The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-01-13
Dedication Of st. James Lutheran
Church.

The day for The dedication Of St. James
Lutheran Church was all that could be de-
sired. I: was one Of our beautiful Southern
winter days; such days as make one feel hap
py, and surely the Lutheran people had 40
oce n so aaspicious as truly to make them
hav- nat feiicitous feeling. Large audiences
greeted them at every service The exercises
opened at II a. m with hymn Of praise,
and then followed the beautiful liturgical
service of the Lutheran Church Dr.. VI. N.
Kinard, of Columbia, President of the S. C.
Synod of the Evauge!icnl Lutheran Church,
preached an appropriate and able serron
from text in Epa. Q: 1923 He brought
out the great truths of the foundation of the
church, Jesus Christ being 'be chief corner
stone and bead, and that the enperstructure
is to be erected so as to have l,s chief support
10 Christ the cornerstone Very ably and
clearly dad the revereud speaker emphasize
the Rock ON VI hich the church rests, confes-
sion of Christ as the Son of God, our re.a-
ton to Christ as part of his body, oar life
being drawn from the life of Christ. The
sermon was not only we'll conceived, but also
ably delivered.
The pastor of the new church had sur
rounding him some of the ahlest men Of the
cbu,,4. One of the.e-Rey. F. ". E. Pes
chau, who organized the congsegation-then
followed with an address. After tracing the
early history Of the congregation, and as
small rivulst in its course oroadens out into
larger stream, so at last, after trials and
disconragemeuts, the proud occasion of the
day was reached. When the eloquent doc
tor told the needs of The congregation aod q
one-half Of the sun needed was subscribed.
The cornerstone laying followed The pas
tor md visiting clergy;nen proceeded down
the church aisle. followed br the church OFF,
GERS. and then the congrega ion, ard marched
to the northeast corner of the chucb. Ac-
cording to the ritual and service of the
church, this symbolic stone was laid BY the pas
tor. Ths co.teuts l.laced therein were A
Holy Binle, book Of worship containing the
Augsburg Confession, Luthers smaller cate
ch ism, forms and liturgies of the Lutheran
Church, the Constitution of the Congrega-
ton, names of pastor, officers and members,
e history of the congregation. &c The
morning exercises closed with benedicion
by Dr.. Peschau :.
Afternoon Services These we're in the ma
ture OF song service The resident pastors
largely had the floor with words of eDcour-
agement and praise After the singing Of
beautiful solo by Prof. Ramho, which was
highly appr ciated. De- Peschau enumerated
the many gifts to the congregation and
spoke in Appreciation Of them. He dwelt
upon the beautiful " emorial window to our
la'e citizen, C F. A. Bnltman, adorniug the
west end, presented by his wife. he also
spoke Of the kindly feeling OF The other con-
gregatieDs existing toward this new enter
prise, and who helped them when help was
sorelv needed
Dr.. Edmunds, OF the Presbyterian Church,
made au excellent address, md may it be
said to mis- honor, that fsw addresses we're
ever appreciated more than his. Rev. S
Bacon Hllock and Dr.. c. G. Brown spoke 10
their earnest and happy ways respectively as
the public we'll know they can. The after
noon programme closed with number of
responses from the appeals made io practi-
cal way for help.
The climax of the services was reached at
the night service. The audience chamber
was filled to its utmost capacity. TIE per-
sona popularity of Dr.. Holland, OF Charles
ton, as well as the dedcatory ceremony,
proper brought together an immense cougre-
CATION. The sermon was thoughtful and i'm
pressive. After few remarks from the pas
tor, aud thanks to ell for their kindness in
assisting to make the occasion success, the
church was solemnly and impressively set
aside as a-placa Holy unto the Lord Dr.. F.
W. E. Peschau conducted the service, assisted
by the representative men of the Southern
Lutheran Church, Dr.. R. G Holland and NJ.
" Kinard, the former president of the
Uoited Synod, South, and the other, as al
ready said, of the S. G. Synod.