Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-11-09
IMPORTANT EVENT
IN OUR CITY.
Continued from first page

ILLS SO Important service Tonight,
could not have had the privilege
without the vision, service and sacri-
flee of many who lived and worked
before us, two of whose names we
have recorded, one on this north
memorial window to the memory of
Bradbury G. Plumer, one of the group
of the men and women who helped to
establish the First Universalist
church in Wausau. The other, dedi-
Gated to the memory of Rufus 2. and
Catherine n Manson. The first fig
ured window on the right of the pull
pit, and something which must inter-
est you all as well as the minister is
the interest and enthusiasm of the
little children who are denying them
selves, saving their pennies, nickels
and dimes to pay for one of the men,
orial windows"
Here Rev. Gould expressed the wish
''that others of the memorial win
dowS might soon be dedicated to the
memory of the remarkable men and
women of the earlier generation, who
really made possible the great achieve
ment which we realize tonight"
Further, Rev. Gould insisted that
1--WE remember that while we could
not have had the fine church build
ings and equipments without the
large contributions of these people
who have been able and glad to give
them, we certainly could not and
would not have had this splendid pro-
vision for religious worship and work
without the willing and generous
contributions of the many who have
given just as generously and gladly as
the few. So while we proceed to the
sacred act of dedication let US think
of these things"
Rev. Gould then said
"We have assembled for the purpose
of gladly consecrating the rectOry
across the quadrangle to be the home
of the minister to this church and his
family; for the purpose of thankfully
setting apart the adjoining parish
house tor the educational and social
uses of this congregation and of all
in our city who will make good use
of the same,-and we are grateful for
the privilege of expressing our appre-
citation of the generosity but more OF
the character of the donors by nam
ing it the Cyrus Yawkey Hall; for the
purpose of solemnly dedicating this
house to the public worship of God
and separating it from all unhalloWed
and worldly uses, to the end that
mems minds may be affected here
with the spirit of devotion and
humility, being consecrated day by
day anew to the service of our heaven
ly Father. Let us not doubt that he
will favorably approve our holy pur-
pose of setting apart this place for
the performance of the offices of re-
ligious worship, and let US faithfully
and devoutly implore his blessing on
our undertaking
Rey. T. B. t. Fisher of Stoughton,
read the lesson from Holy Scripture
and the Conservation prayer was
offered by Rev. B. B. Gibbs of st.
Paul, Mimi. Solos were sung by
Mrs. ]. w. Coates and Mr.. Emery
James, which were followed by the
dedication address by Rev. Lee, 5.
McCollester, d. D., the following Of
which is brief synopsis:
DIR. Lee S. McCollester, Dean of
Crane Theological School, Tufts Col
lege, Massachusetts introduced his
sermon at the Dedication of the Uni
versalist church at Wausau by con-
graduating the people on the contri-
button they are mBking to the adj
vanced movement oil the Universalist
faith. He brought the greetings of
the Universalist Convention, of which
he is President and told the people
that the whole Denomination is bene-
flied by the work of this church. He
took as his general theme the "Evo-
luton of American Universalism"
and treated the subject from three
points of view. One, the dramatic
beginning, one, the important stages
in its evolution, and one the present
point of its greatest influence.
In speaking of its dramatic begin
ming in this country, the speaker re-
ferred to the landing of John Murray
on the New Jersey coast in ITO. He
gave dramatic picture of the meet
ing of two men, Murray, the English
preacher and Potter, the American
layman, and told how the utteranceS
of Murray opened a way out for
strong men in many denominations
TO form the early Uniyersalist church
of this country. 1t was not the in
tention of these early prophets to
form a big church but to utter pro-
test against the horrible dogmas of
endless punishment then being used
to drive people into the church. The
speaker traced the line of organiZa-
tion of those first indiyidualistic proph-
cts to definite UniverSalist church.
Something of all denominations came
in through the different individuals,
some like Murray were Trinitarians
and some like Hosea Ballou were
UnitarianS, some came with Metho-
dist fervor and some with the Quaker
repression, but all Joined on the one
affirmation that somehow and some
time God would save all His children.
In the second place, the speaker
traced the steps in the evolution of
Universalism through the last two
generations. UniverSaliSm grew out
as a protest. 1t aroused opposition.
The opposition compelled men to
seek wider defense for the faith they
uttered. UniverealiStS were men of
strong mind, fearless courage and
open to light from every quarter. At
the outset they defended their doc
| trines with Scripture, by taking
broader views of History and Science,
and they began to form a philosophy
of Universalism. They took as an
underlying principle the doctrine of
the Fatherhood of God; the logic of
good God could not end with an
endless He'll They took as another
underlying principle the Brotherhood
of Man, and mankind unit could
not have two destinies, something
good for one and bad for the rest.
They took as another principle love
and justice and love that was just
and justice that was loving could
not lead to anything else than the
final perfection of all souls. In the
conflicts that took place between
science and religion, Uniyersalism
found in science an argument for law
and order and the triumph of good
over evil. AS year by year the strong
| men of the church worked on their
problem of faith and practice they
reached a point where the saving of
all souls i'm the future life became