The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-02

ano prelude by Mrs. L. L. Holden, fol
lowed with g. selection, God is in his
holy temple" by the Weber Male
Quartet, consisting Of William F. Lit
tie, James A. Brennan, James H. CAT
ferty and Charles I. Rice.
In the absence of Rev Alexander
Lewis of Pilgrim Church who was
unavoidably detained, the invocation
was delivered by Rev. Mr.. Bailey of
Summer Street Church. Letters of
regret and wishes for the prosperous
continuation of the church were read
by the pastor, Rev. John e. Dodge,
from Rev. John H. Matthews Of Lake
View Church Rev. John Z. futile of
Union Church, Rev. Archibald McCul-
lagh Of Plymouth Church, and from
Rev. A. Z- Conrad of Old South
Rev. Mr.. Dodge then briefly out
lined the growth of the church from
the most meagre beginnings He told
of its inception in the minds of many
Congregationalists who felt that there
was a need for a church in that part of
the city. The first meeting was held
in the Baptist Church in January, 1897,
Of all those who were interested in the
formation of a Congregational church,
committee on ways and means was
appointed, and about $4,000 secured by
subscriptions to begin the work. To-
day the church has a membership Of
nearly a hundred and q Sunday school
two hundred strong.
Ground for the building was broken
in July and the present buildings erect
ed at a cost of $S000 Through the IN
firing efforts of the pastor, $1,000 in
pledges has been secured, of which
fully $4,000 was contributed by the peo-
pie of the church. The largest individ-
ual gift was. from Mrs. Gardner
Wright of $500 in cash.
In presenting the keys of the church
to Mr.. William H. Blodget, chairman Of
the standing committee of the church,
Henry e. Townsend, chairman of the
building committee, said that the occa-
sion was an exceptionally happy one.
He detailed the obstacles that had been
met in the course of the erection of the
structure, and gave an itemized state
ment of the total expenses incurred in
its erection. In accepting the keys,
Mr.. Blodget said that all of the ex-
pense had been met with the exception
of about $3.50, and he proposed a novel
means Of cancelling this indebtedness,
which met with the hearty and ready
approval of the congregation. His plan
was to take pledges of stated sums to
be paid any time within 30 months or
two years from next July. He called
for voluntary contributions of $50 each
toward cancelling the debt, and started
by pledging that amount himself. He
was quickly followed by six others in
the congregation. Then he proposed
that 20 pledges be secured to be paid
in like manner, and to this appeal the
full number responded for the sum Of
SIS each.
From this point the sum was dropped
to $40 contributions, and 10 were Sc
cured for this sum. The Ladies Aid
Society pledged itself in the sum of $500,
when it was found that the entire
amount of the Indebtedness had been
met by pledges
The pastor thanked the congregation
for its lberality.
The congregation then joined with the
pastor in the recitation of the service
of dedication, after which the Gloria"
was chanted This was followed by
reading of the Scriptures by Rev.
George S. Dodge, a brother of the pas
tor. and the prayer of dedication, Of
fered by Rev. George H. Gould D.
The dedicatory sermon by Rev. Will
lard Scott of Piedmont Church was
upon the general theme of the self
dedication of Jesus to his work, al
traced in the third and fourth chap
ters of Matthew. He dwelt with pow
erful emphasis on the trial of Jesus in
the wilderness, and his temptations,
and showed how this was but a prep
aration for his entry into the service
of God
1t was a baptism of conservation to
the master Every dedication he said
had the qualities of some other,
whether it was of a person to a given
work or of a church. The question
comes how and in what manner are
we to do the work outlined. We are to
use the world as Jesus used it, for the
upbuilding of his kingdom and the re-
demption of the world. This is best
done in worship and service unto him.
He charged his hearers to keep this
work uncommereial He hoped that
the work of the new church would be
as sacred as was the prayer of dedica-
ton, as the dedication of the lives Of
all true Christians. Let the church
ever be sacred unto his glory
The services were closed with a Sc
lection. 1.-THE Lord is my shepherd" by
the quartet prayer by Rev. e. NJ.
Chapman Of Central Church; the clos