Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-28
.ALL-DAY SERVICES
HELD At CHURCH
FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN
DEDICATED
Rev. J. M. Ross breaches Sermon In
Morning and Other Pastors
Make Addresses In the
Afternoon

at the First United Presbyterian
church, Ninth and Figueroa streets,
yesterday. At the morning service the
new church building was formally dedi-
Gated, Rev. j. M. Ross preaching the
dedlcatory sermon. at 8 o'clock In the
afternoon a fraternal service was held
at which the clergymen of different de-
nominations spoke. At $3.50 o'clock
young peoples rally was held and at
| 1880 o'clock a song and preaching ser
vice was held, at which Rev. w. l.. c..
Samson preached the sermon,
At the dedicatory service In the morn
ing Rev. Mr. Ross took for his topic:
"The Church for the Times" Tim,
315. The principal points of his SER
mon are as follows:
THE progress of Christianity Is In
spring. The realization of Christs
idea is the goal Of human history. God
has established his church as an agency
| in bringing 1t to pass. 1t would teach
men to do justly, love mercy and walk
humbly with their God. When one is
held within it's grasp, he Is thrilled with
sense of it's far-reaching sweep, Its
| high purpose, the promised power to
bring 1t to pass, and the privilege of
being a channel through which this
power may flow.
Must Be Organized
"The church for the times must have
an effective organization. Cooperation
is the watchword of our times. 1t is
the power that is revolutionizing the
world.
The church for the times must look
to the development of the spiritual life
of it's membership. There is a close
connection between the devout wor-
Shipping of God and the fostering of a
spiritual life.
The church for the times has q
vision of a world in need. The world is
lifting up hands in mute appeal to God.
You must join the hand of appeal to
the blessed hand of your Lord. And
know this that Jesus ministers to man
through his people. That is Gods
method of bringing blessings to his
needy ones. A throbbing human heart
and willing human hand are in some
way connected with the help granted.
1.-The church for the times has abso-
lutte confidence in the power of the gos-
pei and in the sufficiency of Christ.
With clear vision it sees that every
scheme that Is not in accord with this
gospel, that Is in opposition to his
righteous will, goes down sooner or
later. 1t looks forward to the triumph
of righteousness. 1t faces the morning.
We take our stand with the wrapt seer
on Patmos and with him exclaim, THE
lion of the tribe of Judea hath pre-
vailed"
Congratulatory addresses were made
at the afternoon fraternal service by
Revs Hugh K. Walker, S. Dell john
son, William Horace Day. e. A. Healy,
g. A. Northrop and General Superin-
tendent D. e. Luther of the Y. M. c. A.
Rev. w. l.. C. Samson Of Santa Ana
preached the evening sermon. During
the day elaborate musical programs
were rendered by the church choir and
quartet. Rev. Mr.. Samson said in part:
ForetelIs Death
"In these words Jesus foretells the
manner of his death, and prophesies
the drawing power of his crucifiXion.
He places the emphasis, not upon mi
raculous advent, nor marvellous works,
nor divine teachings; but upon the body
broken and the blood shed.
THAT Christ's crucifixion nightly
drew men to him is shown by it's in
fluence upon the Jews. After thirty
three years of perfect living among the
Hebrews, and more than three years of
tender, loving ministration, Jesus only
had one hundred and twenty doubling,
half-hearted disciples, and the people
were ready to cray out Cruelty!
Crucify" Some fifty days after the
crucifiXion Peter cries, 'Ye men of
Israel, Jesus of Nazareth, whom ye
have taken and by wicked hands have
crucified, God hath raised up this same
Jesus, whom ye crucified, and hath
made him both Lord and Christ AL
though the Jews knew the degradation
of the cross, the infamy of the crucifix-
ion, and the persecution which would
come to those who turned to Christ,
yet about three thousand in one day
were drawn unto the crucifed one.
1.-The drawing power of the crucified
Christ is shown by it's effects upon the
Romans.
THE Roman centurian who crucified
Jesus was moved to declare, Truly,
this was the Son of Cod Peter
preached to Cornelius of Jesus of Ma
zareth who was hanged on a tree and
raised from the dead. Paul In Rome
spoke of the blood Of the crucified saw
ing Sinners and there were converts
in Caesars household. Peter, through
out Pantus, Gallatia, Capadocia and
Bithynia told Of Him who bore sin in
his body on the tree and many were
turned unto the uplifted one. That
crucified savior should interest the
Roman people Is remarkable in view of
the fact that the cross was the symbol
of debasement, and no Roman citizen
could be punished by means of It, Yet
those who despised the cross were
drawn unto this crucified one, and in
less than than three centuries this gos-
pei has so drawn the people of the Ro-
man empire unto it's crucified savior as
that Constantine by the sign of the
cross inspired his legions to valorous
conflict, and established Christianity as
the religion of the Roman world.
Christ crucifled draws men because
the tragedy Of the crucifixion arrests
attention, appeals to the emotions, Of
fers it's benefits equally to all men, and
saves from every consequence of sin.
In Christ cruicified there is cleansing
for guilt, justification for condemnation,
sanctification for unholiness and recon-
ciliation for rebellion.
1.-The cross is not merely a moral in
fiuence to reform character, nor merely
an exhibition of Gods displeasure
against sin; but 1t is real satisfaction
to Gods justice of infinite merit, so that
Jesus crucifed saves people by doing
for them what they could not do for
themselves, satisfying the demands of
the divine law and divine holiness.
bearing the penalty for sinners whereby
thew are recOnCiled unto God receiVe