The record-union., 1897-11-08
reat things for US whereof we are

little church. More than thirty years
ago this church was planted in the soil
OF Sacramento, and ever since its al
tars have been kept blazing by the low
ing hands that tended them. 1t has
passed through many trying vicissi-
tudes; it has weathered many a storm;
II has come out of the fires Of aff1ction
purer and nobler than it has ever been
II may not have as many members to-
cay as it had ten years ago. and it may
not nave as much money but the pros
perlty Of church does not consist in
the number of dollars stored away in
pank or in the number of members on
the session roll, but it consists in the
number and character of the graces
that shine in the lives of it's members.
Judged by this standard / am not
afraid to say that prosperity--the best
klnd OF prosperity-is with US to-day.
mere are men and women in these
peWs this morning who have stayed by
the old ship through storm and sun
shine up till the present hour. All
honor to such loyal hearts God will
not forget your devotion in that day
when he makes UP his jewels More
than once the flag has fallen from the
grasp of the leader, but God has al
ways sent another to raise on high the
fallen standard, and to-day the blue
banner of the covenant floats as proud
ly as ever over this worshipping host
This church has been during its thirty
years existence standing protest
against wrong and a blessing to this
whole city. No man can tell how
many souls have been born again
within these walls-how many tired
spirits have been cheered and encour-
ased-how many broken hearted
mourners have been comforted and
blessed. This spot is perfumed by the
memories of the old days that Will
never come back.
In this church your children have
been dedicated to the Lord; here your
sons and your daughters have been
united in marriage, and from this
church your fathers and mothers have
been carried to their last resting place.
To many an earnest, faithful believer
this is the house of God and the very
gate of heaven. Within these walls,
which are alive with the thoughts and
hopes and prayers of Gods people, the
with his own. L do not think I am
guilty Of exaggeration when / say that
happiness and peace, strength and
beauty, goodness and glory have been
poured into thousands of lives through
the Westminster Presbyterian Church.
There is not one of us who will not say
with grateful heart THE Lord hath
done great things for US whereof we are
glad" Look back also upon your own
individual life and tell me If the same
confession will not fit into it at a
hundred points. When you came to the
cross roads in your journey of life and
stood bewildered and perplexed, not
knowing which way to turn, God called
to you and said. This is the way, walk
ye in it," When some fearful trouble
fell in thick darkness over your home,
and the song of the birds was hushed,
and the light of the stars quenched. and
hope lay in your heart sick and dying
when you felt that life was hardly
worth living and heaven hardly worth
toiling for and God hardly worth wor-
Shipping. the Sevior came down and
rolled back the clouds, and every bay
and assure and crevasse of your soul
was filed with joy as the full tide fills
the shore. In the perilous and trying
days through which we have been pass
ing He has kept your head above wa
ter. He has supplied you with every
thing necessary to support life. The
wings of the Almighty have covered
you. The Lord God has been a sun and
shield; He has given you grace and
glory. Where is the wretch who has
nothing for which to thank God? If
there is such a being he must be at
the very bottom of creation, in the very
lowest strata Of all things. Gods gifts
are innumerable. 1t Will take all eten-
nifty to count them. Surely The Lord
hath done great things for US whereof
we are glad" Let me ask you above
ali to lcok back through eihteen CEN
turies to the cross of Christ, and say
If the Lord hath not done great things
for Is. Jesus Christ did not die for
the world as a mass, but He laid down
His life for men individually The
thought that sets fire to my zeal and
kindles my love and strengthens my
faith is He died for me-" / think
when we are marching through the
streets of the New Jerusalem, with the
ten thousand times ten thousand and
thousands of thousands, drums beat
ing and flags flying and angels singing,
we will raise one glad shout that will
echo from star to star-"The Lord hath
done great things for us whereof we
are glad" But while we go back into
the past and gather its flowers and
fruit, we must not live entirely in the
past. The man who does so Will soon
IL.
progress. There must be prospect as
well as retrospect if we would grow up
perfect men in Christ Jesus. When the
Israe!ltes Were marching, on the Egypt
ian side Of the Red Sea, toward Ca
naan. they wandered out Of the track
that led directly 70 it, and found them
selves in a narrow canyon, hanked by
impossible mountains. with ten miles
Of sea In front of them and the whole
Egyptian army behind them No peo-
pie, perhaps, were ever placed in such
terrible circumstances, and it is not
surprising that they were ready to sur
render TO their pursuers and go back to
slavery. and shame But Moses pray
ed FOR the people in this dire extremity
ard the answer came quick as a flash
Cf lightning, Speak unto the children
Of Israel that they go forward" And
forward they went at the Lords COM
nand right into the bed OF the sea. They
passed through in safety while the host
Of Pharcah sank as lead in the mighty
waters" Brethren. We begin a new
epoch in the history Of our dear church
this morning. The future opens be-
fore us like a blank page. pure and
stainless What shall ua v-,-ita ,Yvo,,
that rage? Shall we write the words
desertioii, disaster. shame. or shall we
emblazon it with good deeds. noble