The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-08-23
CORNER STONE FIRST
BAPTIST CHURCH LAID
HISTORY OF CHURCH PAST SEW
ENTY-FIVE YEARS.
Historical Address of Rev. Luther
Broaddus Delivered in l882-Al-
so Historical Sketch by Rev.
G. A. Wright.

1Hc eAeIclSeS at Tile laying OF the
corner stone of the First Baptist
church on Tuesday afternoon we're
opened with the song, "Praise God
From Whom all Blessings Flow", be-
ing followed by prayer by the pas
tor, Rev. &. A. Wright. Then elbow
Firm Foundation' was sung, after
which Rev. Mr.. Wright read the Sec
ond chapter Of Second Samuel and
also ii Chronicle, 9th Chapter and the
9th Psalm.
Mr.. Wright then made the follow
ing address:
when it was decided to hold these
exercises Of the laying Of the corner
stone, it was not intended TO have an
elaborate address, but simply to meet
here as a church and as christians Of
the community, men and women i'll
terested III the welfare of the COM
munity, to hold simple service, sing
ing praises TO God, the siver Of every
good and perfect gift; and lift our
hearts in prayer to Him, seeking His
guidance in all that we undertake !;
Tor he Is today our God as he was tho
God of our fathers; He today is our
refuge, as He was their refuge: God
IS our refuge and strength, present
help in need.
'IIast week I wrote to the presi-
dent of Furman University, hoping
that we could have him with us on
this occasion, and finding we could
not, L then wrote to DR.. Bagby, of
Greenville. 1t was not our intention
to have these deliver an elaborate ad-
dress, but to take part in the simple
exercises that we are holding now.
Ycnder house has stood there for
two generations, and four have wor-
SHIPPED there. For the past seventy
five years that church building has
stood and in some respects is a good
buildin" today. 1t has served its dav
and generation. We need a larger
building, we need more substantial
building. We have not been able to
carry ont the original plan, as we had
proposed. Those who come after us
will be able to carry the work to COM
plcti"n, We hope. We need to have
buildings erected to His service. We
need to realize that God expects it,
and not be say, "that is good
enoush.' The best is good enough,
and only the best. We are
standing on the shoulders of the past.
The history of the past is ours and
we need to realize the heritage we
have.
A father once sat on the platform
when his son was delivering his grad
Mating address and some one said that
the boy was all Improvement on his
father, and the father said he ought
, to be, for he is standing on the
shoulders of his father. So we ought
q to be.
I GAS the. Emperor Napoleon was
travelling with his troops through the
empire of the Pyramids he pointed to
them and said: Soldiers, forty cen
tuuries look down upon you,' and as
we walk down and read the epitaph
OF the heroes Of the past, are we
ashamed Of thcm9 BY single touch
these sanity souls are depicted as
having passed from the arena. AS
they look down on us as we run our
race; as we bear our burdens, and as
they are there and we recognize that
they are there, we should 60 forth
and bear the bur dens that are ours,
They are witnesses to the love of our
God; they are witnesses to the power
OF His cross, and they are witnesses
as were Moses and Abraham, and as
all OF these were, so we are witnesses
OF the power of faith. They are wit
nesses also Of our lives, Of our strug-
giles, OF our victories and of our de.
feat. Seeing, therefore, that we arc
"encompassed by so great a cloud of
Witnesses, let lis then run with pa.
tlcnce the race that is set before MS
Today We believe that the spirits OF
our saintcd dead are not very fa,