Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-02-26
From Mondays Daily

From Mondays Daily
Approximately 800 people were pre-
sent and enjoyed the dedicatory servi,
ces held all day yesterday at the new
Wilson Presbyterian church miles
north of the city. Between the morn
Ing and afternoon sessions a dinner
was served in the basement Of the
building by the ladies Of the congrega-
ton. More than 200 people We're
guests of the church women.
The new edifice is large building,
modern in structure and artistically
decorated. The congregation were
somewhat disappointed by the absence
of Rev. J. NJ McElroy of this city,
former pastor, who had promised to
take part in the formal dedication.
Mr.. McElroy was unable to be present
on account of illness. The services
were in charge of Rev. w. Lee Vim
Or, F. F. Stoltz, pastor of the First
Presbyterian church of Ottumwa. In
place of the address to have been de-
livered by Mr.. McElroy Mr.. Vincent
read an intensely interesting letter
from him.
Morning Services.
Dr. Stoltz delivered the sermon of
the day, taking for his text, "Yet are
Gods pl.lding"-I Corinthians iii, 9.
"At the old city of Corinth we find
the first real minister worship" DR..
Stoltz said. Previous to and since
that time the people have had their
periodic spells of so-called worship.
All have had their worship, some wor
ship the governments, some their
kings and queens and many the press
of the country, but at Corinth was the
first real minister worship. Party
spirit was intensely bitter at that first
church of Corinth, and in some places
we find that to be the case even to-
day. But the denomination should
make no difference, we are all brother
workers in the church.
1--WE, the ministers, are brother
workers of God, you are Gods hus.
bandry, you are the building.
"The church is not material struc-
ture, beautiful and convenient as it
is, This building is not the church
A church is not matter of architec-
ture, of wood and stone. The church
ia far beyond anything that man can
build, 1t is a spiritual organization
or institution, God being the spirit
not a club, society or party.
Death, fire nor water, neither can
touch the word of God. We cannot
say this of our homes or our govern
ments-they cannot endure forever.
But the church of God will endure for
ever. When we, our homes and gov
ernments are gone, the church of God
will Gill he in re infancy
Purpose Of Gods Church.
"When you think there is some 9TH
or institution as good as the church
or as having as great a purpose to
serve in the history of the world, you
do not take into account the plan of
God in regard to the place the church
was to hold in the history of the world
The real church is the same as the
Kingdom of God The church possesses
the saving truth God looks for us
to be faithful BE We faithful unto
death and | will give you the Life
everlasting
giving strong illustrations of the pro-
gress made in the real church of God
since the beginning of the church. He
also drew several beautiful pictures of
the necessity and good attained by
bringing up the children in the church
of the Lord, following out the idea
that the home was the place to drill
the children in order to make them
the workers in the church.
Afternoon Services.
Following the dinner, the afternoon
exercises opened at 2:30 o'clock with