Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-08-18

members truly alive in benevolent devc-
ton. The spirit which drives men to de-
stroy others in advancing its civilization
is to be driven out and replaced by anoth-
er which sacrifices itself to save the stray
ing and the lost, that is to suffer rather
than to destroy. For this man has no'
found the power in all his civilization. ar d
therefore this stone cannot become the
head stone, the foundation principle Of
which the structure of permanent ami de-
veloped human character could be built.
Until all the civilizing forces of our race
shall come TO rest upon the person and
work Of Jesus Christ, so long viii they
mutually destroy one another, and in
stead of building the temple, they become
the means for its everlasting overthrow.
The world seems slow TO learn the
truth that no stone can take the place Of
Jesus Christ and His person and life, as
the ground Of all life and the source of all
power to bind in one the work of man as
building the temple of God upon earth.
lust now we are as a nation offering TO
give our principlesand civilization, our edu-
cation, our everything to use new pos
sessions as the means Of raising them in.
to the new life that shall make them in
their realms temples of God, but in all
our offering the builders so far are reject
ing the one stone on which alone the
superstructure Of permanent and unchang-
ing life shall rest, and this the believing
world alone can give in the gospel OF
Jesus Christ.
Not by free schools, not by popular
education, nor yet by our American NOR
ais, nor by any other OF the many Christ.
less institutions we may offer, can there
be lad the foundation for any continu-
ing life Of permanency. Only as all these
are filled with the power OF the living
Christ can they contribute to the erection
of the real temple of God any more.
Now the same is true for the structure
of our own natural permanently. tits not
by any other means that our permanency
is to be established. Only one founda-
ton stone. and that one, the one which
the world builde are continually reject
ing. can be sufficient TO be the head
stone OF our corner.
And this it is which this stone will al
ways suggest to you. Your temple will
ever stand here and the outward express
sion of your life in Christ. Every one of
you, pray, will be living stone in that
other invisible building which this one
represents. Ye are the temple of God.
And as such you will learn to see that
you are united only as you are so in Jesus
Christ. You will be powerful to save only
as you rest in and on Him.
Learn early to differ from the orld and
whatever may lead others to reject this
stone, Jesus Christ, cling you to Him.
Make Him TO be for you your only corner
stone.
And then when shall end the age Of
clay, and be torn away the veil that hides
the unseen, and the eternal temple of the
new Jerusalem shall be revealed, then
shall all the redeemed learn to know, in
the Joy of the finished temple, that the
stone which the builders rejected, and of
whom, this stone, we This day lay, shall
be your continual remainder. is indeed
the head stone of the corner.
The remainder OF the program was
then rendered, as follows:
Hymn 562,"Christ is our Corner stone,
read by Rev. ]. B. Stont fer. of Winches-
ter, Va.
Articles placed in the cornerstone by
the Pastor, Elder Christian w. Doll, who.
was to have this place on the program
being unable to be present.
Then followed the official act of the
Church in the laying of the cornerstone
IN the name of the Holy Trinity, the Pas
tor, Rev. DR.. Hofheins, laying his hand
upon tie stone and saying =
II here lay the cornerstone OF a house,
to be erected under the name of Christ's
Reformed Church, and to be devoted to
the worship of Almighty God. In the
name OF the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
All then joined with him in the Confess
sion of Faith, the Apostles Creed.
PRAYER.
The L. NJ. Doxology and Benediction.
WHAT is IN THE STONE.
Copy of the Holy Scriptures.
" " Heidelberg Catechism.
g" " Reformed Church Hymnal.
Historical Sketch of the congregation
prepared by the pastor.
Register of the officers of the congIe-
cation, trustees and building committee.
The coin found in the old cornerstone.
One uncirculated set OF silver and minor
coins of 1900, secured direct from the L.
s. Mint, Philadelphia, Pa through f. Z,
Wilson, cashier OF the Peoples National
Bank of Martinsburg, w. Va.
German coin. 10 pfennig piece, gift of
Mr.. and Mrs. Dan'l Matthaei.
A copy of the Reformed Church Mes
sedger.
A copy of the Reformed Church Visi-
tor.
A copy of THE EVENING WORLD con-
tanning a report of the ceremonies.
FOUR LEFT.
Among those who witnessed the Cor
n r-stone laying were four members Of
the congregation who were members
when the first Cornerstone was laid in
1870