Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-02-21

Rich and profound Ideas i'll the region of
phiIosophic thought We have received
from your teaching. ide:is that untier!o
the unfolding OF the worlds life in its So
cial and political economy, and higher
truths have we heard from yon on the
great themes o. the Christian salvation,
but they all circle around this one centre,
the mystery that solves all problems, the
light that irradiates all truth. For the
manner in vhich you have directed us to
it rs the truth OF truths, We are bound to
you rs admiriar pupils and learners. The
theological seminary, the college, profess
sors and students, citizens Of this city.
friends and neishSors, gather here to
night. to offer you our regard and love on
sliis 10Th anniversary of your birth.
TO this feStal greeting has been invited
II brother minister OF the Lancaster Chassis,
WHO in this slmo month celebrated his
SO;h birthday, Rev. John G. Fritchey,
whu has labored i'll the Christian ministry
for Il period of 81 years. Pastor Frltcliey
began his labors in what may be called
the earlier days of tho Reformed churc!,
in this country, when its ministers
Were few and its people scattered.
and to large extent unsupplied with the
ministrati,.lS of the gospel. His lou. life
has been steadily devoted to the great
work of the Christian ministry. lie, too.
is blessed with health and strength sutii
cient still to Labor among us, and he is at
present engaged in active ministerial
work. 1t has been thought fitting that
your brethren should take this occasion to
express their greeting to You rs the oldest
minister in this Chassis "reminiscences
might here also be called up OF years of
faithful pastoral labor. oil Self-denial and
sacrifice tha. are known to us, and serve
rs lessons for those who come after In T.
more private way VIC have been interested
in listening to the account of these labors,
which began before was born.
But the friends who are milling here
are waiting to present personally their
congratulations, and may not longer lie
tain them. Brethren, fathers in the min
i.;try Of our Lord Jesus, we greet you on
the near approach tn your journeys end.
We rejoice with yoa Oh the success Of
your life work. We pray that the evening
OF Your days may be serene and happy in
the faith and hope Of the gospel OF our
Lord which you have faithfully preached,
and We shall seek to gather courage an,s
inspiration from this joyons occasion for
the work that may still be before VI; rs W..
strive to follow in your footsteps to the
goa! of ali our hopes ami aspirations. May
wo al! come to the greeting that shall hc
given at last to all his people by our Lor'!
and Master III blessed reunion in Heaven
Rev. C.S. teri,ard's address.
Rev. &. 5. Gerhard, Of Columbia then
spoke as follows oi. behalf of tie repre-
sei.tatives Of the Lancaster cllssi; # the
Reformed church
la response to the question, How uiL
art thcu?' addressed by Kin. Pharcah tu
the patriarch Jacob, the aged father re
piled, The days OF the years Of my pill!
grii,agc are = hundred and thirty years !;
few and evil Lave the days of the years Of
lie been, and have not attained unto the
days of The years of the lie of my fathers
in the days of their pilgrimage" A strong
touch OF melancholy perva,les these words,
and. | presume, it is will. somewhat sim:
lar feelings that elderly people generai!;Y
look back over their past lives. Iowever
long and prosperous this pilgrimage ma.g
have been, in summing, it up they feel that
the days OF the years of their lives have
been icw, and in many respects evil tha!
is, full of sorrow and disappointment.
If there are exceptions 20 this experience
and we believe there are, we would nat
Urally look for them among christi:.n
minister's who constitute Z unique class q!
men Summoned to the work Of the minis
try. Separated! uuto Jesus Christ removed
from the ordinary avocations of the world,
they LOOK upon life III Il way different from
most men. To them Success does not
mean wholly worldly gain and honor, but
the triumph, Of the gospel. They re2ar'i
life as i battle to be fought, as Il race ("
be run, Us u sphere OF grave responsibility,
and golden privileges that shall open Il.
, last to the life immortal beyond the grave,
aud there bring them their reward. When
St. Paul, grown Old in the ser
vice ot Jesus Christ, stood ON the brink
Of the tomb, he remembered the past, not
with feelings OF sadness, but with exui-
tant triumph, and gazing into the future,
with the piercing eye of faith, he saw i
crown awaiting him there. These We're iii-
words, and what Z contrast there is b.
tween them and those OF Jacob. IL have
fought Il good fight, l have finished my
course, | have kept the faith hcnceiorth
| there is laid up for me u crown OF right
eousness, which the LORD, the righteous
| Judge shall give me ut that day and not
to me ONLY, but unto I'LL them also that
! love His appearing" Why should not the
! declaration OF aged persons in the case oi
all the true servants OF the lord he like
| that %; the apostle, rather than like that
| of the patriarch?
For more than half a century the two
| brethren. in whose honor VIC are assem-
| b,cd, have stood as watchmen on the
| walls OF Zion. During this time the siGni-
| 1icarcc OF the Christian ministry bad been
| most beautifully portrayed in their lives,
| the one being constantly engaged in the
active duties Of the pastoratr, and the
other as teacher of ;heolO9y--thc
latter lifting laborcrs for the vineyard, the
| former never weary in leading souls L"
Christ
What spheres Of usefulness granier than
| these could visibIy be found i'll the world
what fields of activity at all comparable
with them Teachers Of theology and
parish priests arc tine Men who shape the
course of history. The potency Of wealth
| is great, the might of political combina-
tions is greater, but the power ci li7ln@
thought the greatest. Ideas rule the world
| And the ideas which reach farthest and
strike deepest are those with which the
| thecogian has to d., because religion IS
! the profoundest spring and root 0! man )
| being, and gives tone and character %
every normal u:tcranca "fEis life. :" Kings
and presidents are only executives. The
real mUnarcls arc the men who shape thn
thinking of the aye in which they live.
TO be q teacher, not of der"mi.ltiohai
Sl.bbc!eths and petrilied doctrines, but Ut
theology as II living science, that has to q"
with Il living God and His relation I,
man. tbs is a work than which there IS
L. IL