The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-31

healed of disease. They appeal to the
sight to disprove the sight When You
go further and ask them for a rea-
son for SO explaining this healing, they
give you statements which have no
foundation in fact, which are not the
results of logical deduction, which de-
mand that You block up every way that
man in these 5000 years has discovered
or invented, to get to the truth of
things.
Now the religion of Christ fights
against some of the evidence Of the
things we see and feel and touch; it
appeals to reason and truth oft times
against the present testimony Of the
senses: it asks YOU in many instances
to he influenced more by the things you
cannot see than by the things YOU can.
But it never says y0u do not feel or see
or hear these things; ii does not say
that they are not there. 1t SAYS that
they are too much there, too real and
sNong at the time. lit says that they
are beguiling and deceitful; that they
can help and satisfy only for Il short
time; that they are injurious if allowed
to exert too much influence. When
YOU ask for Il reason for these senti.
ments the Christian has it to give. He
gladly goes with you to reason"
BY way of illustration of his text DIR.
Strange referred briefly to what great
results had grown from the missionary
work. which began such n short while
ago and in such an humble way:
''William Carey stood a hundred years
ago before his clerical associates, and
Spake to them of the duty of preaching
the gospel to the heather. They told
him to leave the heather to God, enough
at home. Later he offered to 60 and
do what he could. People all through
England sneered at him. Today its
missionary activity distinguishes the
church of Christ from all other religious
systems. Today n missionary society is
a necessary part of every church, of
every parish and congregation" =
Coming closer to home for an Illus
tration, he said:
"A quarter of century ago twenty
seven earnest men and women gathered
together in fuckers Hall for the first
service of Il new parish in Raleigh.
They thought that another parish was
needed in the capital city of the State,
and they believed that n free church
best exemplified the teaching IF the
Master and the practice of this church.
Small as they were, they called at Il
fair salary man who was fitted To
oversee the larger congregation which
they believed would come, man VINO
could clearly teach the members Of the
church within and worthily represent
the church to the world without. With.
the same prescience, these few church,
men went not into a ceap corner TO buy
piece of ground for their spiritual
home, but they selected this goodly and
costly site in the centre of the city, and
eheerfully shouldered a heavy burden
of debt in addition to the cost of erect
ing this sweet little church, and 20 the
steady drain of large current expenses.
MANY, twenty-five years ago. thought
these men were unWise and unbusineSs-
like. According to the ordinary stand
ard Of churchgiving and church growth.
their hopes seemed only irridescent
Dreams their obstacles insIIrmountable..
Today, that debt entirely wiped out this
parish in numbers and efficiency second
to none in the diocese, under the lead
of a rector who is Il worthy successor
Of him who took charge twenty five
years ago, this crowded and enthusastiei
congregation disclose that these men ana
women were reasonable: that they saw
far and saw truly.
But these jubilee gatherings are nor
only to give thanks for work already
done, but they are also to stir us to
enthusiasm for work yet to be done. not
merely a barren memorial Of he past,
but also fruitful stimulant Tor the
| future. The men and women who put
their hands TO the plough twenty-five
hux Ipn . ft1r. b1,s
now. and those who have joined them
or been trained up by them have drunk
freely Of their spirit and their purposes,
This little building, so dear to us all,
shall still do blessed work for men; but
in its stead as the place Of worship to
Almighty God shall rise stately church.
representing more truly the strength and
purpose of the congregation which shall
worship within its walls It's stone
walls Shall typify the everlasting truth
on which its people rest: its fair white
color shall tell men of the wilderness of
character that mark the Christian: its
soaring spire shall point upward TO the
| infinite heavens, whittier the hopes and
aspirations of its builders ever fly.
1T shall stand first among Gods tenn
pies in the diocese, for dignity and for
| beauty.
1T is a great work which we are
undertaking, brethren; but it is not so
great for you as the work which you
| commemorate today was for those few
quarter of a century ago. Far-seeing
then, they saw the present end. To
see the end now we need not half their
foresight. 1t will not be a decade,
| believe, when we shall gather near this
place to consecrate unto Almighty God,
! free OF debt, the splendid edifice whose
| cornerstone we lay this week.
"All glorious in it's choice wood and
colored glass and carved stone, 1t shall
cry aloud as the years roll on, ID the
people of this growing city: | am nof
ashamed of the Gospel Of Christ; tor
to every one that believeth, II IS the
power Of God unto salvation.
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