Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-08-14

IMPRESSIVE SERMON BY DR.. D. c.
OSBORN IN THE MORNING UP
ON GOODNESS" OTHER SER
VICES AFTERNOON AND EVEN
ING-COUNTRY PEOPLE TURN
ED OUT EN- MASS TO WITNESS
THE DEDICATION.
Yesterday the new church edifice
erected by the Methodist Episcopal
congregation at Shady Side, two miles
south OF Bellaire, was formally dedicat-
ed. The principal services took place
at IL a. M, when Presiding Elder DR..
D. C. Osborn. of the GAINESVILLE dis
trict preached the dedicatory sermon
to congregation that taxed the capa-
city of the building 70 the limit. His
text was Goodness" and synopsis
of the impressive discourse is given
below. The musical portion OF the
programme was conducted by the To-
cal choir strengthened for the occasion
by members from the South Beilalre
church choir. At 8 o'clock in the aft
ernoon Rev. o. W. Holmes. of the
First Methodist church, of Bellaire,
delivered a sermon upon Reverence
and at night Rev. ]. S. Secrest OF the
First M. e. church of ST. Clairsvllle,
conducted services which concluded
the programme for the day. The coun-
try for miles around was represented
at all the services and the good people
of the village opened their homes for
scores of the visitors.
A gratifying result of the services
yesterday was the clearing OF the new
property from all debt. The subscrip-
tions ranged from one dollar to fifty
and in this manner the $475 of an OBJ
legation was quickly raised with mon
ey to spare.
The church was moved from Weegee
to it's present location when the new
building was decided upon so as to &C
commodate a larger per cent. of the
members. The pastor, Rev. ]. 7. Ran
kin, deserves much credit for his zeal
Gus efforts in behalf Of the church and
the board of trustees composed or
Messrs. Simon White, H. P. Keyser,
Daniel Schramm, David Archer and j.
E. Keyser is also deserving of special
mention in connection with the work
Of building.
DR.. Osborne in his dedicatory ser
mon said in part:
In ascertaining the profit of Goodness
we want to look at real case.
And there is but little intended by
pocrisy in this world. Many men are
deceived. Some deceive themselves.
They think they have done their utmost
when they have scarcely begun; think
they are at the end of effort when they
are not | don't know as | ever saw
but one man that | felt was an inten-
tional hypocrite. We worry ourselves;
don't know our weakness and the
strength OF temptation. But
our text brings out a genu-
inc case. A man who honest
ly and thoroughly and with integrity,
puts himself into Gods hands and takes
I'D the work of love and obedience
with whole soul, not half hearted stand
ing between the affairs of God and
Baal, not knowing which one to offer
on-not double-minded saying good
Lord, god devil, hoping to secure the
friendship of both. But SQUARE out
and out committing of selfto God, bear
ing its cross, enduring its shame and
hoping in its future.
Self, be it little or great, stands at
the center of our being. 1t commands
all the approaches to our being; it will
command unless a mightier power shah
displace it. AS the moon rules at night
so self rules in us. And as the moon
gives way to the sun so self can be
given to God But he may be shining
and self hide him; small object near
eye hides sun, so self may hide God
from us But precious self must be
given Improperly, talent, time, infiu-
ence-these may be had to give, but
these all are not so hard as self. The
hard thing to say is thy way not my
way The common thing is this way
not thy way. But Goodness has self
surrender in it; not a surrender which
robs us of home, family. power com
fort, but surrender Of the will of self
to God. God must reign, God be crown
ed, right and duty be loved. Here hui
mainly is brought to a common level
and God lifts them into a freedom and
brotherhood. Put down then, self given
up to God.
Our sins must be given up. These
are a part of our capital.
Our sweet sins. our pleasant sins,
those which are like us, which stick to
us. are bone of our bone, i'll gotten
gains wrung by avarice from the wild
ow, ungodly Pleasures, our Sunday
pleasures, Sunday taken from God and
used to hamper self. He has given us
six days, we exact the 7th. Sin, all sin
must be given up. This Is not a small
thing.
See, here is young man who is much
frightened at the cost of church sup
port, cannot afford to attend church.
costs too much. If he will go to his
room and calmly figure up the cost of
a sinful life and then contrast it with
a life of Goodness, he will find this
true: 1t is cheapest TO live a square
out and out Christian life. Sunday liy-
haI 1- o4o