The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1908-12-17
NEW M. E. CHURCH
FIT7INGLY DEDICATED
Dr. James S. Montgomery Of Minneapolis breaches til.
Dedication Sermon to Large Audience s., 500
Subscribed in Space of Forty Minutes

Last Sunday will be day long re-
membered in church circles in Oakes.
1t was the day of the dedication of the
fine new Methodist Episcopal church,
and all nature seemed to take on the
spirit of the occasion. The weather
was warm and CHEEKY and the people
turned out in large numbers-some
out of curiosity to witness the finished
interior of the building. but most of
them bent on witnessing the dedicatory
exercises and hearing that splendid and
influential man, DR.. James S. Mont
gomery of Minneapolis.
The Morning Services.
The morning services began at 1890
and long before that hour the church
had filled to overlooking. People were
here from the surrounding country and
towns and very representative aud
ience it was.,, On the platform were
seated the local minister, Rev. James
Opie, DR.. ]. R. Montgomery of Mime
apolis, DR.. S. A. Danford, district
superintendent, Rev. j. N. Loach, of
Fairmount, Rev. c. M. Rumsey, of La
Moure, and Rev. E. F. Boothby, of
Cogswell. A choir of fifteen voices,
under the direction of Miss Fink, occu-
pied the choir loft to the left of the
pulpit with Miss Pearl Fenton as pian-
ist. A nine-page program of the days
exercises was passed to the audience,
which was nicely carried out.
DR.. Montgomery had for his morning
theme, ''The Sparrow Hath Found an
House and the Swallow a Nest for
Herself" as found in Psalms 84:3. He
spoke of the nature of these birds, how
they fly low among the filth and squalor
of the streets and took as their opposite
the song lark and the mighty eagle who
fly high in the air and get nearer to the
heavenly habitation. He likened human
beings to these birds and the more they
followed the example of the Master
the higher they raised themselves above
the things of this world. The music
! feasures Of the morning program were
an anthem by the choir and solo
"Ave Maria" by Miss Fink.
The Debt Is Raised.
At the close of the sermon DR.. Mont
gomery called for an easel that was
hidden behind and covered by an Ameri-
can flag. The flag was pulled aside and
underneath was mass of cards nailed
onto blackboard. The doctor ex-
planned that the decorations represented
the ''plaster" on the church and that
it became necessary to remove them
before the church could be dedicated.
The first five called for $500 each and
$1,000 were soon subscribed by five
residents of the city. Then came ten
cards of $1O0 denomination and they
were as quickly taken. Then the fif-
ties, twenty-fives, twenties, fifteens,
tens, fives, threes, twos and ones-the
last dollar being taken by Beyrl, the
little son of Mr.. and Mrs. w. w. Den
ming. Thus in forty minutes over
$500 were pledged, and the new church
costing S13, 900, was cleared of debt.
1t was happy moment for the pastor,
Rev. James Opie, and others who had
undertaken the task of financing anG
building this splendid structure. II
was but another time that the people
of Oakes and vicinity came up to the
mark another evidence of their pro.
gressive spirit and their keen interest
in the advancement of our growing city
Owing to the lateness of the houl
when this part of the program was dis
posed of, the dedication services were
put over until evening.
The Evening Services.
In the evening the house was agail
filled to overfowing and DR.. Montgom
cry gave an excellent sermon, basinl
his remarks upon the words from Revel
ations, taking as his subject ''Tho Tw'
Immortal Songs" and his text "The!
Sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb.
The speaker laid special emphasis o.
the reverence of law, citing Moses a
the first great lawgiver, and how hi
original principles of law have com
down through the ages. His discours
was; strong, clear, convincing. Al
anthem, "God Is Our Refuge an
Strength" by the choir, a solo 20 Lor
Have Trused Thee" by Mrs. Ernes
Bishop, and sol ). Hope Shall Lea
Me On" by Rev. R. T. Fulton, we,
the special features in music Of tn
evening service. Z.
The dedicatofy services were fror
the church ritual. The trustees of tn
church, eleven in number, stood aroun
u the altar, and offered the church to tn
service Of the Lord and it was accepte
by the Lords servants who occupie
the pulpit platform. It was almost te
o'clock when the evening services wer
concluded.
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