The times., 1899-05-29
DEDIcAToRY EXERCISES.
Initial Services in the North Carolina
Avenue Nj. l.. Church.

North Carolina Avenue Methodist Protes
tant Church were commenced yesterday
morning at $3.50 o'clock, when the members
of the Sunday school held rally meeting
in the lecture room of the new edifice ar
the corner of North Carolina Avenue and
Eighth streets southeast Addresses were
laade by several prominent members of the
Church and special musical programme
was rendered.
At II o'clock regular church services
were held in the same room. The choir,
under the direction of Miss Mamie Dodge
rendered appropriate music and the serEion
was preached by Rev. A. Norman Ward.
pastor of the Church. The minister took
his text from the eighth verse OF the elev-
eIth CHAPTER of st. Paul's cpistle 10 the
Corinthians: For Whom Christ Died. Ne
said in part: by what measure can man
determine the value and extent OF what
he owes Christianity? How is II possible
for a man TO understand the Infinite love
and heroic self-sacrifice that inspired and
upheld the Redeemer of men at the cruci-
fxion? For nineteen centuries man pas
been studying necessarily in trying TO de-
termne why the execution of Christ oc-
Cured. 1t seems strange TO a person liv
ing in this enlightened age than man
whose motives and principles were so clear,
so holy, so beneficial to his fellow nien
should have been suddenly arrested in
preaching the word of God and for no rea-
son other than the jealousy of the Saribes
and Pharisees, so cruelty put TO death. For
was it not to them that he raised his voice
crying Woe, woe, woe upon ye? Was 1t
not their hatred of this new proclaimer of
the Gospel that led them 10 incite the
people against him? 1t was to the people
that the sermons of Christ were directed,
and had it been left to the people for de-
cision the cruciixion would never have
occurred. But 1t was necessary that Christ
should die; il was necessary that SomG Le-
roic example should show the people o. the
fulIness and impartiality of Gods love. Is
it possible TO measure the value Of
Christ's love for mankind? Is it possible
to determine the extent of the pain he suf-
fered on the cross? The love of Christ
was the love OF God, and the .ove of God
is the most boundless love we know. !
love you How often have we said that?
How often has this simple sentence passed
our lips in talking to those who surround
our freslde? 4 love you And yet how
often does that mean | love you?
Does it not sometimes mean simply
that the person TO whom it is addressed
| is a housekeeper, a slave, convenience, a
thing to be used or discarded at will. to
be made TO bear those burdens OF which
we have grown tired? Simply playthng,
nothing more.
'Is that love? Is that the affection and
| the tenderness of which this simple phrase
| is synonymous? l hardly think it is. The
| true love is the love OF him who places
| his life at the feet of the object of his
| affection. To measure the value of man S
| love it is necessary to take into account
the amount of self-denial and the number
of sacrifices made by him. The noblest
sentiment of mankind, the most holy feel
| ing to which it can give birth is that
which inspires him to offer his life to those
| he loves Such was the love of Christ,
| Such was His sacrifice for mankind. Men
were not the same had not the same value
| in the eyes of God before the crucifixion
\ that they attained by it. 1t was through
| love of men and his desire to see them
| gain the heavenly home that he suffered
as he did. Thus after this heroic sacrifice
| had been made by God for man, all man
| kind became objects Of his love and de-
Yotion. Now. even the lowest order of
the human race has the same value in
! Gods eyes. The Hottentot and the servant
of our institutions of learning are equal
| objects in his affection. Who is it that
| lives now, with the opportunities for ad-
vancement and future salvation, who will
| attempt to measure the value of the love
| of God for the world, and yet who is it
! that cannot measure the value of the love
of the world for God?
''The total inadequacy OF mankind is
never so fifty demonstrated as when one
attempts to explain or excuse his own
shortcomings"
Thus it is. brethren" concluded the
| speaker, that. though we say, 1 love
you the full meaning of the phrase never
occurs TO us. May we start anew in this
beautiful church building to make our lives
and the lives of those around us joyous
and happy in the prospect of life of love
and good will. in the hope of future saliva
| ton, and home in the kingdom above
| A grand rally meeting was held yes
| terday afternoon at o'clock, and meetings
will be held every evening this week The
latter will be presided over by the min
| listers OF the various Methodist Protestant
churches in this city and Alexandria