The Washington times., 1902-09-29
Weeks Feast of Dedication
Opened Yesterday With
AADap Seruices-Serm
by Re0. GNozd, D.D.

Dedicatory exercises were held yes
terday at Temple Baptist Church. cor
ner OF Tenth and n Streets northwest
The several services of the day wer
well attended by the members of th
congregation and people of other de
nominations. The exercises yesterda.
were the first of the weeks feast o
dedication. which will culminate mex
Sunday In the celebration of the six.
deth anniversary of the organization o.
the church.
Services yesterday included the dedi
catory sermon by Rev. o. P. Clifford, D
D.. an eminent Baptist minister Of Buff
falo. N. T.: a platform meeting in the
afternoon, Christian Endeavor meet.
Ing, and a sermon in the evening. Spe.
cial music was furnished
At the services In the morning state
nlent os the history of the new building
and the financial status of the enterprise
was made by Mr.. William Fletcher
presi lent of the board of trustees II
was Shown that the lot, purchased in
1881. cost $4,000; that the building, in
cluding the organ and other furnishings,
cost $4,000. and that debt of several
thousand dollars existed on account oil
the new building.
Subscriptions to the amount Of about
$1,000. sufficient to meet the immediate
obligations. were made during the day.
Thus the affairs OF the old E Street
Church. parent Of several other congre-
cations. which was organized sixty years
ago, and has occupied the E Street
building fifty-three years were wound
mp. and the Temple Church established.
Of Roman Architecture.
The new building Is handsome and
commodious, with seating capacity Of
about 1000. The acoustic properties of
the auditorium are excellent and the
color scheme attractive. The architec-
ture is Romanesque. The building is Of
light brick, trimmed in stone There
are three entrances to the auditorium.
The decorations OF the altar and ros-
trum were Of palms and goldenrod,
chrysanthemums and other flowers The
alcoye was beautifully banked with
palms and several fine pieces of floral
work
The dedicatory sermon OF DR.. Clifford
was masterpiece OF oratory, containing
a strong statement of the necessity and
authority for the church in the world.
His subject was taken from the twenty
eighth chapter of Genesis and first John,
particularly these sayings: Surely the
Lord was in this place" and Hereafter
We shall see heaven open and the angels
of God ascending and descending upon
the son OF man.
DR.. Clifford used the story Of Jacob,
the exiled. who slept on a stone which
he raised up and dedicated to the serv-
ice of the Lord. and about which thirty
years later he erected a church. .'out
Of the East and its paganism went Abra-
ham," said the speaker. 1.-TWO genera
tions arose in the land and a grandson
of Abraham journeyed back to Messa-
potamia. He was bearing the destiny of
the human race. In the rude place he
esldciisheu Deluei. rlISt, an upralSeQ,
anointed stone, next church, then a
Christianity, the
church of today. Jacob felt the force of
when he returned to the
site of the dream and founded a church.
His descendants came and worshipped
there and the leaders of the race built
q temple to the unseen God.
Churches Built for Men.
Churches are not built for Gods use,
but for mans sake. God was there be-
fore Jacob raised the stone and
anointed it. He needs no house. The
church is the symbol of God, whether it |