The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-08
DIR. NJ. l.. Haines and Members OF
from Other Congregations.
STATEMENT FROM THE PASTOR
GROWTH OF CHURCH ORGANIZATION
TRACED FOR EIGHTY YEARS.
DR.. Kane, President of wabash Col
1ege, breaches the SermOn-3ecep-
tiOn Held at Night.

the First Presbyterian Church, at the cor
ner OF Delaware and Sixteenth streets yes
terday morning, TO hold services in this
part OF the building until the audience room
can be finished. The formal dedication will
take place after the summer vacation. The
galleries and church parlors were filled, as
Well as the main Bible schoolroom Many
persons from other churches attended the
opening meeting. The convenient arrange
ment and decorations of the various rooms
which were thrown together for the occa-
sion made most pleasing picture and ex-
pressions of congratulations were heard on
every side.
The new quartet composed of Mrs. Ere
mont Swain, soprano. Miss Katherine Glib
son, contralto, Mr.. Raymond Lynn, tenor,
and Mr.. Terence Holiday. basso was heard
for the first time. and Mr.. W. H. Donelly
presided at the organ and led the music,
one OF the most enjoyable parts of the ex-
erclses: Rev. William 2. Kane, d. D.. presi-
dent OF Wabash College, made the address
OF the morning. Prior TO the sermon of DR..
Kane the pastor Of the church. Rev. NJ. l..
Haines said in part:
DIR. HAINES'S STATEMENT.
"One Sabbath morning eighty years ago
this summer our fathers in the faith, in
entered and occupied their first church
building. For nearly year prior to that
Sabbath morning the congregation of Pres
byterians in the little town in the new
purchase had met for worship, having as
their minister the Rev. David c. Proctor.
He had been engaged in October 1922 to
give to the people three-fourths of his time,
In consideration of which he was to receive
800 year, or as the call wisely read, so
hea ntllla cd ffar fara
months, and as the result of his faithful
ministrations. the church was organized
women met that day in the cabinet shop of
Mr.. Caleb Scudder and were formed into a
Presbyterian church. The day following,
Sunday, July g. 1923. the congregation en-
tered with glad hearts into their new church
building. 1t Was a modest but comfortable
frame structure, costing $1,6Oo How little
did those earnest minded men and women
realize what their organization meant for
the generations to comet
This First Presbyterian Church, as we
rejoice in it to-day, large in numbers, strong
in resources, wide in influence and unit ed
in purpose, and now entering its new and
ample and beautiful church home repre-
SCENTS put part OF the fru1tage of that vine
sons following there have gone out from IL
colony after colony, some of them the full
peers of the parent and in turn the produc-
ers of yet other vigorous branches. 1t is
long and honorable record which the church
has made since then-a record practically
More than two years ago. when ii was
found that we could no longer retain our
church building down on University Square,
this location was decided upon and a build
ing committee was appointed to plan and
build the new editce. That building COM
mittee have earned their salaries. Those
salaries, while minus quantities in a fnan-
| cial way, are large as receipts what the
| congregation owes to them for difficult and
valuable services freely rendered. They
| have pushed the work of erection with
i=HO
| the main audience room until autumn, for
the pews, which were TO have been in place
| a month ago, have not yet arrived. For
| that delay the committee is not response
| BILE, but the three months that we shall
| now have in the use of these Bible school
rooms for congregational worship will help
| us to realize what an extensive and valu-
able structure we have for all the various
| agencies Of a modern city church.
THE IDEALS.
~ church building should express as
| far as possible religious ideas and ideals
| The two great ideas for which the church
| stands are worship and service. In past
years the Gothic Church gave especially
fitting expression to the idea of worship,
| and when, as in the case OF this building
| we unite in the same structure these many
and various rooms and conveniences for
service as well as for worship, then we be-
| lieve that the true ideal which unites these
4 two conceptions of the function of the
|
| gratitude TO God for the past, with joy by
| reason of what our eyes are permitted to
| see, and with large hopes for the future,
TO which they Snail be devoted. We have
| built this house to the glory OF Father,
| Son and Holy Spirit, where His worship
| shall be observed, the good news of His
gospel proclaimed and the work carried
DIR. KANErS SERMON.
| Dr. Kane's sermon was in part as follows:
| Those who are familiar with the history
of polemic theology Will recognize this text
| as the well-worn battlefield where the
| knights of the creeds have measured
swords. 1 shall not revive these old-time
! battles this morning. 1 am glad that the
| era of theological butchery has passed
| away. The spirit of the present is con-
| structive, not destructive.
Christ looking into the face OF the Gal
/ ilean fisherman. said: Simon, thou art
Peter. a rock; and on this rock Will build
my church That is to say, You shall
| cease TO be Simon and shall become Peter.
There shall be a change in YOU Up until
| this time he had been Simon, an audacious.
| impetuous, uncertain man, ruled by i'm
| pulse. Christ said to him: Thou wavering
/ man, / will make rock of you. You shall
| have a new character; you shall become
| steadfast and unfiinching as rock, and
| in that change you shall be type of a re-
| newed humanity; and upon that experience
| OF transformation l will build my church
| There are two or three practical phases Of
| this teaching which / wish to emphasize.
| christianity bases itself upon a living
| experience. Ii is not simply collection of
| truths about God and man and destiny. IL
| certainly gathers these truths about it, and
| they sustain important relations 10 IL. and
vet they must not be mistaken for Chris
| tianity They are simply forms of its ex-
| preston Christianity must not be con-
| founded with rituals and methods Of organ
| ixation: these are simply instruments for
| its cultivation. They are outward and hu-
man: that with which they have to do is
| inward and divine. Christianity Is a new
| kind OF life. Christ's declaration was: i
came that We might have life. He that
| believeth upon me hath life. 1t is upon
| this fundamental experience of entering
upon a new life that Christ builds His
| church: this passing from Simon 10 Peter.
This teaching also enforces the fact that
| the only rightful condition and test OF
Christian fellowship is that of living ex-
psrience in the transformation from Simon
| TO Peter. Genuine conversion is the only
| scriptural test of fitness for entrance into
| the church. / am glad that there is a grow
ing disposition to abandon the creed test
| for admittance into church fellowship. /
am not opposed to creed: believe in them.
| / have no faith in the claim made by GER
| tain churches that they have no creeds. In
spite of their claim these churches are apt
| TO he the most tenacious in insisting upon
| their peculiar Interpretation of the Scrip
| ture. The creed has its place. but that
pIace Is not at the front door. 1t belongs
| rather within as a standard Of education,
not without as a test of admission.