The Portland daily press., 1897-09-24

on Munjoy hill, and that the work it had
to do here was most important one.
Then came the dedicatory act of the
church performed by the pastor the Rev
Abel II. Wright and the congregation in
responsivearea6ing. The pastor offered a
very eloquent and impressive prayer OF
dedication and as he finished the chimes
in the tower above burst forth into Tho
"Doxology' announcing to the world
that new house of worship had been
to God and His work. The
male quartette composed of Messrs.
Hall Eveleth and Mcdonald
afterwards sang selection to the delight
of the large audience.
Rev. DR.. Jenkins, D. D., delivered q
brief but interesting address. He dwelt
particularly on the uses of place of
alVlne worship, and the necessities for
such an edifice in every community. 1t
was an address characteristic Of the
speaker and from beginning to end was
extremely interesting. He said that a
street corner might be good enough
place for prayer, butrit.is not exactly a
suitable place for divine worship. 1t is
necessary that man worship in a house
and the more beautiful and comfortable
the house is the better. 1t should be a
place where all of humanity's needs are
considered. where humanity lifts up It's
voice and tells of it's pressing necessities.
There may be good teaching and sweet
singing in this house, but unless it is a
house of prayer for all the nations, it is
not doing the work that it might do.
Rev. Dr.. Fem, D. D.. of the High
street Congregationalist church was the
next speaker. He said that a house above
all other things should have beauty and
he was glad that it was stone church
and one of exceeding beauty. The church
should be beautiful because the God
which you and love is beauty. He is the
very soul and representation of beauty
God dwells in the red of sunset, in the
umbl1ng music Of the sea- or the tinge
Of autumn and especially in the beauty of
churches. Beauty is not only moral in
itself, but in its tendencies and influences.
You know what it does for wayward
young men who are going astray. 1t
draws out from us all that is noble and
grand. wish, brethren of ST. Lawrence
parish that you may complete this
glorious work and give US come of those
grand harmonies of the chimes from the
top OF your church. Let us have it at
noon, at night and especi ally on the Sab
bath day SO that even those who cannot
come here to worship with you may
reverence God and honor His day.
Rev. Asa Dalton, D. D., eulogized Rev.
Mr.. Wright in fitting words. He spoke
OF his long and faithful work in the ST.
Lawrence street church and the reverence
and love with which he is held in the city
of Portland. He said that the sectarjan
spirit has passed away and the community
Is the better for it. The Consregn.
tionalists were at one time the strongest
church in this country, and expected TO
swallow up all the other churches and
live them down. 1t was so with the
Methodists and all of the other denonilIs-
lions. l do not believe that the Catholics
are to take this country away from us. L
believe that the time is coming when we
will swallow them up. Every one is more
broad in religious views than thar ever
have been before The Roman Catholic
church is more liberal than ever It was
before. Its priests are just as good Anleri-
cans as we are and as they understand
their religion are doing their duty as
they see it. Our principle is one of self
Judgment. We believe that men shall
construe the scriptures to suit themselves
while the doctrine of the Roman church
is just the opposite. They believe that the
Pope shall construe the scriptures for his
flock. This is the rock on which we split
and when we can be induced to allow the
Pope to construe our scriptures for us the
Protestant and Catholic churches will
unite.
Rev. Mr.. Wight then introduced the
Rev. Elijah Kellogg who had been the
friend of the fathers of tho Sc who haze
been instrumental in the founding of this
church. 1t was especially fitting that
Mr.. Kellogg should speak on this aus
picious occasion as he had preached the
dedieatory sermon Of the old St. Law
renee street church on January 10, 1858.
Mr.. Kellogg spoke for some minutes and
although he is very aged man and his
voice has lost much of its power he was
distinctly heard by those in the extreme
rear of the large edif1ce and every word
he uttered was listened to with delight.
He said in part: Brethren and friends
in Christ Jesus: This house is now set
apart from all that is secular and is
dedicated now to God. 1t is to be used 10
hold meetings, to commune with God.
When you come here you expect to find
His gracious presence and your courage
will warm to the work that He has foR
you to do, your faith in Him will in
crease just in proportion to the amount
of work you are willing to do for Him.
see nothing more hopeful in these times
than in the tendency which is everywhere
manifested to utilize the younger element
in the church. In the old days it was be-
lieved that man shouldn't be converted
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