The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1911-08-11
METHODIST PEOPLE
RAISE S3,5OO.OO
CHURCH PROPERTY VALUED AT
$4,000 is FREE FROM
ALL DEBT.

Four months of strenuous work
on the part of the pastor and some of
the leading members of the Metho-
dist church have resulted in the COM
pletiOn of a fine brick church valued
at $4,000. At the service Sunday
morning, $500 was raised which
cleared up the entire debt on the
building. The only outstanding debt
at the present time is for the new
organ and that is provided for. Rev
U. F. Hawk, of Occur d. Alene, took
charge of the financial part Sunday
morning and raised the deficiency in
a few minutes. There were twelve
pledges of 500 each, 20 of $50 each
and dozen of $25.
Fully 700 people heard the dedica-
tion sermon preached by Bishop
Charles Smith of Portland. The
church was packed at all of the three
services held Sunday and the attend
ance at the evening services during
the week has been large.
Among the former pastors who
spoke at the Sunday afternoon meet
ing was Rev W. S. Turner, under
whom the first Methodist church was
built. Mr.. Turner came here in 1879
and erected the church the following
year. When he came to this country
from California, Colfax was the larg-
est town in the territory north of the
Snake river. The town had a popu-
latiOn of less than $50 and Spokane
Falls could boast of only $50 people.
Ever since coming to this country he
has been member of the Columbia
river conference and is now retired
from active work and living in Spo-
kane. He is 85 years of age In
1882 Mr.. Turner graduated from De-
paw University in Indiana, was mar
ried the following day and started for
California. For 27 years he made
his home in tnat state being engaged
actively in the ministry all the time
with the exception of ten years in
educational fields. Since coming
here 80 years ago he has held the Of
flee Of presiding elder for two terms
and has had many pastorates of i'm
portance. But few people are left of
his acQuaintances when he first came
to COlfaX. These he has enjoyed
meeting again during his stay in the
city this week.
In his talk at the dedicatOry ser
vices Mr.. Turner spoke from the text,
The glory of this house shall be
greater than the former" He said
in part:
The prophet approves of the Di-
vine plan to improve on the past, in
temple building, both in enlarge
ment, cost, and architectural excel
lence. Soloman's Temple here refer
red to, eXcelled in grandeur and cost
all the world had ever witnessed.
Nothing is too good for Gods house
So with this house; it greatly exceIls
your first in all its appointments and
cost, as / am able to testify.
1T is important to remember, that
this House as it was with that of
SOlOman's, is set apart exclusively
for Divine worship and purely relig-
iOus purposes. l fear that the place
Of religious worship, the high place
and due proportion of time it de-
serves in most Christian churches, is
not always well-timed. Prayer is the
highest order Of worship. my house
shall be called the House of Prayer. "
Mental and vocal prayer led by the
minister or some leader. COngrega-
ton joining as in The Lords Pray
er. The midWeek prayer service is
invaluable to any church-a place to
cultivate the gift Of audible prayer.
The prayer meeting has been we'll
named the pulse of the church, and is
lamentably neglected by the rank and
file, nay rather by the officiary of the
churches. Prayer is the Christians
vital breath and native air.
The service of song is an import
ant part of Divine wOrship-I mean
sacred song. 1t is elevating and sane
tifying and is a great aid to spiritu-
aity. 1t stands next to the pulpit in
Importance.
There are two sacraments con-
nected with Divine worship, that 10
my mind, stand at the very summit
Of true worship, in excellence and
spiritual tenderness. These are the
Ordinaces Of Christian baptism and
the Lords Supper. If l were asked
TO name what stands next to these in
importance and sacredness, | would
name the Marriage relation. 1t is
ordained of God in the time of mans
innocency in Eden, and is not to be
entered into irrevently or indiscreet-
ly. l hold it to be a religious sacra-
ment and the most appropriate place
for its solemnization is in the House
of God or the home and by minis
ter or Jesus Christ. 1t is a mockery
or travesty to take it out of its high
moral and religious plane where God
placed it in Eden. No wonder it is
treated so lightly and f1ippantly, and
sundered so easily and often, to the
disgrace of Christendom.
But lastly the ideal House Of God
is, that it is to be preeminently the
birth place of souls. Where the pre-
vious conditions mentioned are
wholesome, normal, and active, men
dead in the trespasses and sins will
be born into the Kingdom of God and
his Dear Son. Of Zion of old it was
said, that this and that man was
born in her" So may it be said of
this new church that hundreds were
born here unto a better and purer
l. nvnnofofionc nf