The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-04-18
Its Portals Are ThrOnged With Crowds
OF Admiring People
When Beauties And SpIendOrs OF
Building Are UnfOIded To Eye

| nished stimulus for the congrega-
ton which subscribed with an un-
bounded generosity to the fund which
left the new structure unencumbered
in the matter of indebtedness. Hence
the final dedicatory services, formal
in character and impressive in cere-
mony, came with truly delicious
sweetness to all who sat in the audi
ence and partook of their beauties.
With the most ideal weather yet
granted this spring, the doors of the
new house of God were thrown open
early Sunday morning to the large
crowd which collected long before the
time arrived for the initial services.
There were scores of people from
out of town-many coming forty or
fifty miles, while some few assembled
from even more distant places-who
joined with members of church in
the city in offering up their praises
county were represented, while in the
afternoon there was large attend
ance of members of other churches.
I Before the regular morning service
started Rev. Snively addressed the
children of the church, delivering for
them his famous, chemically illustrat
ed lecture In this he showed, by use
of acids and alkalis, how the soul is
purified by God, no matter how con
tamnated it may have previously
been by the insiduous influence OF
earthly sin. Although the address
was intended primarily for the young
er people, his remarks bore fruit with
the members Of the congregation who
| had gathered early and who appreci-
ated the lecture to the utmost.
| Rev. Snivelys address at the regu-
lar morning service was on the sub
ject, Fundamentals of the Faith"
These he described as belief in the
imminence of God, the divinity of Je-
sus Christ, the sovereignty of the Holy
Spirit, the divine inspiration of the
Scriptures and Immortality
He told of Benjamin Franklin's ar.
gumentati1e victory over famous
philosopher OF the day who was relig-
ious skeptic by a practical scientific
demonstration. Coincidentally, he mar
rated the struggles of scientists to
evolve life from protoplasmic matter
and of their utter and complete fail
ures. Urging divine faith and chris
tianity in everyday life, he referred
to personal experience in which he
was assured that he did not have can
Ger only when three physicians and
surgeons had been consulted These
| convinced him only after a blood-test
was made. The sin of coyetous is
mans worst enemy, the speaker aver
red, and the test lies in his willingness
TO sacrifice personal pleasures and
donate a tenth of his store to God.
At this juncture large board, mark.
ed off in blocks which were labelled
with amounts from $4,000 down to 500,
was placed on the rostrum. Rev. Snive-
ly proceeded to urge families in the
congregation to take blocks He said
that picture of the board when fully
subscribed would be taken and placed
In the church. The Ladies' Aid society
of the church responded first with a
subscription of $4,000. Numerous fami-
lies took $500 blocks, so that by noon
$20,O25 had been subscribed
Rev. Snively renewed his efforts in
= the afternoon, following communion
service, and succeeded in raising over
81 500 in subscriptions. Memorial SER
vices were next In order. Various
members Of the congregation arose
and paid tribute to those of the church
who had departed this life, Probably
) the most interesting of the speakers
/. was Mrs Matthews who attended the
+ seminary OF Robert Sloan, founder OF
+ the local church. and who related sew
, eral anecdotes concerning Mr. Sloan
The final and dedicatory service OF
T. tho day saw the realization of Rev
& snively's efforts TO make the church
:. free of Indebtedness. over 81 900 was