Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-04-13
A NOTABLE
OCCASION.
Rehabilitation OF the
Congregational Church
at Island Pond.
New Pastor Installed.
Dedicatory Exercises.
Dedicatory Exercises.
MORNING SERVICE.

On Sunday. April Sth, the renovated
Congregational church was dedicated to
the service of Almighty God. The
weather was all that could he desired, /
and at the services large congregations /
we're present An efficient choir rendered |
appropriate music. the people joining |
heartily in the singing Of the hymns
The PRAYER of dedication was offered 10y |
Rev. Chas. H. Merrill of st. .Johnshury /
Secretary of the Vermont Domestic Mis-
siouary Society. The Rev. DR.. ;. y.
Jackson of Barre preached both morning
and evening. His sermons We're eloquent
and inspiring, and will long be remen-
bersd by his hearers. The text Of his
morning sermon was John ,, IL; g. My
Fathers House" He said in part -
From the beginning God has sought
the companionship ofmen. He walked
with them in Eden. One day. however
the race in the loins OF the first parents
ran away from God and hid itself sin
did this, and ever since il has fixed a
great gulf between God and man. Gods
supreme effort has been to reveal Him
self to mankind. The discoveries of
nature we're not sufficient. signs and SYM
bols, visions and the Divine voice were
used; prophets and angelic messengers
we're sent from time to time. At last
lie said Il will send my Wrll-beoyed
Son, they will hear Him" By the adj
vent, life and death of Christ such 4
revelation OF God was made that could
by men be apprehemded. lie declared
that He came to reveal the Father. and
this lie most etfectually did. Not only
did He teach that God was His Father.
but that He was also Our Father" The
divine effort OF Self-revelation is shown
in Gods sanctuaries. The first was the
Tabernacle, which required nine months
for its construction and cost about one
and q quarter million dollars. With all
its symbols, one thought was chief, name
", that it was Gods tent. that He was
present with His people, Leader, Com
mander, King. The Temple made hy
solomon. carried the same thought. only
that now God was resident with His peo-
pie, dwelling i'll His palace. Seven and
half years were consumed in its con
structon, at Il cost OF four and a half
million dollars. 1t was called the blouse
OF God" Christ called it My Father
House." blending the idea OF the home
and the divine Fatherhood. 1t was
probably at the time of the Babylonial
captivity that the Temple and its service
was first supplemented by the Synagogue
In the time OF Christ these existed wher
ever the Jews dwelt, ten persons beins
sufficient to form q congregation: thei
service was simple, consisting of readin!
and expounding the holy scriptures, an,
prayer. They were preparatory, anC
our churches with their simple service
pattern after them rather than the Ten
pie with its symbolic and ornate service
In our churches the idea OF Gods llouS
is perpetuated. They are erected 70
Gods glory and dedicated to His seryic
and used for his worship. We need ais
to cling to the idea that it is "our Fatl
er's house" While in degree all ma
recognize God as " Father" because II
is Creator and Keeper of all, he become
''our Father in special sense by tn
new birth. Without that we canno
share the full joys of our Fathers house
We need to recognize our Fathers al
thority, and yield to Him implicit oh'
dience. We want to cultivate the chill
spirit of humility, love, and faith in OF
der to fully appreciate the blessing {
the Fathers house We are called ,lpo
to sustain the ordinances of our Father
house by our attendance and gifts. W
should make the services sincere, hearty
and full of devotion; and, lastly, tn
Fathers house embraces the FELLOWSHIP
OF the family. In its widest sense tn
Fatherhood of God embraces the brotl
erhood OF man, and in a special sense til
thought OF the Fathers house brings
us the obligations of mutual fellowship
AFTERNOON SERVICE.
In the afternoon platform meeting W;
held, the pastor elect presiding. Go
Porter H. Dale, the clerk, read mo
interesting historical sketch Of the churc
which will be found elsewhere. He WI
followed by Rev. c. II. Merrill who co
graduated the church upon its presel