thy people shall assemble together in this house, either on the weekly Sabbath or on other occasions, do thou condescend to meet them, and bless them, and do them good. Here may thy gospel be preached in its purity.

May thy ser

vants, who may stand from time to time in this desk, determine to know nothing save Jesus Christ and him crucified. May the Spirit of God descend here like a refreshing shower, and may many be found inquiring the way to Zion. May great additions be made to this little flock, of such as shall be saved. Accept the offering of thy people, when they shall bring their children to the baptismal font. Do thou baptize them with the Holy Ghost, and make them heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. When thy people shall assemble around the table of the Lord to commemorate his dying love, do thou, O omnipresent Jesus, make thyself known to them in the breaking of bread. Bless the congregation who may hereafter worship within these walls; revive thy work, and excite a general attention to the great concerns of religion.

And now, Lord, arise, thou and the ark of thy strength. Hallow this house, and let thy name be here forever, and let thine eyes, and thine heart be here perpetually; let it

please thee to bless this house, that it may be before thee forever; for if thou blessest, O Lord, it shall be blest forever.

To Thee, then, O God-Father, Son, and Holy Ghost-we solemnly dedicate this pulpit, these seats, and every part of this edifice. From this time, till these walls crumble into dust, let it be none other than the house of God and the gate of heaven.-AMEN.'

This house, my hearers, has now been solemnly dedicated to God. Regard it no longer as yours, but God's. Accept our best wishes and fervent prayers for your peace and prosperity. May you long enjoy the blessing of a preached gospel in this sacred temple. May you soon have a pastor after God's own heart, to break unto you the bread of life-to feed you with knowledge and understanding. Be assured of the continued interest which the society I represent feels in your welfare of the satisfaction they receive in witnessing the success of your efforts in providing for yourselves and children this neat and commodious edifice and of their readiness to co-operate with you, consistently with their ability and numerous claims, in maintaining the regular observance of Christian institutions and ordinan

ces.

Because of the house of the Lord our God,

we will seek your good.

To this numerous and respected auditory, suffer me to address a word of exhortation in the conclusion of this discourse. Many of you have assembled here to unite with your friends and neighbors in the congratulations of this occasion. If you should return to your homes with deeper impressions of the value of religious institutions, and with solemn resolutions to do more than you have ever yet done to promote and encourage them, we shall not have labored in vain. You may be assured that much of your happiness in this life, and especially in the life to come, depends upon the regard which you pay to them. When you return to the respective congregations with which you are severally connected, let it be your great concern, by your prayers, by your influence, and by the substance which God has given you, to promote and encourage these institutions. Let not the ministry of the gospel languish and decline among you for want of a liberal support. Let not the sanctuaries of the Lord fall to decay and ruin, for want of your prompt assistance to repair them, or if necessary, to erect new edifices for the

worship of God. If you regard the interests of society-if you value your comfort and peace in this life, your own immortal souls, and the souls of your fellow men-neglect not to provide for the worship of God. For remember, that for all your privileges you will one day have to give an account. We are all of us hastening to the judgment. In a little while we shall cease to be benefited by religious institutions; we shall soon have no further necessity for houses made with hands, to worship the Most High. Happy shall we be, if, ripened by the means of religious instruction enjoyed on earth, and sanctified by the Spirit of God, we may be prepared for admission to that glorious temple, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, to unite with the myriads of the redeemed from among the children of men, in ascribing glory, and honor, dominion, and power, thanksgiving, and praise, and blessing, to Him, who sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever.

115

SERMON V.

MINISTERIAL COURTESY.

EPHESIANS iv. 31, 32.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice; and be ye kind one to another.

THE words of the text were addressed by Paul to the church at Ephesus. In that once celebrated and licentious city, he had been eminently successful in planting the standard of the Redeemer's cross. His attachment, both to the elders and members of the Ephesian church, was peculiarly strong. His valedictory address to the former, in the twentieth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, is one of the most exquisitely tender and pathetic appeals, that can be