The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-24


missing crew instantly manned by the brave
hearts and hands who had saved her from dis
aster, had protected its captain, brought to
nought the counsels of the mutineers.
The battle thus fought was for principle, and
right gladly did you my brethren, prove that
Baptist minister has rights which a Baptist
church is bound to respect. And 1 here publicly
ana without reserve make my acknowledgements
of grateful Indebtedness to you who so nobly
sustained me in that conflict, and so bravely de-
Tended me from the deadly assaults which vitu-
perative malignity made upon me. And though
II was confidently predicted that your triumph
would be barren one, that you would be unable
to support me, and that those who had gone out
would be compelled to return in order to save
the property, yet you scorned to put such con.
sideratons of policy in the balances against
right prircip and worthy cause. You
trusted in God, and dared to do right; and most
gloriously has God justified and rewarded your
confidence in His overruling Providence.
The year following this period of assault found
Zion diminished in numbers and wealth, not
only because of the party who had Withdrawn
in the spirit OF faction, but because many
worthy and important families had begun to
remove 10 distant parts OF the city. Burdened
with q debt of fourteen thousand dollars, be-
sides the assumption of another thousand for
the improvement in front of the church edifce,
suffering under the exhaustive drafts of the
war, and the enormous cost OF living, and
withal deprived OF the strength of my services
by reason of sickness, so that had you not been
a band of brave and nobe-hearted believers in
the promises of God, your own appreheusons
must have sympathzed with the vauntings of
your enemies, and questioned the possibility of
sustaining the church on the basis of its former
expenditures.
Behold then what God hath wrought! and let
every heart ascribe a new song of gratitude to
His goodness. Let the timid learn another
lesson In the strength of right principles and let
doubling ones know that God that heareth the
supplications and rewardeth the faith of His SER
wants still sits upon the throne. While the
church was in condition of undlsturbed pros
xrlan Nrnrln aNa1
to be the backbone of its wealth and the stand.
ard bearers of Its responsibilities, IL was able to
raise contribution of only about six or seven
thousand dollars towards reducing the indebt-
edness, and even this financial feat was achieved
by pairing down the current expenses, and espe-
cially the pastors salary, to the minimum
residuum, after every other demand had been
provided for.
But during the past three years this church
has cancelled an Indebtedness Of fourteen thou
sand dollars; has nearly paid thousand dollars
on the front Improvement, has added thou
sand dollars per annum to the pastors salary,
has raised the other salaries in proportion, has
quadruDled its contributions for benevolent
purposes, besides giving between two and three
within bounds to say, that this church has
raised and contributed during the ten years of
my ministry more than nlne thousand dollars
per annum. So much as to your financial con-
dition.
But your obedience to the Gospel has been no
less illustrated in the blessing with which God
has crowned your spiritual endeavors. In Octo-
ber, 1867, the month in which became your
pastor, you reported membership of 388 per-
sons. During the ensuing winter q revival
occurred, which resulted in the baptism of
ninety-fve converts. In the year 1868, you re-
ported another marvellous work of grace
resulting in the baptism OF l39, and in the year
1866 you reported, as the crowning exhibition
of Gods mercy, the baptism of 1913. Not year
has passed in which l have not baptized some.
And now, as bring my work among you to q
close, am permitted 10 state as the grand sum-
mary of results, that since came among you
have given the hand of fellowship to 749 per-
| sons, $50 OF whom have baptized Despite the
| numerous calls that have occurred by reason of
| death and removals, the church which ten
| years ago numbered 3S8, has to-day mem
| bership of 7O7, and occupies an elegant and
| commodious house of worship, substantially
| free from debt. Besides, she has sustained three
students, who are now settled in the ministry,
| and is supporting two others at the University,
| in their preparation to preach the gospel
should not be honest were / to affect that
| there were none in this large church who were
| disaffected towards me, and are desirous of a
| changes" but / should be equally dishonest
were not to say that their numbers and i'm
| portance are so lnconsderabe as to cons titute
not the slightest element in my decisi on to
leave. On the contrary, never was there time
| when could anticipate so agreeable and eth
| cient a pastorate as at the present moment.
| Your debt paid, your congregation large your
offer OF support equal to my current necessities,
all the offices filled by men who are loyal TO the
| highest welfare of the church, bound TO so
| many of you by ties of tried affection, it is not
possible this side of Heaven to hope for associa
| tiOns more congenial or more inviting. Nor
cou d /, for the same reason desire to leave you
under circumstances more favorable for my
| successor.
Why, then, some may ask, do / propose to
| leave? My answer In general to this question
! is, that / have conviction that God, in His
providence, is calling me to do an important
| work in another and distant field. Within
the past six months have been approached by
FIVE or six overtures, inviting me to positions
| which ought to satisfy my highest ambition for
! denominational honors; bu after canvasslng the
merits of each, / find myself led to cast my lot
| with a small and comparatively feeble band in
| the city of Chicago who alone are struggling TO
! hold up the Baptist cause in a community of
| sixty thousand Inhabitants. ] go forth from
| you in the spirit of sacrifice and faith expecting
to do hard work for Christ, and hoping that
| His blessing will crown my endeavorss
And now, my beloved as ye have always
Obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now
| much more in my absence, work out your o Wn
| salvation with fear and trembling. Despite the
/ encouraging facts that make up your estate al
| this moment, cannot contemplate your pastor
| less condition without solicitude. At the best,
| no church can ordinarily accomplish the great
ends ofehurch life as wellwithout pastor as with
| one. Especially is this true of church which
4 rests the sovereignty of administration In the
/ immediate will of all the membership. What Is
/ every ybody's business is likely to become no.
/ body's. Important enterprises are likely to be
/ neglected because few feel willing to assume
| Unauthorized responsibilities. Those who need
| the help OF a stated ministry are, apt to suffer
| loss-the young wander, the sick and sorrow
/ ing pine for want OF consolation, the unruly
| become rampant, and the ambitious and unscru'
| pulous plot and counterplot to gain sinister
| ends.
because some of the disaifected that have
| left YOU seem to be in league with the few dis