The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-09-20
ST. LAWRENCE ST. CHURCH.
The Last Services To Be Held in the
Old Edifice.
An Interesting Memorial Sermon by Il ev.
MI. Wright-Exercises by the Sunday
School-Final Meeting in the Evening.

Mr.. Wright-Exercises by the Sunday
School-Final Meeting in the Evening.
The services at the St. Lawrence
street Congregational church yesterday
were invested with marked interest, be-
cause they were the last to be held in
the old sanctuary, as another Sunday will
find the congregation assembled in the
new church building which now stands
in its fair proportions and delightful
apartments ready for dedication which
has been fixed for Thursday next.
This circumstance was made the occa-
sion at the morning service of an inter-
esting address, reminiscent in it's nature,
by the pastor, Rev. A. II. Wright, who
took his theme from Hebrew, 10th chap
ter, verse SO: 'But call to remembrance
the former days"
The speaker feelingly referred to the
fact that the congregation were engaged
in worship for the last time in their IA
millar and long loved Home of God, and
from the nature of the case it INST be a
sad leave, taking in many of its features
and not without its regrets.
The church and people have come to the
parting of the ways. The old home must
be left behind with all it's rich associa-
tions, blessed memories and priceless
treasures of thought, motion, instruction
and comfort, while the farewell to the
old mingles with the welcome to the new.
"The memories of forty years." said
the speaker" cluster about this House of
God. Our fathers and grandfathers wor-
shipped pere. They prepared this sanctu-
airy for thei people of this community
when those now in the prime of man
hood were infant children. A work not
less in Importance and greatness for this
generation has demanded, our ener-
gies, anxieties and sacrifices
Early in the winter of 1858, twenty two
Christian men and women congregated
together as the St. Lawrence street Con-
gregational church, and gladly were
called to remem brance the founders and
father of the church who in the summer
and autumn of 1857 erected the old
sanctuary. The dedication followed on
the 18th of January, 1858. Notable men
were present at that service. Rev. Dr.
Chickering, the model Portland pastor,
preached the sermon and read an historic
cal statement. Rev. Elijah Kellogg
which, the gift of Mrs. ]. B. Brown, was
placed in the corner stone of the new
ediflce. Rev. DR.. ". T. Dwight made
the dedicatory prayer.
In the dedicatory service the wise and
holy desire was expressed in letter from
DR.. Carruthers that the NEW edifice
might from the first, be divinely honored
as the birth place of immortal SOULS
From DR.. Chickering's remarks the
speaker quoted: "f ever there was a
case in which good men doing a good
service might rejoice, this was such q
one. The Lord gave unto His people the
blessing of peace in the making of this
beautiful hill holy place even as the
hill of Zion. - Again to quote from
DR.. Chickering, "In August last, (tha
is of 1887. feeling that longer delay was
dangerous to the best success of the en-
terprise, as well as involving neglect of
duty, these individuals resolved to go
forward on their own pecuniary respon-
sibilities. They associated themselves
these eight mentor the purpose of
building the ST. Lawrence street Congre-
gational chapel, and became personally
responsible to the amount of $2400. !"
The original carpet was purchased by the
ladies, to which fact DIR. Chickering thus
alludes: The ladies by their festival,
were enabled to lay upon the altar, or
rather over the altar, on the floor of these
courts of the Lord, nearly $3.50. He re-
fers to the pulpit: "This neat and COM
modio,is desk is both the handiwork and
the gift of one of the carpenters and
builders" Rev. Mr.. Wright bore cheer
full witness to the commodiousness of the
pulpit, but added that. 'sTine and long
use had somewhat impaired its neatness. 4"
The original Bible. still in the possess
sion ofzthe church, though disused, was
the gift of another friend.
speaker said: sit may be RACED to the
ground or it may. pass into the hands of
another body Of our fellow Christians.
but we who bid farewell to it this day
can never forget that it has been our
church family home''
Looking back, it seems almost wrong
to forsake the pleasant and beloved sane
tuary. Looking on, we feel that duty
and service and grander achievement lie
before us, and Eve thank God and take
courage"
The address was concluded with a
thought personal to the speaker who dwelt
upon his life ministry which has been
associated with the first tabernacle of
this church and he expressed thankful
ness that he had been permitted to abide
with the congregation long enough to
see with his own eyes the new sanctuary.
"Many have said to me,' said Mr..
Wright, fare you prol1d of the new