An Easter Dedication

Easter was a great day f or all tho churches iu this city. The weather j ■was delightful, the attendance good I and the ofïeriugs demonstrated the liberal sprit of our church-going people. But there was perhaps no congregation that had greater joy in its service or more marked sncoess in its offerings than the English Lutheran. Although tbis is the youngest congregation - it being organizad just tbree years ago - it showed some strength in the day's work and worship. For an entire werk special services had been held every , evening and the attendanoe was all that oonld have been anticipated. It grew in nuinbers until the closing service on Snnday evening, when the church was crowded to its utmost capacity, and ruany failed to gain adruittance. The speakers were all , ing and showed tbat the pastor had made no rnistake in the arrangement of the program, which was published in the Argus. Mrs. A. V. Hunter, who is the president of the National Woman's Missionary Sooiety of the Lutheran church, is a lady of very pleasing address. She spoke on Friday evening and also brief - ly on Sunday evening, and won the hearts of all her hearers by her earnest, eloquent words for tho canse which she represents. She expressed herself as well-pleased with the work in this city in which her society is interested, and thonght that they had no work which promised better for the future than this: Dr. Baritz, who is the secretary of Home Missions and who was present at the organization three years ago, was delighted with the progress of the congregation during this short period. He spoke at various times and preached the Easter sermón on Sunday afternoon. Dr. Wiles, who is pastor of the largest Lutheran congregation in the state of Ohio, is a man of remarkable power in the pulpit. His sernions on Sanday morning and evening were rich in thought and eloquent in expression. He has a power over an audienoe which men in the pnlpit do not always possess, and he has become noted thronghout his church for his skillful roanner of raising money to pay off churoh debts. At the close of the sermón in the morning the pastor stated that the indebtedness of the congregation was a little over $2,000. Dr. Wiles then took charge of the work of raising the money. There was probably not a persnn in the audience who believed that half that amount could be raised, but at the conclusión of the eveuing service the pastqr announced that $2,356 had been secured and that the iudebtedness of the congregation incurred in building was practically met. That was a moment of joy for pastor and people, aud will give thern new inspiratious for their work. It was a trinmph whiuh they conld hardly have hoped to attain. The music at all the services was good. The choir gave evidence of csreful preparation and rendeied some very choice and appropriate selectionf. The Allmendinger family, Mrs. R. H. Kempf and Mrs. Boy C. McClure also added much to the interest of the occasion. The entire series of meetings was interesting and was a complete success. Everyone who attecded was pleased and impressed with the earnest and devoted spirit of the congregation. ïhiis congregation was oa-ganized on Easter Sunday just three years ago wifcli 40 charter inembers. Tlie swvi.pfss wfi-f nit. firsfc held in Newberry Hall and the people met witli aJl t'he dicouraenieiits incident tu ai newly ofganized work. WMle worhipping in the hall the cojjgregation (lid little more than madntain irta existencf, But witli the flrst efforts to seeure i-verty of lts o.wn 3rt receíved a uow ímpetus and luas since liad a very markod and subs-tautial growth. ín thc of 1893 the beautiful lot on the corner of S. Fiftli ave. and E. WilHam st, was pureliased as a site upon whieti to buíttd, for tlio suin of $4,000, the boord of church extensión assteting the oongmegiation. Tlie lange two story firaitae stniqture was removed vu the west side of tlie lot and repaáred for a par.sonage. Ín ilie 9Uinmer oí '94 tlie Womun's Ilonie and Foreign Missionary Society gave the eongaregartüon a pledge for $5,000 to aisaist in building a chui-ch. Phuns wi'i-o ;n-ci'ited, a "bxiHdi ag eommitibee appoiutod, the , coiita'act let and in June of tlie same year the work was commenced on tlie oliuron building. The corner stoue was laid on Sunday afternoon, August 19, in the presence of a large concourse of people. Tlie work ,vias caried nndily l'orward and the ohaipel was dedioated on Sunday, Nov. 18, of the samo year. The congregan ion then transferred iits place of wóratoip from tVie hall to These rooms íuuI found the ohaaige vei-y coniitniaJ. For just one year tlie work on the chureh building ceased aiid tlietn the oontractor was orderod to ooinplote the building. It is a ful brick structure 52x52, and the audience room is sajía to be oiue oí the neatest and most atttnactlvé rooms in ttiis city. It -vill sea.t a.bout 400 people wíth ampie room for a gaillery that will seat f rom 150 to 200 more. The floor inclines tovard the pulpit and the tandeóme pews are arrauged m semicircular form. The olioir recess is in the rea.r of the puliüit. TIn Windows are of opalescent glasa wltih the scènes of the Nattvjty and As eension appearing in ridh,, but tasteful colors, in the east and south sildes. Tlv are splendid works of art. 'Die whole building is noat a.iul tasty and is a credit to tlie congvegatiou and an honor to the City, Sincé the work besan 122 persons bare been received into membership. There have been some losas but the congregaitioa now 'lias jut 100 resident communieant members. The Sunday school has a present, ëüröllment of 'a few more than 100. The Y. P. S. O. K. numbers some and a ladies aid society and Waniam's Missionary Society are all cloing tive work "for öfirist and the clmivh." ttev. W. L. Tedi'ow lias bad charge of th'is wo-i-k from the begsfaming'. He has beea ai tdreless worker and eau eePtainly feel proud of wliat lie has aeconiplished. He Ims wou the respect of a,ü who know Mm by lï!s mauly, straig-hitfcxi-ward course. He is an atole and fearless preaiclier of rigtrteousness and ai'mis ta faslilöa the lives of hiis people by a pure and simple gospel.