The Newtown bee., 1901-05-10
THE HOME CIRCLE.
THE MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL
ENRICHMENT OF THE CHURCH..

A SERMON PREACHED BY THE REV R.
H. GESNER, B. D., IN TRINITY
CHURCH, LINE ROCK, CONN, EASTER
DAY, APRIL Is, 1900.
Text, Ps. 100: 4, Enter into His gates with
thanksgiving and into His courts with praise
1 Cor. 3: II, For the Temple OF the Lord is
holy, which temple ys are
Haggai 2: 9, 1.-THE glory of this latter house
shall be greater than OF the former and in this
place will I give peace, saith the Lord Of
Hosts.''
This Easter day, uprising with its
ever fresh and holy memories of a
risen and present Lord, IS indeed a
glorious day to enter into His gates
with thanksgiving and into His courts
with praise.
The period of our Lords earthly life
of building has passed, the hours Of
trial, of gloom, of suffering are over
and He enters on.a new life, carrying
from the grave the perfect manhood,
bearing it above, exalting us men to
the right hand of our Father.
So we may hope that this day means
for us not only new and better and
richer life individually, but also a
larger, fuller, freer life parochially, an
expansion of all our industries, activ-
tiles and ambitions, re-consecration
of ourselves in this beautiful sanctua-
ry to the love and service of God.
To-day the outward and inward
blend, beauty of outward fabric with
beauty of spiritual life. In the new
morning of the Resurrection and it's
regnant hopes, it's fulfillment Of what
the heart scarce dared ask, the lips to
whisper, we come, thankful people,
to the house and table of our Father,
to the "House Beautiful" fit emblem
of the life gloritied and strengthened
from Heaven, fit type of the character
renewed and renovated by the perpet-
ual indwelling Of the living Lord.
One is reminded to-day of the places
in which God was won't to be worship
ped among His chosen people, Israel.
The most conspicuous and ornate build
ing among the congregation in the
wilderness was the tabernacle, for the
construction of which the people freely
offered their gold and jewels. In later
and more settled times the most glori-
GUS and costly building in the Holy
City was the majestic Temple, whose
high walls, lofty pinnacles and porti-
eyes of the homecoming Israelite, as
they shone radiant through the clear
and softening Syrian atmosphere. AS
these ancient shrines bore the impress
of love and sacrifice, as they excelled
all other buildings, so as one draws
near this peaceful but busy village,
does Trinity church stand conspicuous
on it's we'll chosen and elevated site
and by it's uplifted crosses, it's noble
walls and sense of high dignity i'm
press upon all strangers the truth, that
here the people have offered of their
best abundantly and that no other
building surpasses in grace, stateliness
and rare impressiveness the House of
our Heavenly Father, who alone giveth
men the power to get wealth and sup
plies from His table the food that en-
dureth unto everlasting life.
My dear brethren, your hearts must
be glad within you this day, for you
have looked forward through the
years to that which your hopes and
prayers, your zeal and patience, your
faith and labors have accomplished
to-day. 1t is mark of that unwaver-