The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-11
A NEW CHURCH.
Rev. Charles Oieson Ordained mt tie
Swedish Congregational.

admitted to the Montana conference ny
the ecclesiastical council and the new
pastor Rev. Charles Oleson, has been
ordained. The new society will meet in
its own church and has now member
ship of 2S. The sermon on the occa-
sion of the recognition of the churcn
by the ecclesiastical council was deliv-
cred by Rev " F. Clark of Livingston
and was as follows:
1t is certainly fitting that we recall
the influences that have brought us,
the representatives of two nations, To-
gether at this hour for this important
service. We witness here the conflu-
ence of two streams of religious MS
tory, one rising in England, the other
among the fjords and mountains OF
Scandinavia.
To change the figure, two ships, sail
ing under the same flag, pause and Sa-
lutte each OTHER here tonight, the Eng
lish and the Swedish Mayfiowers The
pilgrim from England greetS the Pill
grim from Sweden.
CHANGING backward for a moment we
catch the first view of the white sails
of the English Mayflower about the
first of the fourteenth century. WICK
lif hews her keel and beams and shapes
her hull 1t remained for Browne and
Barrome and Perry and Greenwood
and others to complete the ship. Brad
ford and Brewster and Clybton and
Robinson launched her on stormy
sea. Her course has ever been truth
ward. Your ship of truth, dear breth-
rem. though younger. is not less well
built The Vikings and their sons are
good ship builders. The world is full
of the name and fame of one of your
race who, with his indestructible Fran
fought and conquered the hitherto I'M
conquerable ice king of the north. Your
pilgrim ship was constructed with ike
strength Fran" Forward), might
bnr
has been across a dangerous sea. The
isebergs and cracks of human inStitu-
tons threatened her. but her prov
has proven invulnerable. Forward,
truthward, Christward has been her
course.
The first builders of your ship were
little companies Of men and women,
who, becoming dissatisfied with the
piety of the Lutheran church, formed
themselves into bands called reading
circles" Under great difficulties, OFTEN
they read and studied their Bibles,
seeking always to know what is writ
ten" Karl Olof Roseniur, by pen and
voice, aided these learned souls in the
construction of their ship. Here and
there other priests of the state church
dared To join the number, but the great
! portion of the clergy were hostile To the
movement Fines. imprisonment and
/ other penalties were inflicted upon all
who showed the spirit of 'separatism.
But. as with the English Pilgrim so
with you, no opposition could With
stand the movement. 1t was of GOD.
II could not come to naught. And so
we have here tonight the representa-
tiyes of that great religious awaken
ing in Scandinavia. Your ship is well
launched. She is entering the worlds
/ ports | have met many of her pas
| sengers in Nebraska. They are in the
Dakotas Minnesota, and we are glad
| to greet you here in this great state OF
Montana.
And now let us consider briefly some
/ of the principles for which your faith
ers and our fathers stood. the princi-
pies which we unitedly represent.
First. we believe in distinction from
the old state church. in regenerated
church membership. over the door to
| every Congregational and Swedish Free
/ Mission church may be written the
motto. "Ye Must be Born Again.
| That regeneration is by the Holy Spirit.
| and the atoning mark of Jesus Christ.
| We believe In experimental religion.
Furthermore we have few simple rites
and ceremonies but II is not through
those the new life is secured. These
are for those who have been born
/ again The great essential Of our
/ churches is the divine life in man. And
/ there is need that this truth be well
/ guarded In the struggle to build up
! churches, amidst the rivalry of denomi-
/ nations, we are in danger of overlook
| ing or Understanding this funda
/ mental principle. These temptations
must be resisted. Let us not dare to
! build a church on any other founda-
tion than that is laid. which is Jesus
| Christ. and his life in man.
Second-This suggests another truth
for which we stand. viz, the worth of
! the individual. the absolute equality of
/ all members of our church.
! congregationalism Is a religious de-
mocracy. 1t has been said there are
/ two kinds of democracy; one that says
1 II am as good as you are another
I that says you are as good as | am.
/ This is the democracy we represent, I'm
honor. preferring one another"
You are tonight beloved. each man
/ and woman. on the same high plane.
+ The fact that we have set apart one OF
( your number To be your pastor, does
not make him better than you He has
no authority to lord 1t over Gods her
4 itage. He is your servant. He that is
/ chief among YOU let him be your serv-
( ant. Respect him, pray for him. love
/ him. follow his leadership. But re-
/ member that each one of you is a king
and priest before God. alike responsible
/ for the progress of Gods kingdom.
4 4 third principle, closely allied TO
/ this may also be mentioned. viz. the
/ right of private Judgment This finds
application in many ways. To our
I daily life. our walk and conVersa-
/ ton" chiefly perhaps, to the inter
/ probation of Gods word. 1t was this
right that our fathers contended for
! They devised the right of ecclesiastical
4 or civil authority To determine for them
what was written" in the word. This
/ right is yours. as n church. and as i'm
/ dividuals. If now and then it gives rise
4 To opinion that some cannot accept. he
careful how you judge one another
[ The ground of your fellowship is the
reCenerated heart So long as all mem
J hers love the same master. and are in
fellowship With the same Holy Spirit
il need not matter So very much if
there be some slight differences OF
opinion.