The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1895-07-18
CROWNED WITH SUCCESS
HAPPY OCCASION FOR NINSTON>
SALEM LUrHERANS.
Dedication of Augsburg Evangelical
Lutheran Church-Interesting Ex>
srci.es-Strong and Eloquent
SerE.lUn by II, V. DIR. Pcschau.


srcikcs-Strong and Eloquent
Sermon by II, v. DR.. Pcschau.
Sunday was day never to be for
gotten By the LutherlnS of Winston
Salem.
The day marked the period towards
which their thoughts and their pray
ers have been directed, through
patient and persistent labor, for many
months, viz : The dedication of their
beautiful new house of worship,
| Augsburg Evangelical Lutheran
| church, which ornaments the north
west corner of Fourth and Spruce
streets.
The occasion attracted large con-
| gregation, composed of nearly every
| denomination, giving evidence of the
| general interest of the community in
| the success which has rewarded the
/ efforts of the Lutherans. In honor Of
| the occasion, the First PreSby
| church suspended services and Pastor
Caldwell assisted in the exercises.
OBLIGATORY SERVICES.
At IL o'clock a beautiful anthem
was rendered by the choir, at the close
of which the professional, composed
of the Lutheran clergy and the
aisle, the clergy taking seats upon the
rostrum and the Council Immediately
in front thereof
The dedicatory exercises were
opened by Rev. w. S. Bowman, fol-
lowed by financial statement by
Pastor LutZ, who said that cOmpar-
atIyely small sum was yet needed to
clear the church of Indebtedness.
Al appeal was then made in excel
ia Gfn n 10
DR.. j. |. Miller, which was followed
by collection.
After the collection, Pastor LutZ
stated that the contributions were
liberal and he felt safe in saying that
the night collection would complete
provision for the debt.
The dedicatory exercises were then
continued, with scripture readings by
Rev. DIR. Bowman, Rev. DIR. j. l.
Miller, Rev. DR.. Shirley and the pas
tor, Rev. w. A. LutZ.
A hymn was announced by Rev. r.
E. Caldwell, OF the First Presbyterian
church.
THE SERMON.
The dedicatory sermon was preached
by Rev. +. w. E. Peschau, of Green's
burg, Pa, formerly OF Wilmington,
n. c., who took as his text, the 18th,
18th and 18th verses Of the Forty
eighth Psalm.
Preliminary to the sermon, DIR.
Peschau expressed surprise and de-
light at the wonderful success that
had been accomplished and rendered
congratulations TO all concerned in
the work.
The limited space at our command
today forbids an extended synopsis of
the strong sermon which was COM
posed largely of the history, usages,
purposes and strength of the Lutheran
church, interspersed with flights of
imprisoned eloq1ence.
He said the Lutherans stick closer
to the scriptures than any church on
the face of the earth. He would re-
joice if the name Evangelical Luth-
eran church could be adopted by all
the churches of Professionalism. Sig
nif1cance of names of other denOmina-
tions was mentioned. In the Luther
an church everything centres in Christ
and points to Christ, as all the hills
point to the sky. 1t had scriptural au
thority for almost every phase of its
service. 1t was the first church to
give the Bible to the people in their
sion of faith ante-dates all other con-
LESSONS and parts of it have been APP
propriated by others. The church
has an educated ministry and no such
men as Huxley, IngersOl, Hume, &c,
have ever sprung from it. 1t was
the first to give the youth a cate
chiSm.
The church has been misunderstood
Some have thought it was like the
Roman Catholic Church. He referred
tC Martin Luther's contest
insult for the Lutheran church to be
called like the Roman Catholic
church.
He spoke of the mighty membership
of the church, numbering fifty-three
million. Fifteen crowned heads were
members. Queen Victoria had erected
a Lutheran church, in which she wOr
ships as often as in the Episcopal
church. In eighteen of the largest
Grams stand second in point Of mem
bership, the Methodists being first
Some churches have too much SER
vice and not enough sermon. Others
have too much sermon and not enough
service. The Lutherans avoid both
extremes; are conservative. He re-
ferred to the Mythology of the church
and its beautiful church buildings and
spoke of the beauty and convenience
of the church that had just been
dedicated.
The preacher spoke of the indie
structibility of the Church of God
it's solid foundation. 1t rests upon
that which Will outlive the rocks.
There is II church within a church.
The external church is the box in
which the diamond is hid. He referred
to the building OF the spire to the
Cathedral at Cologne. At first the
spire was seen surrounded by a scat
fold upon which were workmen; af-
forwards it stood out in its beauty
and completeness. The earthly
church was only scaffold around the
living church in our hearts. 1t is a
glorious thought that we are workmen
for God. May this church be but
veStibule to Heaven.
After the sermon, prayer was offered
by Rev. r. E. Caldwell. The bene-
diction was pronounced by Rev. DIR.
Bowman.