Miss
Claudia Moore. contralto; Bernard A. Ryan,
bassO;J }. w. Cheney, organist, led the way.
singing the professional nymn No. lJO. the
clergy followed Immediately after. as fol-
lows: Rev. T. G. Addison of Trinity Church,
Rev. Alfred Harding of st. Paurs Church,
Kew. G Il. Johnston of St. Thomas Church,
Rev. Josiah B. Perry the rector of ST. An
drew's Church. and Rev. s. l.. Townsend of
the Church OF the Incarnation.
Following the hymn the Rev. Mr.. Town
send conducted the preliminary service.
after which Mr.. VIM. Ii. Decker one of the
articles had been placed in the corner stone
copy OF the Bible. revised edition OF the
church prayer book, revised edition of the
church hymnal copy of the children s
hymnal and service book the names of the
rector, wardens and vestrymen Of the par
ish, names of the building committee, the
architect and builder of the structure, a list
of the officers and teachers of ST. Andrew S
Sunday school. list of the officers of the
parish chapters, an impression of the seal
or st. Andrews Church, a copy of the print
cd order OF the corner stone laying, a cata-
ltgue of st. Andrews Sunday school library
copies OF the following religious publica-
tons: Rubrtc, American Church Almanac,
Church Calendar. Southern Churchman the
Churchman and st. Andrews Cross, copies
OF the most recent issues of The Evening
star anu the other local papers. and proof
set OF the United States silver and minor
COINS In use during the year 1904
Rev. DIR. AddisOn's Address.
The rector Of the church then introduced
the Rev. Mr.. Addison, who delivered a very
able and eloquent address. In the first
place. he congratulated the pastor and par
ish upon the lasting Christian work they
were about to enlarge. They had done great
ana good work in the past. as their grand
success so we'll attested, and he well knew
that the work would be continued as grand
~ In the future. The speaker then went on
to speak OF the nobility of such a work, and
declared that while all else would pass
away. God and His works would remain
forever. For, said the clergyman, God is In
lie sanctuary and in the preaching and 40
II He In the sacraments.
We believe" said the speaker I'm the
divine presence In the sacramsnts We be-
Heve In the sanctifying efficacy of a faithful
participation In the sacramento. 10 faith
the power Of God is with the bread and
wine and with the baptlsmal waters. AS
one approaches these holy mysteries he
need not fear too high views of their re-
neWing and purifying power, If only he
approaches them with scriptural concep-
uohS and In the right spirit. / know very
faneiful and false teaching is abroad in
the church on the subject. Salvation il is
asserted, Is secured by a sacredotal act: a
saving mystical influence is impaired by
sacramental grace and this operates ire
sistibly Of its own inherent energy.
when the fang of q cobra strikes a man
the venom enters the Veins and the blood
carries II TO the heart and thence II is
forced tnrough the system; the nerve cen
tiers are prostrated: the brain feels the
shock of the deadly energy; the mini can
not retard the circulation which Is now the
Vehlcle or death. Love Of life has no
charm against the cobras maiignity. The
potent will is helpless. No chain the soul
may forge can bind the activities of the
reslstless poison. Death Is inevitable. So
the sacramental elements once in the sys-
teih perform their functions of salvation.
They WORK on towards the endless life Re
demption Is inevitable The WILL the intel
lect. the affections. are powerless to OBJ
pose an agency endowed by God with an
indestructible force. Eternal life is. there
fore. attained by mastication. We are
saved by our teeth. The chalice is a foun-
tain Of life-a few drops of wine are the
living waters, which, If a man drink. he
shall never thirst in eternity.
DO We undervalue sacramento? Yes
truly and with all possible emphasis as that
conceived of. We admit great power I'm
them. We cannot too highly value the
Lords supper. of which we are mainly
speaking now. Wherein is its power? Not
In this unscriptural and superstitious con-
ceptton. Forceful, indeed II is to humble
faith, but not through any occult. incompre-
hensible working of which the Bible saws
nothing. The sacrament embodies truth.
1t Is present with the elements not in them
TO give sanctifying efficacy to that truth.
He is present imparting to faith the precious
Doctrine OF atonement by His infinite sac
rihce and all the constellation of glorious
verities which revolve around that central
orb In the Gospels doctrinal system The
Word is the sword of the Spirit. We are
sanctified by the truth. Is there any other
instrument Of santihcation? Can the Shirt
reach the mind and heart in any ether
way? We do not find 1t in Gods Word.
The only vehicle of grace is the truth
whether II be impaired by tongue or pen. or
by sacramento symbolism. Do We detract
then, from the sacrament? Nay, we en-.
hance 1t; we glorify 1t: we lift it I'D far
above the region of magic and superstition.
and enshrine II In the august palace Of the
mind, the seat of thought, which is the
glory Of humanity, and give It suprem-
acy in the heart, the holy of holies in the
kingdom of love.
God in the Sacrament
God, then, is In the sacraments as He is
In the sanctuary and In the Word; in the
sacraments with His almighty power and
infinite love to meet in sanctifying fellow
ship. through the truth, every believing
soul. He is the present worker in all the
means He has ordained for our salvation.
1t follows. then that we are engaged in a
great work here today-a WORK too great
for our minds to grasp.