The San Francisco call., 1906-09-10
States BIRTHDAY
PASTORS THEME.
Clergymen in Their Sermons
DwellsUpon Admission of
California to the Union
PULPITS ACROSS BAY

OAKLAND, Sept. s.-Admission day
supplied the theme today for discourses
in severalschurches on the east side of
the bay
Rev. o. E. Hart at the Centennial
resbyterians Church dwelt on the
early Spanish voyagers. the rule of the
Spaniards, the coming of the Amer
lean and civil government. He said
that among the special lessons of Ad-
mission day were the undiscovered pos
sibilities in every life. California was
discovered fifty years after the great
noted the clergyman, but for 500 years
her vast possibilities lay hidden.
Continuing, Rev. o. E. Hart said
This State became one of the Union
Of States only by submission to the
constitution of the United States, nor
republic of saved manhood except by
willing adoption of Gods fundamental
law.
Once admitted as a State, every citi-
zen enters into the possession Of rights
and is under duty to do whatsoever will
maintain, exalt and perpetuate the well
fare of the State. And within this
grand sisterhood of States California
has perfect independence within the
limits Of the constitution.
Love, loyalty and labor are the
means whereby we as citizens may
give expression to our appreciation of
our common citizenship.
SPECIAL EVENING SERVICES.
Admission day was observed this
evening at the First Congregational
Church, Alameda, by special services,
in which the children took part. Rev.
l. Potter Hitchcock, the pastor, de-
livered an illustrated address on The
California Native, or a Glimpse In at
the Rear Door of the Spanish Mis-
sion"
The First Baptist Church of Oak
land today celebrated the fifth ami
versary of Rev H. ]. Vosburgh's pas
torate. In the course of his sermon
this morning the pastor said:
The past five years have certainly
been eventful in the life Of this con-
10, 1902. the former edifice at the cor
ner of Fourteenth and Brush streets
was destroyed by fire, In planning for
the future the church sought more
eligible location at the corner of Tele-
graph avenue and Jones street. The
wisdom of this movement is now abun-
dantly evident.
In undertaking to build a house Of
worship of the proportions of our pres
ent building the church entered upon
project that was without a parallel
in the history of the Baptist denomina
tion on the coast. But new calamity
has now come upon US.
On April is our main auditorium was
badly wrecked by the earthquake and
the fire that devastated San Francisco
was disastrous in its effects upon the
financial interests of the large number
Of our members whose business was in
San Francisco.
Notwithstanding these difficulties, the
church has steadily grown. While
weakened financially at the present
time, the willingness of the people to
give is greater than ever. Our offer
ings for current expenses and for mis-
sions have shown no diminution since
the earthquake, although our larger
have undoubtedly diminished
The spiritual life Of the church is
healthy, and we are confronting the
future with hope We are grateful for
With that and with our own contri-
buttons we will speedily begin the
work of reconstruction. We must also
at once plan for the completion of the
main auditorium. With the present
progress of the city we should lose no
opportunity for an immediate and large
advance movement
IN OTHER PULPITs.
At the Fruftvale Congregational
Church today Rev. Burton NJ Palmer
the pastor. preached on Cattle OF
Men"
Rev. Thomas A. Boyer. pastor of the
First Christian Church, preached on
The Foundations Of Faith" He said
in part:
No part of any structure is more i'm
! portant than the foundation. When the
| foundation, fails, the enterprise has 10
I be given up. Proceeding upon the false
assumption that the Old and New Tes-
| lament scriptures have constituted the
/ substantial foundations of religion and
of religious obligation, they have been
/ the main point of attack from genera
/ ton to generation.
While it is true that these books of
/ holy scripture have done much to
! sharpen and clarity faith in a Supreme
| Being and the issues of an after life
they did not give it being. Religion is
not because of the book. The book is
1 because of religion.
Faith is impregnable not because the
! scriptures are infallible, but because II
/ is in strictest accord with the universe
| The foundations of faith are found in
the nature of man and the plan and
purpose of the world.
He who would topple faith to the
/ ground must do more than expurgate
4 the scriptures; he must needs change
I the constitution of things, the natural
ongoings Of the universe
The Lawyers Two Questions" was
Scotts sermon at st. Andrews Epis.
copal Church. At evensong a male
quartet rendered several numbers
oliver Reece. basso. sang from the
oratorio Elijah"
At the First Baptist Church, Ala.
media, Rev. l. P. Russell preached or
"A Secret That Cannot Be Kept
Rev. Robert Perry Shepherd min.
! lister of the First Christian Church
Berkeley, preached on the disastrous
experience of Uzza in laying hold or
the ark lest Jehovah should let 1t fal
/ Chronicles i-13).