Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-12-14

favor OF divine PROVIDENCE, we 90 now
solemnly dedicate to the worship and
service of Almighty God, the Father,
the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen
Such were the solemn words spoken
by congregation and pastor at the new
Presbyterian church in this city Sun
day. Thus with praise and prayer, and
Thanksgiving and eloquent sermon and
grand music, the splendid structure,
pride to our little city, was dedicated
to the worship of God.
The weather was very disagreeable.
For two or three days it had been
cloudy and warm. Sunday morning
came with slight rain which con-
tinued most of the day and in the even
ing turned into a wet snow. The
streets and sidewalks were muddy and
kind of dark atmosphere hung over
the city. But inside the church this
seemed to be dispelled by the pleasant
and beautiful surroundings and by the
happy and expectant faces. This was
the day fondly looked forward to for
the past year by the good pastor and
people. The exercises Of the day sure
ly met their expectations.
At 1870 the great tones of the pipe
organ filled the church structure in the
prelude, Miss May Harris, of Atlantic,
presiding at the organ. After the
doxology the invocation was given by
Rev. A. E. Kiser, of State Center. Then
came responsive reading by the minis
ter and congregation and an anthem,
Lift Up Your Heads" by, the choir.
Rev. E. B. Cousins, first pastor of the
church, read in feeling and effective
way portions of the sixth and seventh
chapters of II Chronicles descriptive
of the dedication of the temple at
Jerusalem. This was followed by
prayer by another former pastor, Rev.
E. Dickinson, now of Sidney. He
prayed long and eloquently, imploring
Gods blessing on this people, and ask
ing for especialIblessings on the two
families in our midst recently afflicted
by death. Then after the hymn came
the sermon by.Dr. Craig, of Chicago.
Prof. Willis, G. Craig, ID. d LII.
D., is today one of the most prominent
and commanding characters in the
Presbyterian church. He was born i'll
Kentucky and is about &C years old =.
He was we'll educated, entered the
ministry in 1861, and assum, Il the pas
torate of the Presbyterian chulch at
Keokuk in 1862. He remained the re
for twenty years, becoming famous as
preacher and pastor, and exercising a
great influence in southern Iowa and
contiguous territory. He was practic-
ally the organizer of Parsons College,
the Presbyterian college at Fairfield,
and is yet the president of its board of
trustees. For many years past he has
been professor of Systematic Theology
in Mccormick Theological Seminary
at Chicago. and is the acknowledged
leader of that, the leading theological
school of his denomination in the west
He has been moderator of the general
assembly, and presided at the time of
the famous Briggs trial. He is famous
for his administrative as well as his
oratorical ability.
The sermon Sunday morning was
from Ephesians V, 25 to 81. He spoke
of the church and of its Importance
which is so seldom appreciated. He
briefly alluded to other systems of re-
ligions than the Christian. The world
had not had peace in thought until
christianity came. The human race
had been storm-swept. A terrible
struggle had been made to get rid of
sin. The christian religion provided
the way. He spoke with power and
was convincing. His grasp of the sub
ject was most comprehensive. He
poured an intensity of thought into
his subject which illuminated it and
held his hearers in closest attention.
At the close of the sermon an anthem
was sung by the choir after which DR..
Craig spoke of the beautiful building
they were about to dedicate being
practically all paid for, but that col
lection would be taken to meet the
expense of same incidental improve
ments and some furnishings. About
$500 was needed for this but he said no
begging would be INDUCED in. A col
lection was then taken.
The treasurer of the building COM
mittee, r. G. Rice, then made a for
NAL report of the money received and
paid out by him as treasurer. The
pastor, the Rev. J. F. Hinkhouse, who
was chairman of the building commit
tee, then using the treasurer's report
and simplifying it showed the following :
Total cost of building and improvements to
date ---------- s11 ,s29, ss
Cost of building proper s IS, sec, O4
ripe orsah------------------ Oo2,oO
Seating ---------.---------------- $3.50
----------------------....- 46o,o3
Furnaces. 1880
Material used from old church. 10000
Y CArpets l36 NJ