The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-09
elm PARKS ANNIVERSARY
DR. REEDS TWO DlsCoURsEs
Robust Presence and Eioqueass of the
Dickinson College President Charms
Two Immense Audiences specially
Written Anniversary Ayuns.

The love Of the ELM Park church con.
grcgAtion for its church. in q local and
spiritual sense was shown In yester.
days celebration OF the second ami.
versary OF the present church edifice
The morning and evening sermons OF
Rev. DR.. George K. Reed. president OF
Dickinson college: the evening address
of Rev. ]. E. Price. q former pastor;
the singing Of past and present special
ly written anniversary hymns. the I'm
mense audiences and all else conspired
to make the celebration literally q me-
mortal one. The two services were con-
Quoted by Rev. DR.. W. H. Pearce, the
pastor.
The chimes. rung by Alfred Wooler.
and splendid organ prelude by ].
Alfred Pennington, the regular church
organist. preceded the morning service,
which opened with the congregations
singing Of Praise God. From Whom
All blessings Flow" and "Jesus. Thou
Everlasting King" Prayer was Of
fered by Rev. c. j. Bradbury. The an
them. I'VE stand in Deep Repentance" /"
was followed by q responsive reading.
and another anthem, "Jubilate Deo."
Then was sung last years anniversary
hymn. Father Divine. Again We
Come" written by Cha1bs e. Brad
bury.
Dr. Reeds Morning. Theme.
DR.. Reeds theme was upon the gen.
tleness Of God. and was based upon q
verse Of the Pslams, Thy gsntleness
made me great" The speakers robust
presence. eloQuence and fire and his
subject seemed all merged. and he
spoke with an emphasis and diction
which charmed and interested his hear
ers. His topic he divided into two
thoughts. the greatness Of men from
their human side and their greatness
from the Godward side. For illustra-
tion he cited Napoleon as one Of hu-
man greatness, and whose wars. en-
erEy and will had held all Europe un-
der subjugation for nearly twenty
years, but who lost his power because
Of spiritual weakness. Gladstone and
Bismarck, he remarked. are men Of
greatness because Of their faith in God
and His teachings. Today mon are ac-
credited with greatness from a stand
point entirely different from that Of a
century ago; then, power meant great
ness: today a mans position Is deter
mined by his moral stalwartness.
The morning anniversary hymn for
this year was also written by Mr.. Brad
bury. 1t is Of five verses and was yes
terday sung to the Tune Ariel.
The Evening Service.
At the evening service the combined
Of the main auditorium and
the Sunday school room was overtaxed,
and many persons were seated In the
choir loft. AS in the morning the SER
vice was ushered by the ringing Of the
chimes and an organ prelude and began
with hymn by congregation and choir.
Prayer was offered by Rev. Richard
Horns.
DR.. Reeds sermon was preached from
the 18th and 18th verses Of the third
chapter Of II Timothy, wherein the
apostle exhorted his young disciple to
continue in the things which he had
learned and had been assured of.
There comes to all men. said the
speaker. seasons Of mental and spirit
ual skspticism: seasons when the mind
wishes to subject all OF it, postulates to
question and 70 inquiry. At such a
time It would be we'll to heed st. Paurs
advice, and continue in those things
which had been learned - the fruits Of
personal experience, holding fast to
that which was good. The Bible was
book which had resisted every on
both as to its scientific acour-
acy and as to the suf1ioiency Of its phil
osophy. The scientific spirit which had
during the nineteenth century
greater progress toward q comprehen-
sion Of nature than had been made dur
Ing all the preceding centuries had en-
ieavored with Its utmost research to
overthrow the authenticity Of the Scrip
lures by overcoming the necessity for a
God. but It had failed; and with it, first
words the Bible voiced the conceded
sum Of oil sciences vaunted diScovery
when 1t said: "In the beginning, God"
Wall Against Agnosticisu.
But not only does the Bible satisfy
he intellect by giving the only tenab,e
Of life. but 1t gives, also,
spiritual hope and solace and comfort.
This Is a fact which agnostioism could
,ever knock down. II is a positive and
IN affirmative fact, upheld by the tes-
imony of millions Of truthful men and
women In all circumstances Of earthiy
ortune and representing all conditions
# mind and spirit. The speaker drew |