The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1901-05-10
TOWN TOPICS,
TRINITY CHURCH.
THE CONTRIBUTIONS SERVICE.

Seldom has so large a congregation
assembled in Trinity church, New
town, as was gathered together on
Sunday last, the occasion being the
visitation of the Right Rev Chauncey
B. Brewster, D. D., the Bishop of the
Diocese, to administer the Apostolic
Rite of Confirmation. The usual morn
ing prayer was omitted and the Holy
Communion was celebrated by the rec
tor, the Rev George T. Linsley, assist
ed by the Bishop. A class of nine per-
sons was presented by the rector for
the laying on of hands, after having
past two months.
The Bishops manner in confirming
was very impressive and solemn. At
ter the confirmation service the
sermon was preached by the Bish-
Op. He is but just recovering
from severe cold but this seemed to
affect his voice but little in preaching.
He announced no text but began by
abiding to the venerable history of
the parish and what it's influence has
been and what it's stately building
might stand for in the new Goth CEN
fury. His main subject was the mean
He showed how closely and inseparab-
ly the truth of the Cross is related to
that of the manger and that of Easter.
The Crucified Christ is the Incarnate
Christ and the Risen Christ. Then he
dwelt upon the AtOnement. 1t can
be best understood if the word is sep
arated into it's parts at-one-ment.
Christ by his death upon the Cross
made God and man "at one" with
each other. In accomplishing this
Christ did not merely suffer in our
stead, or as substitute for men, as
has sometimes been preached. He
be substitute for them. But Christ
suffered as our representative, in our
behalf and for our sake. His suffering
was the supreme instance of vicarious
sacrifce-the innocent suffering in be-
half of the guilty. We the disciples
of the Crucified One must expect to
live our lives according to the same
principle which guided His. Christ
was crucified for men that men may
be crucihed with Christ. He suffered
that we may be partakers with Him
erous to allow Him to bear the Cross
alone. We must take up our cross
daily and follow Him, whether it be
of disappointment, or sickness, or sor-
row, or any other adversely, that we
may have fellowship in his sufferings.
This teaching Of the Cross is vitality
associated with the two Sacramento.
AT the font we are baptised into the
death of the Christ and are signed on
forehead with the sign of the Cross.
A the altar we keep the memorial of
the death of Christ, His Body broken
and His Blood shed. This involves the
offering of ourselves, our souls and
bodies, to be a reasonable, holy and
living sacrifice unto God. We should
come to the Holy Communion with
our burdens of whatever kind as to
the foot of the Cross.
Between these two sacraments
stands the Apostolic Rite of Confrma-
tion, the Scriptural completion of
Baptism. In Confirmation we are
sealed by the Holy Spirit and strength
ened for the battle Of life. 1t is
splendid thing to live under the Stars
and Stripes. 1t is an infinitely more
glorious thing to be enrolled under the
banner of the Cross, the banner Of the
Crucified Christ, the Great Captain of
our Salvation, the banner which
whether marked on the forehead, or
placed upon the altar, or set upon the
lofty spire pointing heavenward, is the