The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1915-12-16
OPENING SERVICES AT
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Opening services were held in the
new Congregational church last
Sunday morning, December 18th.
A class of twenty was admitted into
church membership, three of which
received baptism, communion was
also administered at this service.
Rev. Ripon preached a very able
sermon, taking for his subject "The
Unrecognized Christ" Text-24tl
chapter, 10th verse of Luke's Gospel
"But their eyes were holden" He
said in part:
The disciples had learned to love their
master, on him they had centered all
their hope. But now he is gone and
these two disciples wandered their way
from Jerusalem to Emmaus, they were
weary and smltted with grief. All their
songs were siIenced like the song of 8
wounded bird, the light of their faith
had died down to Pickering flame
They dragged themselves to the village
Then Jesus himself drew near. He
asked to share their sarrow, to be ad-
mltted into their confidence. He takes
the dispair of their lives and touches 1t
with tender sympathy.
"He tries to reasure these mon of q
reunion. but they could not understand
they quicken their step and long for the
night to cover them, but Jesus throws
himself across their path by opeu ques.
tion. "What manner of communications
are these?" He tried to enter into their
lives by tender patience. But their eyes
we're holden. They did not recognize
him.
"rhey were blind to the divine be.
cause of the preeccupation of their
thoughts. Thinking of the cross, they
thought it final, paralized by it's silence
they forgot the promise of the resurrec.
tion. They could not understand the
CROSS. That which brings Christ to us
kept than away from these men. The
preoccupation of their thoughts arose
from sense of their great loss How
could they think of a stranger when
they had lost a Saveiour. How could
we expect them to have their eyes open
when their hearts we're broken. Many
vi lis beco1ne preoccup1ed IN cu1
thoughts that we cannot SEQ the risen
Christ by our side. We are so pre-.
occupied with the thought Of gold that
we have forgotten God.
"We can test our vital bond of com.
munion with each other by the register
of remembrance, when deep affection
wants to tell it's story it often does 1t IN
these words: "You are never out of my
mind"
"Let us lift the reasoning up to higher
relationships. We may test the vitality
of our faith IN God at the register oil
remembrance. Do we ever think of God
God loses us when we forget Him. The
deepest cry that rings through the
scriptures is Gods cry over his forgetful
children. my people have foreotte6
me-" Yes, to forget God is to be lost.
"These two disciples had to travel fol
brief time the dark and sileut road
Christ appeared in their midst anc
wanted to explain his ascended presence
He wanted to transform their sarrov
into fine issue. 10 many people life
seems dark and Disappointing. Like
Job they sit in darkened room lookine
out of a darkened window on darkenec
sky. 10 many life is like an eagle that
bolts down on its victim. But the
power that brings the eagle down is the
power that lifts him up again. The same
power that brings the darkness brings
the light, the power that brings the
gloom can dlspurse the gloom. The
cross that repelled these men attracts
us.
"The disciples said unto him: cart
thou a stranger in Jerusalem and hast
not known these tblngs?" AS much at
to say if, that IS so We cannot hope fol
much information. On that lonesome
road at night-fall, they thought tha,
would he the last place on earth in which
thew would see the master. A form o1
dazzling radiance might have appea]eG