The Portland daily press., 1900-11-12
A NOTABLE EVENT.
Dedication OF New Organ of Con-
gress Square Church.
DR.. Bianchard's Sermon ON "The Min-
istry OF Music.

1nere was an impressive boFfAoo ~ ~eAA
gress square church yesterday morning.
The magnificent new organ was dedicated
in q unique and reverent service. The
usual organ prelude was omitted. The
pastor, Rev. DR.. blanchard, taking his
seat In his pulpit engaged in silent
prayer as his custom Is. Rising, the con-
sreQation stood with him during the
opening parts Of the service. He then
pro ,ouncsd the cpsning sentences:
"aiory to God in the highest; on earth
peace, good will to men. Jesus said; God
is spirit, and they that worship Him
must worship in spirit and In truth. 10
this snd was born, and for this cause
came into the world that i should bear
witness unto the truth. am come that
they might have life and that they might
have 1t more apundantIy. Ye believe In
God; believe also In me- After these
opening sentences he said: AS the pastor
ana representative OF this church, OF
those who are present and Of those who
are absent, OF those who have been with
us In the years of the past, on earth and
In heaven, 1 now pronounoe the words
defeating our organ he then, In rever
ent tones, prom ounced the words: lin the
love of Truth, and In the spirit of Jesus,
We are united for the worship of God and
the service OF man. We now, pastor and
psople, dedicate this organ to be our help
ar In the great work OF clarifying God
and uplifting the whole family OF man.
kind T" The amen to these solemn words
as given from the organ.
The choir then sang the words; NOW
to the king eternal, immortal, invisible.
our Father and our God, be honor and
glory for aver and ever-Amen.
Pastor and people then united In the
Lord prayer.
The congregation having resumed their
seats the choir rendered very finely a
charming anthem written for the COCA
sion by the organist, Mr.. Frank S. Ran
KIN.
A responsive psalm service followed.
The choir then sang the Gloria, and this
was followed by an exquisiteiy rendered
solo by the soprano, Mrs. Clark.
The Scripture lesson was taken from l
Samuel, XVI. and Psalm CL.
BuIlard S anthem Light and Life
was then impressively sung by the choir.
After the notices had been read Thorne's
otfertcrie in ID. was given as an organ
solo, and was heard with great delight.
Congregation and choir then sang most
heartily hymn S53 of the delightful hymn
book OF the church to the tune Of Duke
Street. The hymn was written for a nsw
organ.
The theme OF the sermon was 1.-THE
Ministry of Music." The text was taken
from Job XXI 12-'"rhey rejoioe In the
organ
After a fitting introduction, Dir.
blanchard spoke of this ministry under
seven divisions. 1t ministers to men by
giving wordiess joy We may use ejacula-
tions or delight, but these cannot describe
our joy, and the deepest is without
words. Music ministers By giving COM
fort in sorrow; by giving calm in excite
ment; by giving courage in danger; by
bestowing the peace that passeth under
standing; By Leading us into communion
with God by strengthening our belief In
the final harmony OF the universe. Each
of these divisions was amply illustrated
by the recital of incidents wherein music
thus ministered to men. After thanks TO
the noble woman whose generosity had
enabled the parish to secure the magniti-
cent organ--one OF the largest and finest
In the country-and to thu generous dom
ors in the parish who had made large
gifts which enabled the committee to Sc
cure the organic those who had given
their small but precious gifts, and to
those who win hereafter give large and
small contributions-to the committee
Tho had superintendent the purchase and
the placing Of the organ and specially the
organist and chairman OF the parish COM
mittee-to the gentlemanly and expert
superintendent OF the building of the or
gan and his faithful co-workers, among
whom were tine organist and the faithful
sexton. DIR. blanchard closed his sermon
with an earnest appeal for the rededica-
ton OF all, pastor and people, to God and
man. In the love OF truth and in the
spirit OF Jesus, united In the worship OF
God and the service OF man, they were
to use the organ and every other help In
the great work of clarifying God and up
lifting the whole family Of mankind.
A silent prayer followed the sermon.
hymn written by Mrs. Barstow zone of
the saints OF the church, - Tor the dedica-
ton of the first organ followed, and then
the benediction. Again the noble organ
sounded. This postlude was Mendslssohn's
March from "Athalie. This unique
service was deeply interesting, and will
be long and sacredly remembered by the