Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-04-16
MEMORIAL PULPIT AT TRINITY.

Impressive Ceremony at the Morning Ser
vice.
At Trinity church the services were
of particularly attractive and i'm
pressive nature. In connection with
the 1915 service, which was attended
by an unusually large congregation,
the pulpit placed in the church by
Mrs. j. w. Potter as a memorial to
her late hus band, was unveiled and
blessed.
The memorial pulpit is of carved
oak by j. and r. Lamb, of New York
City. 1t is octagon in shape with
beautifully carved panels, the front
panel having a figure of an angel
bearing a scroll with the legend
"Alleluia". Along the base is the
memorial inscription.
The pulpit was blessed by the rec
tor, Rev. DIR. X. F. Sweet, immedi
ately before the sermon, the veil COW
ering the pulpit being removed by the
Potter children, Marguerite F., John
w. and Ben II. The rector gave the
following Introductory address, read
ing the letter of donation from Mrs.
Potter and using the Office of benedic
ton: Zone very important aid TO
effective preaching is a good pulpit.
Some of the clergy prefer to preach
from lectern; others prefer to speak
from the chancel. Ordinarially the
acoustic position on the chancel steps
is not good one, and the temptation
TO rush about from one side to an
other. has to be controlled. The
preacher is not a lecturer, and there
is Il dignity in having a special
place for the delivery of the SER
mon. 1t seems to be fitting that
the ministration of the prophetic
office should have its pulpit, as the
ministration of the priestly office has
its altar. The true Catholic priest
should make much of preaching. In
the pulpit he is supposed to be the or
gan of the Holy Ghost. The sermon
is a sacrament. Behind his word, if
he is true to his calling, there is the
power of the Holy Spirit. 1t is not
the mans arguments or words in
which dwell the effective power of
conviction and conversion. The
preacher yields the tremendous power
of the Holy Ghost. In this he is I'M
like every other speaker. He must
believe in it himself. He must lose
thought by earnest PRAYER. He must
be thoroughly converted man. and
then the spirit will speak and act
through him.
To-day we consecrate a new. pulpit
as a sacred memorial of the de- arted.
Both in its design and execution it is
a beautiful work of art, and it is now
presented to the parish for it's legiti-
mate use in the preaching of the
truth of the holy Catholic religion.
We set it apart for that purpose by a
solemn office of benediction. May the
instructions mere given enlighten and
bless many generations"
The BenedIction.
DR.. Sweet then pronounced the
benediction as follows:
Almighty and everlasting God.
Who by Ezra, Thy servant. didst
cause a pulpit of wood to be con-
structed, that from it the law, as
given TO Thy servant Moses. might be
declared to Thy people Israel; be
pleased to bless, hallow, and conse-
crate this pulpit now presented unto
Thee by Thy servant. as a memorial
of one greatly beloved; and grant that
from it Thy holy word may ever be
preached in its purity and fullness;
to the honor of Thy great name, and
the edifcation of Thy people We
ask in the name of him Who came
with good tidings for all mankind,
our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom with
Thee and the Holy Ghost be all honor
and glory, now and forever. Amen.
Following this ceremony the rec
tor. DIR. Sweet, preached an eloquent
and able Easter discourse, setting
forth the lessons TO be drawn from
the day.