New-York tribune., 1874-11-09
AN AFRICAN MINISTER ORDAINED.


Interesting and impressive services were
held last night in the Broadway Tabernacle. Tae occa-
sion was the ordination of native African. Barnabas
Root He is q native of the Sherbro country portion
of West Africa little known. Having become educated
In this country he purposes 10 return TO his nome ana
preach the gospel to his counrymen After the reading
of the minutes Of the Examining Council the sermon,
which appears below, delivered by the Row Dr..
Taylor pastor of the Tabernacle The ordaning prayer
was offered by Rev. A H. Clapp, and the charge was
gwen by the Rev. Geo. whipplo Of the American Mis-
sonary Association. The address to the people was
delivered by the Rev. II. D. Ganse. The sermon was
listened to with great interest," especially that portion
which told Of the career of the young missionary.
The text was taken from Mark w. 10: "Go home to
thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord mas
done TO thee and nath had compassion on the" Great
things the Lor had done for this man. He iound
HIM O naked dem0niac. having his dwelling among the
al an 20 Si bs and tTe now be- is Clothed aud
in right mind" He has been rens2ted IN inc lOru-
shin OF himself Peace has come into his soul The un-
1iet eve ia at rest The untamabe ferocitv by which
he had been characterized has given place 10 cam
dOcty OF disposition The legion OF demons has been
cast out In their stead the Spirit OF God has come
into his soul, that all within Is vibrating win the
thrill OF n newborn happiness Wherefore does he cling
so passionately to his delivertri Why that earnest
request that he may accompany Him whtherSoever H3
coetn And why, above ALL this strange answer from
the lips of Him who frequently bade others fOhoW
Himf The explanation is easy. TEey cared more ior
their swine than for their souls. ana had Desought
Jesus 10 leave their borders The afflicted man, Tearing
his troubles might return, desired to accompany Him.
Let then note first what as Christians we nave 10
tell. 1t a personal experience. Tals man was ex-
hor,ed TO make known what the Lord had done Ior h
He had been afl cted with peculiar anu preternatut
disease. Tue had been actually possessed Oy eVll
spirits. In OF this kind there might be SUD
stratum of physical disease but III thls case thrc We
other results which cannot be accounted lOr on any
other supposition than that the man was spiritnay
possessed His double personality consisted OF hlnst
and the spirit that abode IN him lie was conscious aE
another was rulIng In tue hsn places OF DIS So t %
terrible slavery the Lord emancpated MN Inls IL
striking analogy 10 the deyerance wlch ChrlSI eHoeVs
for US In our regeneration and conversion.
Secondly. We speak OF tins experience as tne @ wolA
of Cod done for aud IN us out OF HIS great
The spoken OF expected to unfold 20 his friends
what had happened to him. ana ne Is no cen
vert VINO does not say that tns Is rne m
when the sinner consents to let the Lrd save NM
sensualst chase, one strong heart-passion may ior
time hold another in check, but only Goa Himself can
real and radical it is Gods work We need to give
"The Transformation e: aposate man
Pom fool to wise, from earthly to divine
Neither philosophy science nor education, cVii-
cation, nor any other merely human influence can re-
create Only tho SPIRIT Of God and His gospel can
and to go further plunge the soul into despair
but to dwell upon the compassion of God. WHO became
and to have this cOrrObOrated and confirmed by one Th0
can say, 81 am crhcied with Christ, nevertheless
yet live is to encourage tue sinner 70 repair 10 A
who alone can clean heart and renew ri@At
spirit within HIM. ,,
friends Happiness is shorn OF nali its II
happy we will be able To restrain its expression To
our nearest ones.
DR. Taylor in closing his Sermon gave the following
sketch Of the young minister: Oar young brother Mr.
Blrnabas Root, was received at the mission or the
American Missionary Association IN the ShcrDrO cOuD
try, IN West Africa, on Nov l, 1854 At that time he
was about years Old. In the Summer or 1859 he ac
companied the Mr. White to this country IN order
that vii his assistance, Mr.. White might continue the
study SherDro language. His knowledge OF the
scrlDtures at that truly wonder 10 all VINO
saw and heard him. He returned % Africa ana con
tiuucd in the mission school until early in 1853 He
came again TO this country determined TO study Tor tho
ministry He was graduated at Knox College, Gl, s.
burg ILL., in lS;0 then entered the theological Sem
mary at Chicago, where he was graduated in 1875.
10 deliver addresses, aud hs Grafton was reinrhaoe or
deptn tOf thought and elegance OF eXpCssOn since hen
he engaged among the freedmen OF the sontn
and on last Thursday he examined Dy council a5
10 his the Office OF the ministry never
he rd candidate acduit himself more creditauy. Ana
now leave for his native land to tell ms
fellow couutrymen what the Lord las done Tor hlD Co.
ny young brother may tie blessing OF COD De with
Won Tell your kinsmcn OF His love. Tell them or the
,w liberty and literature OF this beloved land erected
upon the glorious gospel Of the grace OF God Go 20
them as the herald OF coming regeneaOn ana as you
labor amid trials, difficulties and discOuragemeHts let
your be sustained By the prophetic assurance tnat
" Ethiopia shall soon stretch oui ner NINA unto Uod