SABBATH, September 7, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Mountain View was dedicated. It is, as the accompanying illustration will show, a neat structure, shingled without, the inside covered with pressed steel. It has one auditorium which will seat about 250, with three vestries, used as Sabbath-school rooms, which can be thrown into the auditorium, making a seating capacity, if necessity demands, of about 400. The size of the entire structure is 56 by 56 feet, the auditorium 40 by 40. At the further corner from the entrance is the pulpit, built into a corner addition, including underneath a neat baptistry. The church is heated by a hot-air furnace. The windows are stained glass. The seats of the auditorium are assembly chairs.
At the time of the dedication, the church was packed to its utmost capacity, a number of visitors being present from Oakland and San Jose, with a large number of the residents of the town in attendance. The chairman of the occasion was the chairman of the church council, Elder M. C. Wilcox. After singing by congregation and choir, the invocation was made by Elder A. O. Tait. As chairman of the Building Committee, Elder W. T. Knox made a report of the building of the church. He stated that in the beginning of the work here the few who met for Sabbath services met in the Presbyterian Church. After the Pacific Press building was erected, the church met in the large and commodious chapel of that institution, where the church was first organized, consisting at that time of about 160. Here it continued to meet until the Pacific Press was burned by fire, July 21, 1906. After that, thru the kindness of the other churches in town, which made offer of their buildings, the church met for some time in two churches, the Presbyterian and the Baptist. This division of the congregation was unsatisfactory at the very best, and an attempt was made to crowd the whole congregation, which now numbered about 259, into the Baptist Church alone. This, of course, was impossible, resulting in many absenting themselves from the services of necessity. As soon as the temporary quarters of the Pacific Press were vacated, the church met for several weeks in the temporary structure.
For some time the question of a church building had been agitated, and on March 31 a meeting was called for the purpose of considering ways and means for the building of a church. As most of the Mountain View congregation came from the Oakland church, it was agreed when the church in Oakland was sold that a part of the money should come to the Mountain View church for the purpose of erecting a house of worship here. $2,500 was granted by the Oakland church for that purpose. The necessity of raising $4,000 was placed before the congregation at this meeting. A simple statement of facts was laid before them and various ones were asked to contribute more or less of the four hundred shares at ten dollars a share that14would be required in addition to the Oakland fund, making $6,500 in all. With no other meeting for the purpose, and no special solicitation, within one month the amount was more than subscribed, the subscribers themselves becoming responsible. After the building of the church, paying for the land, putting down the sidewalks, and building a shed for teams, it was found that there would be a deficit of $208. The chairman of the building committee felt that we did not wish to dedicate the church until the last dollar was paid or assumed, and asked if there were not those in the congregation that would help to raise the amount. Remarks were also made by Elder H. W. Cottrell. In a very few minutes $250 was pledged for the remainder of the debt, and the church was presented to the congregation by the chairman of the building committee free from all indebtedness. This was accepted by a vote of the congregation, followed by a song by the choir, "Sing unto the Lord a New Song."
The new Seven Day Adventist Church at Mountain View, Cal., dedicated Sept. 7, 1907. A part of the church-school building may be seen in the rear in the right.
Scripture reading, 1 Kings 8:22-53, followed, by Elder J. O. Corliss.
The dedicatory sermon was by Elder H. W. Cottrell, who presented the reason why this church was built, and the reasons for the faith which makes this people what they are. His text was from Ex. 12:26, "What mean ye by this service?" and in a clear, convincing manner he laid before the congregation just what that service meant, what the building of the church meant, and for what the people stood who erected the church. The dedicatory prayer was offered by Elder J. O. Corliss, and the dedicatory hymn which follows, the words and music of which were written for this occasion, was sung by the congregation.
The program was interspersed by excellent music by choir and congregation, which we have not space to give here.
Altho the services lasted two hours, very many expressed themselves concerning the benefit and pleasure that they had received, and none complained that the services were too long. Many remarked that they could have stayed an hour longer. It certainly was a good, glad day to be able to present to the Lord a new house of worship, so plain and simple, and yet so harmonious and adapted to the purpose. It was remarked again and again that it was a blessed service from beginning to end, and if the remarks of the speaker are heeded, that the congregation shall dedicate themselves to God to be used of Him, it will be only one of the many blessed days in the service of God.
It is but justice to express appreciation of the devoted, thorough, self-sacrificing, skilful, energetic work of Brother C. C. Lewis, who had charge of the building of the church, together with many others who have truly lifted till they felt it.
Very heavy burdens have rested upon the Mountain View church during the past year. It gave at the time of the earthquake $1,000 for the repair of the Pacific Press building. It sent a liberal donation for the help of the suffering in San Francisco. It has exceeded its proportion of the $150,000 Fund by nearly $100. It has built two school buildings in the meantime for church school, and supported a teacher during the last year in connection with the school, besides donating to many other enterprises from time to time. In addition to this, it paid last year a tithe of $5,500, altho it has no wealthy members. The church is taking a club of missionary papers to the extent of about 1,000, one-half of which is taken by the young people of the church; and in addition to this, the young people of the church have been supporting a native worker in a foreign field. During all this period God has blessed the church greatly. A living church is a giving church, and a church that bestows of the blessings which God gives will make room in their own hearts and lives for large gifts. The Lord loveth cheerful givers, and He is able to make all grace abound toward them in all things.
