The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-10-05
CHURCH CELEBRATING IT'S QUAR-.
TER CENTENNIAL.

a sermon by the Rev. Charles e. Smith,
D. D., who was pastor Of the church
from November. 1871, to April 1875.
The church was effectively decorated
with autumnal flowers and vari-hued
leaves tinted in prismatic colors by the
first chill winds of fall Around the
galleries were placed scriptural texts.
On the organ balcony in the rear of the
pulpit three large placards were hung.
The center one bore an open Bible with
the. text, Search the scripture" on the
right, the number 1871" and on the left
1896" rested in large letters.
In the afternoon the Sunday school
exercises were attended by many ad-
ults who We're members of the school
when DR.. Smith was pastor The
former leader made an address which
was supplemented by some remarks of
the Rev. Mr.. Poteat, the present pas
tor.
In the evening the rites of commun-
ion were administered to a large NUNS
ber.
The exercises will be continued this
evening WREN their will be a social
meeting of the former pastors at 7:30
o'clock in the Sunday school room, To-
morrow will be an tional
day The Rev. DR.. George G. Lorimen
of fremont Temple, Boston, will deliv-
er an address on 1.-THE Baptist and
Modern Progress at o'clock.
DIR. Smiths sermon was as follows:
What hath God wrought?" which Isl
60
What hath man wrought 2" For,
though man 81 works are worthy OBJ
ject of study, and by no means beneath
our consideration, yet, in comparison
with his, Gods works are so much no.
bier in their purpose, grander in their
execution, more benedcent in their re-
suits, that we turn at once to them as
the chief objects of our study. I se-
lect this text as adapted to direct our
minds to the divine side of the history
Of this church now twenty-five years
old, causing us to inquire what hath
God wrought in it's founding and per-
petuation? AS a mere human society,",
one of the best results of human Tore
sight and endeavor, 1t would be we'll
worthy of our consideration, but if we
can see it as a product Of the divina
mind, illustrating divine wisdom and
divine love, it at once assumes an Inn
portance and excites interest far SUI
perior. M #z
/ may we'll be pardoned for thinking
that so high a view of the history of
this church can be taken, for during
several of the best years of my life, it,
engrossed my entire time and strength
Of mind and body. The brethren did
not miscalculate my interest when they
asked me to preach this sermon r
have always maintained a certain ten-
der regard for this church on account
of the fact that I was it's first pastor.
I have been pastor of several churches.
but the first pastor of but one. On the
other hand this church has had severaI'
pastors, but 1t could have but one first
pastor. And there was so much about
the beginning of its history that was
unusual and exceptional; so much to-
excite extraordinary expectations OF
future usefulness, SO much to make a.
first pastorate remarkably interesting
and hopeful, that 1t is not strange that Z
come back after an absence of twenty
years with great pleasure, and the dis
been absent God has been present, car
rying out his good and great designs.
Nor would this be any the less true
though it should appear that the his
tory has not all been divine, or even
that the enemy of all good has had his
share in it's production. Our Master
taught us that where he sows good
seed the devil always sows tares. In
spite of the tares, however, a field of
wheat may bear magnificent harvest,
and SO / trust it will be, and has been
here. have a right to come back feel
ing that while shall see few familiar
faces, and many of those whom 1 knew
are with the church triumphant, yet
the church, the same church is here as
divine as ever and with increased
power and beauty. A church is like a.
river, in which the waters are contin-
ually flowing on, and yet 1t Is the Same
river in the same channel, between the
same banks, shedding verdure on the
same fields, one of Gods best blessings.
am sure I cannot DE disappointed in
expecting that, like such a. river. Cal
vary church continues to be, as l knew
it. a broad, deep channel for the waters
O1 LHe Spiritual uIe, dilQ that II QS-
serves to be called "the river God,
which is full of water"
When / think how supernatural the
church, any church Of the Lord Jesus
Christ, is in the world. 1 am confirmed
in taking this view of the divineness of
the origin and continuance of this par
ticular church. Any other society than
the church can be explained by the
working of the natural causes inherent
in human beings. But the church is
against, and in spite of those natural
causes; left to themselves men would
never found or maintain church any
more than water would run uphill.
And during the last twenty-five years
the atmosphere of worldly society has
been as unfriendly to church life as 1t
could well be. In the literary world 1t
has been largely taken for granted that
Christianity was in its dotage, and
must soon pass away. Scientific men
have supposed that their discoveries
had virtually undermined the very
foundations of Christianity. Such
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