The Indianapolis journal., 1901-12-09
ENTERS FOURTH EDIFICE
NEW TEMPORARY ABODE OF FIRST
PREsBYTERIAN CHURCH.
A Sermon by Rev. william III. Oxtoby,
by Rev vi. L.. Haines.


yesterday morning With the programme
Of exercises was printed the following
statement The First Presbyterian
Church of Indianapolis now enters the
fourth edifice erected by it since it's or
ganization. July 5. 1879. The first building
stood on Pennsylvania street. near Market.
1t was a frame structure fifty-four feet by
thirty-four and was the first church edifce
erected in the city by any religious de-
nomination. After twenty years-in 1843-
the second edihce was erected. 1t was Of
brick and stood on the northeast corner of
the circle and Market street The main
audience room was seventy-five feet by
fifty with a gallery over the entrance. 1t
was spoken of at the time OF its dedication
''as the largest and finest house of worship
in the State" After twentyfour years-in
lS61-the main audience room of the fourth
ediice was occupied. This was the build
ing which for more than third Of
century stood on the corner of Pennsylva-
MIA and New York streets, and which has
recently been purchased by the government
and torn down. The fourth edifice now
completed and TO be dedicated this day
is sixty feet by forty-two in size, with
transept or wing twenty-one by twenty
four. Being located within so short dis
tance of the site of the new permanent
on the corner of Delaware and Sixteenth
streets, IL is expected to furnish convenient
and comfortable accommodations for the
worship and work Of the congregation un-
til that fifth structure Is completed"
REV. W. III. OXTOBY'S SERMON.
There was special programme of music.
a sermon by Rev. William Fl. Oxtoby. of
Muncie, and short dedicatory address by
the pastor. Rev. Nj. l.. Haines. Rev. S. c.
70 hax hoo IN fer
prayer. but was detained at home by the
illness of a son. Mr.. Oxtoby preached from
the text found in the fifteenth chapter and
fifteenth verse OF the gospel Of John:
"Henceforth 1 call you not servants, but
friends"
Mr. Oxtoby discussed the friendship of
man and talked OF the friendship that
Christ has for humanity. He said that even
in this commercial age friendship COM
mends itself. Men have a way of saying
that such a one will do Ito tie to- mean
ing that the friendship OF that one is to
be trusted and valued One glory OF the
friendship that Christ offers to each of US
is the assistance that He gives to us in
time of need The friends that we can tie
10 are the friends that We can really prize,
the speaker said. He spoke OF the friend
ship OF Lincoln and OF Tennyson and Car
lyle. He asserted that value OF the
divine friendship is the privilege of talk
ing things over with the Savior. And is
not this the real meaning of prayer?' the
speaker
people should not think that prayer is the
vision of the idealist ad belongs TO the
realm of the vague. Gould we have gone
10 the White House." he said. ''the day
before the battle of Gettysburg, President
Lincoln might have been found on his
knees pleading with God that this was
His country. and His war. Mr.. Oxtoby
said that "a few mopents spent in prayer
would enable the lawyer to write better
brief, would enable the carpenter TO plane
a smoother board. The speaker thought
a chn hn pnnr nf Gnirif
righteousness in our public life; more Of
the spirit of Christ in businessmen merely
the writing of the Golden Rule on the
wall. but the working OF the spirit or COD
in everyday life There is but one con-
ditiOn on which the friendship of Christ
is based" said Mr.. Oxtoby. Would We
be known as the friends of Christ we must
first be known His servants. This
friendship can be given to us all If we are
willing to walk through the valley OF
service" Mr.. Oxtoby thought that in most
of tbe large cities there are three unsaved
souls TO one joined to the Savior. There
is work TO do in every community, he said
REV. NJ. l.. HAINES'S REMARKS.
Following the sermon and preceding the
special service and prayer of dedication
the pastor Rev. NJ. l.. Haines, made an
address, in the course of which he said:
This day marks the beginning of new
era in the life of this historic church. We
believe Ii is the first step towards enlarged
power and usefulness. III is an important
movement for us because or so great a
change in location. The changes in To-
cation Of the first three edifices occupied
i'm succession by the church were compar-
atively small For all three of those edi-
fees were down town and not far from the
Circle. But nOw-at one stride-the church
has moved more than a mile TO the north.
And vet in this nOrthward movement the
church has been preceded by the majority
of its members, who now nave their homes
in this part of the city. SO i'm coming here
we are coming much closer to our people.
and expect 10 have from now on the added
advantage and efficiency which comes from
work at short range.
THE change from the stately edifice on
the corner of Pennsylvania and New York
streets TO this exceedingly plain structure
Is indeed marked one. But, as you see,
we have here an audience room which is
home-like. and. L may add, churchly
This structure was erected in less than
four weeks, and the credit of pushing the
work to such a speedy and satisfactory
conclusion is due TO three of your officers
Messrs G. G. Foster, James w. Lilly and
/. Hamilton Pattison. While so plain and
unpretentious on the outside the church
rooms, you see, heated by n hot water
service, and lighted by electricity, afford
pleasant and comfortable accommodations
for our worship and social work. We do
not expect to be frozen out, as We have
been for two or three weeks, each winter
during the last four years. / believe that
our STAY in this building will be help to
our church life by bringing us closer to-
gether; by breaking up that bondage to a
routine 1OrmaNSm WHICH long ABIDING In
one place tends TO develop. We have been
peculiarly blessed in this church in the
years gone by in maintaining what the
apostle beautifully describes as the unity
OF the spirit in the bonds of peace Made
up. as our church is, OF all sorts and con-
dtions OF men, we have yet maintained
unbrOken by discOrd or dissension a unified
fraternal fellowship. intellectually stami-
mating spiritually elevating.
such a church life We have and re-
joice I'm cannot be built up in a day or a
year. Some people seem TO think that
when they have built new house, with
all modern improvements. and have il Well
furnished. they will have "a home ready to
walk into a ready-made home. or a ready
made church.
''A true church, like a true home, is the
result OF long years OF growth, until that
church comes 10 be part of our life IL
built into and built into il
I by a thousand tender and sacred expert
ences. In "Else Venner" the story Is
| told of congregation that built a new
edifiCe. But they had such precious ex-
periences In the old chapel in which they
had worshiped that they could not give il
and inclose IL within the walls OF the new
II will be with US. All that has been rich
and sacred in the life of this church in the
long years of it's history we believe we
shall bring with this new Ioca-
ton. To-day the call OF God comes 10 us
not merely 10 dedicate this building. but
to dedicate ourselves anew TO Him and in
the sacred fellowship OF His worship and
work. in the confident faith that He will
lead US onward in paths OF richer expert