The Newtown bee., 1899-06-09

inherited from his mother a most ardent
religious nature and on the other side
from his father the disposition to probe
% the heart of all things. These two
traits had ever shown themselves in his
character. He could not simply accept
che faith once delivered unto the saints
because others had accepted it he must
come to bis own faith along path mark
ed by Interrogation points. Once on the
streets of Boston there had come to his
mind as lightning fash the suggestion
That ne should be missionary. It may
have been only childish fancy, but
from that time he had scarcely wsvered
in the intention to devote his life to the
work Of the Gospel ministry.
The Council, voting to be by itself,
unanimously decided to proceed to the
installing services of the afternoon, and
each member as his turn came expressed
his full confidence in Mr. Evans proof of
his fitness to be minister and the ad-
miration for the fearless spirit and candor
that he had displayed. The ladies of the
Redding church, or perhaps we had bet
ter say one of the ladies of the Redding
church had been bold enough to threaten
| that If the Consolation failed this time
| to recommend Mr. Evans for ordination.
| no collation. would be served them; but
| the prophetic eye of this lady must have
seen all as it really happened, for a most
oountiful collation. was found awaiting
the visiting clergy and lsity, and surely
1t could not have been gotten together
after the decision of the Consocistion
was made known.
The reading Of the minutes of the
morning session by the scribe, Rev Joel
5. Ives, opened the exercises Of the after
noon. Rev 81. l.. Slack of Bethel led in
prayer and read passages from Paurs
writings bearing on the work Of the min
lister. The sermon by Rev Fritz w. Bald
win of Chelsea, Mass, was most appro-
pirate to the occasion and was a masterly
effort. The text was found In Acts 8 "a,
20, which gave the theme of the work
of the prophets in Israel's time
and in all times. The prophets, said DR.
Baldwin, were those who In the elder
Gimes>saw visions and dreamed dreams.
The Scriptural idea of prophet is that |
OF man who lives near to God. The |
prophets were the great religious teach /
ers and preachers of the nation, appear
Ing In the time of Israers degeneracy.l
They saw the golden age In the future.
They were patriots. These men were
greater than their times, great
er than the nation. They put the en-
phasis of life on the unseen. They del
clared the doom of those nations that
forget God. The prophets were the
heraDds of the new era which dawned
with Christ. 1t is imagined by some
people that the chief business of the
prophets was to foretell future events.
do not deny this power to the prophet.
cannot understand Hebrew history un-
less see In IL Christ as its consummate
j ,wer and hope. The Prophet is one to
whom God has spoken, to whom God
mas given a message, who is In the world
% give that message. Is not this the
ign OF the prophet that clings to hope
when others despair, and are not these
he men who In all ages have kept the
boise of humanity, men encouraged, men
inspired? II
The PRAYER OF ordination was made by
'rof Edward L. Curtis of Yale, an ap-l
'ropriate selection eung by quartet, /
nd then Prof Benjamin w. Bacon or / Z
Iaie gave the charge to the pastor. HeI /