The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-11-19

Large Attendance of Members of Deuomi-
nation From Portland and Nearby
Towns-$30O Raised on the Debt of the
Edifice-Services Next Sunday.
The dedication offthe Methodist Episoo-
pal church, Elm street, Yarmouthville
which has recently been completed, oc-
Cured yesterday afternoon and evening
The church was well filled at both ses
sions, many of the congregation being
from Portland and the surrounding
towns.
The pulpit was handsomely decorated
with potted plants and flowers, On the
platform were seated presiding elder Rev.
e. Q. Thayer d. D., of Desring, Rev.
Israel Luce, South Berwick; Rev. ]. A..
Corey, Lewiston, presiding elder of the
district in which the new church is en-.
cluded. The services opened by the sing.
ing OF the anthem, Praise the Lord Oh
My Soul" by the church choir. Prayer
was offered by the Rev. Mr.. Crosby, pas
tor of the Wesley Methodist church of
Bath. Rev. Charles A. Brooks, the pas
| tor OF the church, then expressed the
pleasure of l.. extending welcome to the
congregationz to the new church home
which had been erected by the people of
the church and the townspeople
Kew. E. o. Thayer, D. D., followed in
4 the reading of a lesson from the disoi-
pline.
| The hymn, Lord of Hosts to Thee We
Raise Here a House of Prayer and
Praise, was. then sung by the .congrega-
ton = with much spirit. The presiding
elder, Rev. ]. A. Corey of Lewiston theu
offered prayer of dedication. Rev. Israel
Luce of South Berwick read the scrip
ture lesson from the Old Testament, and
Rev. A. B. Howard of Cumberland fol-
lowed by the reading OF the New Testa-
ment lesson.
Rev. A. S. Ladd of Augusta, the pre-
siding elder of that district ensdelivered
a brief address in which he complimentcd
the church and townspeople on the sue
cess of the undertaking. He announced
that the cost of construction amounted to
some over $4,000. There have been $1,000
raised by the mem bers of the society and
the denomination building fund had
pledged $500, leaving a balance of some
$3.50 to free the church from debt Mr..
I.add then called for subscription of small
amounts and succeeded in raising some
over $500 toward the debt
The hymn, aEnter Thy Temple GIori-
GUS King, = was then sung by the congre
CATION.
Z Rev. Luther Freeman, d. D.. pastor OF
the Chasrnut Street church. Portland,
was introduced and delivered the dedica-
| tory sermon.
Rev. Mr.. Freeman preached from the
text, Isaiah 5S: verse IL.
The speaker spoke of the sense of salts
faction that should come to the church
because Of a completed structure. Christ
died with the element of satisfaction that
his work WIS done. The Saviour was
satisfied because he had brought to light
a new revelation of God to mankind,
The mission of the church should be to
help others about us to see God ard OBJ
tain a grand conception of his powers
and love that they may be drawn to him
and love him better. I'VE should strive to
live that God may finally draw us up to
| the point of perfection. The church does
lecture, but as living, organized force
to win souls to God, and with nothing
less is God satisfied
| You have built beautiful structure.
You have given of your means to erect
his building Will you allow it to stand
here for the ecclesiastical architecture
which it representa- If SO it will not
meet the satisfaction of God and win his
approval
| You may roll anthem after anthem
through its walls but with all this Christ
will not be satisfied until mems souls
are saved and the purpose Of God In win
ming men into his kingdom has been per-
| fected.
Psalm 1872 was then read responsively,
Rev. Mr.. Leach leading the congregation.
Mr.. T. S. Blake, then on behalf of the
trustees of the church in few brief re-
marks presented the church to the confer
ence district "for the worship and praise
of God"
The ritual prayers were then reoited by
Revs W. S. Berry, A. Hamilton and I.
A. Bean.
The congregation and choir joined in
the singing Of the doxology and the SER
vices were concluded after the benediction
by Rev. HI. Calkins, pastor of the Bap-
list church, Yarmouthville.
At 8 O'Clock the visiting clergy ard
friends were provided with bountiful
collation. in the vestry of the old church.
EVENING SERVICE.
The services in the evening opened at z
O'Clock with spirited praise servios
which continued for 90 minutes. Thsser-
mon of the evening was preached by Rev.
A. S. Ladd, the presiding elder of the
Augusta district. Rev. Mr.. Ladd spoke
from the text, Psalm IS; verse 80, "The
Word of the Lord is Tried
The services are to continue over Sat-
urday and Sunday. This afternoon at Q
o;ciock. Rev W. f. Berry, pastor of the
Congress Street Methodist church of Port
land Is to deliver the sermon.
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