Year: 1869

in the State. Its cost has been nearly 5000, ,ooo
which sum- with the exception OF about $4,000 used
in furnishing the edince, has been generously DO
mated by two influential members or the congre9a-
ton. After the dedicatory services, IN which Rev.
9. d. Bridgman d. d. OF Albany, and Rev. DR..
Bright OF New York, assisted, the pastor. Rev. A:
J. F. Behrends. delivered a profound and
interesting discourse. taking for his text Q
portion n OF Haggai H. s;mhhe the glory OF % tns
saith the Lord OF Hosts" In commencing his ser
mon the reverend gentleman stated that the glory OF
thing Is the fulhment OF It's mission. BY so much
as II fails OF the full exhibition OF its implanted en-
ergles, by so much Is the crown OF its glory tar
investiture, some outward coronation, but the free,
full Development OF natural powers the attainment
or the Divine purpose In creation. mote flying
glory, II the mission OF its being is reached.
The glory OF manhood consists not in ex-
tent Of possessions, in breadth OF culture, but in
the noble expansion OF soul INTO what God designs
a soul to be. 1t Is not the cut of mans coat, the
1neness and costliness OF its material. the elegance
OF his habitation, the number OF his attendants,
that confirm hts right to the title Of gentleman or
nooleman Nobility Is Of the the soul and not OF the
not in its extent OF territory or Its boundess re-
sources, but in rh the virtue and patriotism
That glory may dwell in and Shine forth from plain,
costly structure. The temple reared by zerubbabei
was not as costly as tnat built by Solomon, yet the
glory OF the latter house was greater than that OF
the former because 1t remained until He came OF
whom Jewish temple and Jewish ritual were but
silent continuous prophecy The courts of Zerub.
babels temple were hallowed by the personal
presence of the Son of man, and one pres
sure OF his foot conveyed more glory than
all the gold and and cedar. and purple
that could be found on altar, and cherubim and
veil. And this is still the gory OF house OF praise,
that it echoes to the footsteps OF the Son OF God
ton and defence OF spiritual truth. While expa-
tiating on the importance OF leaving "every truth
written on the broad page by the finger OF God to Its
legitimate IMPRESSION the reverend speaker re-
marked, 'my philosophy may be sufficient for the
elimination OF every troublesome factor for the
harmonizing of apparently conflicting statements;
but God is greater than the soul, and truth vast
sea, on which philosophy Roats as the bubble OF
moment "The teaching OF experience" he said " Is
not only the best but the only one that carries any
authority with it. For man to say that he believes


in the Nicene creed, IN the Thlrty-nine Articles.
and regulates his teaching accordingly, without
that living experience OF mead and neart tat earnest
whole souled search for truth which results IN the
personal vital appropriation OF creed. Is as mean


piece OF thleving as Tor one man TO steal anothers
coat and then to so TO church In 1t. Revelation Is
not teaching; beginning at the point where the Liv
ing Spirit touches the near quickening the under
standing rectifyng the conscience, we are to
preach from personal knowledge the power and
grace of the Son Of God" Regarding denomlna-
tional organizations the speaker said:-''They are
but the formal experiences OF the distinct personal
convictions of large bodies of men, and as long as
they embody thought and conscience they
are not to be decried as dishonorable to
God and blot upon Christian charity.
1t is better to live on the rocky ocean coast where
the waves beat high on the shore and the wild
storms rock the habliaton, than the banks of
stagnant pool whose surface is never stirred by
rippe.n The reverend gentleman said he would not
have his hearers teach and defend the Baptist faith
as of more importance than Scripture, but being
Its equivalent and Its far interpretation. He said,
'the impression is very general one that our war Is
a watery war-a fight about the size OF the baptls-
nal font and the posture OF the candidate IN the ad
mnlstration Of the ordinance. That Is
but the shell, by no means the heart
OF cur great controversy. The Baptist
theory Of religion s simply the principle OF Calvin
and Luther carried out 10 Its logical results. THE
Just shall live by fath was the ralying cry OF the
Reformation. TO 1t we shout "Amen." Alluding to
the mission OF Church OF Christ he said that two
things were essential TO true worship-the absence
OF voice repetition Of Pbarisac pretension and
spirituality Of devotion. Simplicity promotes spir-
ituaity, and spirituality is uneasy and oppressed
under needless multiplication or extension OF
FORM most important part OF public worship Is
singing. 1t belongs to the congregation and cannot
be delegated to one man or to doZen either
by general consent formal vote. After dwelling
al some length on devotional singing the reverend
gentleman drew a graphic picture OF the material
and labor employed IN erecting the structure IN
which they were then worsnlpping, and compared
the rough quarry from which the stone was obtained
to the worlds life, IN which the servants OF God
gather material for His spiritual temple. In con-
Guiding the speaker said:"lt will be the glory OF
this house If God deign to dwell here II He cast over
these walls the folds Of His mantle, and enter here
TO own His truth to kindle the fire OF universal love-
to inspire JOY in worship and to reveal His power In
the saving Of men,