The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-12-17

ABBA:
"The hour eometh, and now Is,
when the true worshippers shall
worship the Father In spirit and
in truth: for such doth the Faith.
er seek to be His worshippers.
"God 10 a spirit, and they that
worship Him must worship Him
in spirit and In truth"
DR.. Wilber's sermon was as follows:
The dedication or a house of worship is
a momentous occasion in the life Of any
community, for the interest II excites is
faithful index of the real interest which
liz taken In religion itself. II is easy to
see why this should be so. The church
ediflcc stands for religion in its highest
expression. the hour when the assembled
life of community waits upon God in
public worship. Whatever may be the
daily level OF our lives, one thing is quite
certain: we are apt to be at our best In
| the house of God. Here, IL ever, religion
becomes real. and radiant with holiness
Law and custom combine to shut out the
passing interests OF time and sense, and
| to open for US the gates of eternity and
heaven. Through the time honored forms
OF public service. through praise and
| prayer and the preached word. God
| speaks to US. Here, II ever, the false So
| cial standards of mems making are set
aside and rich and poor meet together in
the presence of that God who Is the mas
ter of us all. who can estimate the 81
lent but potent uplift executed by the
Churchs public worship to humanize and
socIaize as well as to Christianize. the
community in which II exists. When we
truly worship God In His house we be-
come better men and women, better par
ents and children, better neighbors and
citizens. Our close relationship to God as
| the Heavenly Father of us all sweetens
every human relationship. ennoblcs every
| earthly occupation, invests our everyday
life with n new dignity. and makes real
| and attractive the promises of heaven.
1t has been truly said that IAN humble
spire pointing heavenward from AN OBJ
scure church, speaks OF mans dignity,
and destiny more eloquenty than all the
columns and arches OF Greece and Rome,
the mausoleums OF Asia, or the pyramids
OF Egypt" Is 1t not meet then, to be
| STuttIui Joyous, Wh'h uouSN ~ S''
| apart to the worship OF God
The house we dedicate today is not
wholly IA new one; for by a happy
| thought, you decided to enshrine the old
In the new To those OF us who remem-
Der the former church In It's simple and
quiet grace, 1t IL matter of congratula-
tion that the old has been Incorporated
In the new. The lines of age, that speak
OF Times corroding hand have been OBJ
liberated The weather -beaten walls have
been retired from view. and hidden be.
hind those of recent structure They have
been deprived. to be sure. of their form
err honor, to beautify and adOrn. Now
they are hidden out OF sight. But n real
ly more substantial honor still IL theirs
namely to uphold and support, and NC
still bc useful. Those early workmen laid
their foundations sure. and built their
walls true. and modern architects find no
reason to discard their work. IL there not
In these silent walls about us a reminder
that In the architecture of heaven good
deeds and sterling character become i'm
mortal? "He that overcometh" and who
IL this but the stalwart soul. he who
stands steadfast In his place and takes
upon willing shoulders his share OF the
| WpTIu WORK. anu cure, anu Woe, ior
Jesus's sakc?--this man, because he ov-
ercometh. says the conQuering Christ
"wiil make u pillar In the temple OF my
God, and he shall go out thence no more;
and | win write upon him the name of
my God. and the name of the city OF my
God, the new Jerusalem, which cometf
down out of heaven from my God. and
mine own new name"
Such men and women this church has
known In the past history. They have
now passed ON to their reward. ! need
not mention their names; they are In
scrlbed upon the enduring tablets OF your
hearts. Whether In pulpit or In pew,
they always stood foresquare" to all the
winds that blew. They stood AZ battle
ments upon the walls Of Zion. as pillars
In the house of God, as living buttresses
OF the faith once delivered to the saints
What II they. too, like these ancient
walls, have passed forever from our
earthly view. Though lost to sight they
are to memory dear; and dear not alone
to you who stand In their place. and In
herit their tasks, They are, II possible,
more dear to God, who incorporates them
an living stones, In the walls of the New
Jerusalem. that temple OF God, eternal In
tnc heavens, inc WOfM sees tnem no
more, hut you behold them still you rest
upon their hidden strength; you recall
with enthusiasm the short ana simple an
nails of their faithful lives; you realize
that Gods temple of humanity. the
Church win always be the stronger for
their having lived and chiefly for this
reason, that they stili live on In the hid.
den ministries OF the life beyond The
Church militant will In the future cal
other defenders to the colors, AS she
marches onward: the battle viii be fought
on other ground, and with changed tao.
tics; but we can never forget that all fu.
ture cpnquests were made possible by
their past faithfulness We who stand to.
day upon the Church's battle-line will
breathe fresh courage as We remembe,
tho silent reserves, who, though retired
from the fight, and resting secure In
their reward. yet stand ready to re-en
force our hard-pressed lines. Are they
not all ministerng spirits, sent forth Il
minister to them who shall be heirs OF
salvation" Though dead. they yet speak
Though they rest from their labors, theil
works do follow them. Though they are