The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-04-19

Present tnurfu bullulNE-
ate Scriptures and Offered praJe Tn
pastor ia a graceful manner and IN ap
propriate words presented DR.. Duna'
way as the preacher OF the centennial
discourse. The sermon was an eminent
/ ly appropriate one, and the large ana
deeply interested congregation were
frequently moved to tears under it
THE CENTENNIAL SERMON.
The following IL the outline OF the cen
tennial sermon preached by Dr rs Dun
away. d. D., from the text, NOm NNili
% %: What Hath God Wrought? 80
Oh the propriety OF this centennial cele-
| bration there can be no reasOnab Q
doubt. il conducted in the right spirit
and with the right ends in view. The
custom oil commemorative important
eras and events. bg individuals, families
churches and nations, has been common
among almost all nations ancient anc
modern And that custom seems TO hay'
the Divine sanction. The Passover wa
instituted To be annually observed a. .
memorial of the deliyerance OF the lsrael
ties from the bondage of Egypt And a.
the Lord 3 Supper was Instituted IN be =
memorial OF the death of Christ. II 10 b.
right for nation 10 c0mmOrate TIT
events and deeds OF the past, and II II be
proper for family TO cherish the hon
lrable records Ofits ancestors. with how
murh more propriety may Christian
church celebrate its centenary by CRATE
fully looking hack over the past and r.
counting what il has been able to achieve
under the BILE. stag Of God, Tor the good
Of men and the glory Of Christ
The devout and grateful heart na'ur
ally desires in some tangible way u,
celebrate the Lords gracious dealings
with His people in the workings Of HE
providence and the display OF His saving
grace. In beginning these services,
oy the delivery Of the centennial die
course. my aim and highest ambition
will be to give a fitting prelude 10 the
,eryices which are TO follow and 10 STRIKE
the key note to the great diGpasOn e.
which you will listen during the who r.
week when ADLER and more FL quent me
will discuss before you important. histOr
ical aud religious themes,
TIT TINT.
Ny aim now IL to point ont the pur
pose and spirit which should animate
~ in the observance Of this centennial
celebration, and hence have selected ~
my text, What Hath God wrought
l. This passage suggests frat OF al,
that we should enter on these centenar,
services with sense Of our dependence
God atna iadf rfufr tuAahF.
10 Him and expressing our gratitude to
Him fOr all that we are a. church. and
for all He has enabled us to accomplish
II we engage in these exercises with. any
feeling OF self mplacency, vain glOrying
self-righieOusness aud pride, or any mar.
row sectarianism, then the occasion
would be more hOnOred in the breach
than in the Observance.
Az we look back over a hundred years
OF this church's existence and think OF her
small beginnings, Of her discoursgement-
and struggles, and then Of her growth
and achievements, we can but exclaim / !
wonder and gratitude in the words Of
the text, What hath God wrought"
/ This church was organized in 1894
with only fifteen members Not only
were they weak in number, butin means
and social and intellectual influence
When we think OF thisfeeble little band 10
the face OF such obstacles and difficulties
growing into a strong church OF nearly
six hundred members and the position
which she now occupies ia the commu-
nifty, and in the denomination at large,
we can but excaim ingratitude, What
hath God wrought la view OF what
we are today, and what we have been
able to accomplish as the decades ha, e
been going by, we set up our Ebenezer
today saying, hitherto the Lori hath
helped us" "Ths Lord hath done great
things for us, whereof we are glad" t..
der ais blessing the prophesy has be-. n
fulfilled. The fruit Of the HANDFUL ofcorn
in the earth on the top OF the mountain
sh axes like lebanon" To God be III
the praise and glory.
WORK or THE FOUNDERS.
III. But since God hath wrought
through human agencies, If we engage in
these centennial exercises intelligently
end ia the proper spirit, we shall seek o
honor the names and cherish the m ~
cries OF the cody men and women who
founded this church and their successors.
who have been it's pillars during the cen
fury of its existence.
All honor to the noble spirits who
wept and prayed and sang over the era
die OF this church in her infancy, aud
those who afterward nourished the In
iant organization and reared it to it's
present manhood strength. They labor
ed snd we have entered into their labOrs,
and therein is the saying true, one man
soweth what another reapeth." Though
the house In which we worship today 10
the third built by this church, each excel
ling the former in size, cost and comfort,
suppose scarcely one ia ahundred OF the
present membership contributed either
money or labor toward the building OF
thie meet and commodiOus house of'wor-
ship. We honor ourselves In honoring
the names and commorating the deeds OF
those who planted this church and their
successors who wrought go faithfully,
gave so literally and prayed so fervently
for the growth and prosperity OF this
church. The remembrance Of the debts
we owe them and gratitude in the pay
ment of them is praisew orthy, and profit
able to ourselves. Many of these godly
men and women have long Pince fallen
asleep, but some Of them remain unto
this present.
DESTRUCTIVE BELIEFS AND PRINCIPLES.
ILL., Again, In view Of what God hath
wrought, and our obligations to those
whom we wrought, II we observe this
centennial in the right spirit and with q
proper end In view, it seems fitting that
we here and now declare our faith in and
allegiance to the distinctive beliefs, prin'
ciples and practices OF the founders oithis
church and az held by denomination then
and now. 1t is think tit occasion for
the reiteration OF our fundamental priD-
ciples and beliefs. And this we need not J