The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1911-04-13
AN INTERESTING PROGRAM
Is Carried Out and Large Crowd
Attend Ali Services, Twelve
thousand Dollars Raised

The dedication services of the
Christian church on East Main
street were held Sunday morning,
being conducted by Gen. z. t.
Sweeney, of Columbys, Ind. Sim
pie and impressive Introductory
service was conducted before DR..
Sweeney's sermon, an attractive
part of which was a solo well
rendered by Mrs. A. c. Akin. We
are going to digress from our re-
port here, at the risk of mingling
an editorial comment with a news
item, and say that Mrs. Akin
sang without having music or
words before her. We have often
wondered how person protesting
to be a musician could be so fool
ish as to attempt to sing a solo
expressively without learning it
and singing from memory. We
had much rather hear preacher
read his sermon from manuscript
than to listen to a soloist reading
the music while singing.
DR.. Sweeney's sermon was a
masterpiece of logic, eloquence,
wit and patnos. His textA was
taken from the 18th chapter of
Corinthians, and his subject
Love" PREDATORY, DR.. Sweeney
divided the laws of the Universe
into two classes, the natural and
the supernatural. To the super
natural is ascribed the creative
power, to the natural the propa-
cation and perpetuation of that
which is created by the supernat-
ural. Miracles, he said, may be
considered as being governed by
supernatural laws, but they did
not transgress the natural; the
two worked in concert. The
foundation of the church of the
christian belief he ascribes to the
supernatural creative power Of
God, by the miraculous gifts of
tongue, and the gifts of the Holy
Spirit,o power and of knowledge.
The church as thus founded is to
be propogated and perpetuated
and extended by the natural pow
ers of man, through the exercise
of faith, hope and christian love.
DR.. Sweeney believes that the
church and its power and infiu-
ence are spreading rapidly and
that the gospel of Christ will soon
be predominant in every country
on the globe. He said that he
expected to live to see the time
when not single saloon was in
existence on the American conti-
neut. His remarks on temperance
were strong and convincing.
The treatment of the subject
of the sermon, leading through
description of boundless Faith
that never wavers even in times
of bitterest adversely, an ever
present Hope that begins in the
cradle and ends with eternity, 10
the all-pervading Love that
thinks no evil, that is not self
serving, and that forms the char
ter of man nearer the image of
God, was a sound, oratorical SER
mon such as is not often heard.
After the sermon, subscriptions
we're taken to secure $4,000 to
pay off the Indebtedness of the
church, and nearly $4,000 over
this sum was raised. The addi-
tioual amount will be used to pay
off the balance due on the par
Communion service was held in
the afternoon, which was also
kind of fellowship meeting of the
various ministers of the town.
Revs. Dobbs, Vaught, Tarwater
and Osborne made addresses. At
night DR.. Sweeney again preach
ed a splendid sermon, one of the
most interesting and eloquent ev-
er heard in Johnson City. Tonight
at 7.30 o'clock a reception will be
held at the church, when the
public will be invited to inspect
the new building.
ii. III. Dyer returned to-day from