St. Luke's Dedicated, 1883

-from the Wheeling Intelligencer, June 11, 1883
 

ST. LUKE'S CHURCH

DEDICATED TO THE WORSHIP OF GOD

By Bishop Peterkin Yesterday — Twelve Ministers Take Part in the Services, and a Large Congregation Witnesses the Dedication. A Sunday School Jubilee.

St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal church, the handsome little house of worship recently completed by the congregation on the corner of South Penn and Ohio streets, Island, was yesterday consecrated to the worship of God, and set aside from all worldly and ordinary uses, by Right Rev. George W. Peterkin, D.D., Bishop of the Diocese of West Virginia, assisted by twelve of the ministers of the Diocese now in attendance upon the Annual Council in this city. The dedication services were very impressive, and were witnessed by a congregation which comfortably filled the church, many members of other churches on the Island and people from the city being present. The church was beautifully decorated with flowers for the occasion, which with the stylish fittings and stained glass windows made the interior look gay. Crosses of rare flowers and neatly arranged bouquets almost hid the pulpit and reading desk.

The Bishop, followed by twelve clergymen and the vestry of the church, consisting of Messrs. S. P. Hildreth, J. J. Jacob, Gibson Lamb, and J. P. Rodgers, entered from the south vestibule, and marched up the centre aisle, the ministers all being in robes.The Bishop lead in the responsive reading, "The Lord is in his holy temple," the other clergymen reading the responses in concert. At its conclusion, Mr. Hildreth read the formal transfer of the property to the Bishop by the trustees, and requested him to take spiritual charge of it and dedicate to the worship of God. Rev. Mr. Cobbs of Charleston, followed with the reading of the formal dedication on the part of the Bishop. The appropriate service was then read, Rev. F. K. Leavell, of Coal Valley, reading the Psalms appointed for such occasions, which are the 84th, 122d and 132d. Rev. R. H. Mason of Monroe county, read the lessons, and Rev. Joshua Cowpland, of Point Pleasant, the litany. Mr. Cobbs then read a passage from Second Corinthians, and after the singing of a hymn, Bishop Peterkin preached a very appropriate sermon.

He spoke of the necessity that a congregation should worship in spirit and in truth, saying that in this was the chief glory of any temple. Even the glorious temple of Solomon, built and adorned on a plan furnished by God himself, when the people came to worship there in form only, was given over by the Almighty to hand of the spoiler. Yet he did not belittle the custom of making a place of worship comfortable and attractive. The excuse often rendered for niggardly meanness in providing a church that the money would be better used in works of charity was not a good one. A church dedicated to the worship of the Living God should be as substantial and as beautiful as the dwelling houses of those who worshiped there.

The music was a leading feature. The choir was a special one for the occasion, and composed of Mrs. Julius Pollack and Miss Aggie Muldine, sopranos, Mrs. George Bell, Mrs. L. C. Reed and Miss Annie Tappan, altos, Mr. John E. Mendel, tenor, and Mr. S. P. Hildreth, basso. Prof. Malmene played the organ accompaniments.

Yesterday afternoon a Sabbath School jubilee was held in the church, and addresses were made to the children by several of the ministers from abroad now in the city.

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