News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1897-01-27

mere UHlS Is 10 DE truly U0e temple OF
the living God. Here we meet and
greet and grow in graces that fit us
for higher life. Deacon Gleed closed
by presenting the resolutions that
appear on page 2.
Mrs. Hazen of st. Johnsbury fol
lowed with a solo. Scripture was
read by Rev. Mr.. Bacon of Essex
Junction and prayer offered by Rev.
Mr.. Drew of Stowe.
The hymn written for the occasion
by Rev. P. B. Fisk was then read by
the author and sung by the choir
and congregation
! o Thou, who once in lowliness
Didst name Thyself the Son of Man"
| How soon Thy mighty works began
| To make the world Thy name confess.
Confess Thy name all names above,
| Master of providence and grace
| Confess and humbly seek Thy face,
| Thou source oflight and life and love
o Love Divinel Thy church awaits
| Amounting with Thy Spirits power,
| For special need this very hour
| The power that guides and consecrates.
That consecrates each 1owly heart
temple holy unto Thee:
| So holy this new temple be,
| We, for Thy service, set apart.
For we desire to do, and be,
What, here and now, Thine own should do
Alert, obedient loving true,
Intent on clarifying Thee.
REV. SMITH E. BAKER, D. D.,
of Boston was then introduced and
proceeded at once with a logical, for
chile discourse, based upon the sec
ond verse of the S4th Psalm, "My
soul longeth, yea, even tainteth for
Thy courts, oh God.
The theme upon which he dwelt and
carried in its various stages during
all his excellent sermon was, the
meeting house, characterized as such
in continuance of the old Puritan
ways. He first spoke of iron, OF
books, and other material things, as
compared in value. One piece of iron
is made to mean more than another
through the idea that has developed
it's shape or purpose. One book is to
US more valuable than another,
equally we'll bound, because of its
ideal. SO with man. 1t is not the
value of his mental or physical or
financial ability that determines his
worth but the idea within that wills
him to do. A poor man inspired by
rich thought is richer than a rich
man prompted by poor thought.
The idea makes the man. So with
nations; so with art. The brain
that a man puts into his work mag
nifies it. So with houses. Different
houses stand for different ideas.
The factory, banking houses, govern
mental houses, the home, the church,
all represent each it's idea. Churches
more than Others represent an idea,
and different places of worship speak
to us of different ideas. Denomina-
tional lines can in most cases be told
by the church you enter. 1t is there
fore proper that we put our best skill
into that building that is to repre-
sent, by its silent eloquence, our
thoughts. People passing this beau
titul church to-day are told what
manner of people you are. this rep
resents the highest thinking and the
deepest loving of those who build.
The meeting, house, the best, the
good Puritan name for our spiritual
home. The idea was born in the
home, the Puritan homes, homes
that were warm homes, hospitable
homes. The home idea is that of d.
versity-a home for the child, the
boy. the girl, the youth, the middle
aged and the aged. The church must
be such home; must represent SYM
pathy; a home where every human
heart may find brotherly and sis
terly love and welcome, every man
the brother of every other man, every
woman the sister of every other
woman. The home tie in the church
of God is to reach higher and deeper
than any other tie; it is what hui
mainly is waiting for and aching for.
The fundamental idea of the true
church is a home, a spiritual family.
Every one entering yonder door
should be made to feel this is my
home. The Congl meeting house rep.
resents the idea OF a school, the
teaching place; the pastor able, the
Iaymen intelligent. The strength O
Congregationalism depends on the
high average of the intelligence of tbs
people.
Some say you must not preach doe
trine. Preach Christ and not preach
doctrine! Who was Christ? Answer
and you preach doctrine. For what
did Christ come and live and die? An
swer and you teach doctrine. You
can't preach Christ without preach
ing doctrine; there can be no religeou,
life without doctrine. Do good? Yer
do good, but you can't talk of gooC
deeds without teaching theology ,anC
the pulpit and the church first of al
must be this teaching place.
The church too is a hospital,a spirit
ual hospital-the church is not to b.
composed of perfect people, if so, i
might well be translated to the uppe
life at once. No; Oh, no! The lame
the diseased, the sin. sick souls ma,
come to the church and be made well
t When the church gets above receiving
: imperfect people, it is no longer tn
church of God. When anyone in thi
f beautiful village aud community feel
: he is a poor miserable sinner, b