Delaware gazette and state journal., 1884-02-07
The Congregation, Congratulated
Upon The Present Prosperous state
of The Church-Au Affecting and
IinpreAaiXe scene

tion assemble in the First Pseshy teriar
Chufoa as Sunday morning, when tte
R-v. Il. B. DnVsl preached his farewell
sermon. The presence of the hesreri
and the intense interest with which they
listened 10 the words OF Mr.. DuVal, proved
cOnolusi9ely the nigh appreciation
in which he is held by Wilmingtonians
immediately preceding the sermon, the
given out from the pulpit and, ss the
choir started it's rendition, the air was
caught up by the congregation which
arose, and the walls of the old building
resounded from pit to dome with the
popular, sacred melody.
Mr.. DuVal took for his theme the
eleventh verse of the 18th chapter Of st.
Paul's second epistle to. the Corinthians /:
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be per-
feet, be OF good comfort, be If one mind,
live in peace and the God Of love and
peace shall be with you"
He opened by saying that his heart
wac not in spirit OF sermonizing, but
that 1t was in the spirit Of prayer for the
dear flock which he WAS about to leave.
He wished to give certain pastoral advice
on this occasion, and he said that the
text he had Just read expressed in every
way his feelings. Where one was about
to separate from such friendship and love
as existed b,tween himself and his
charge, there is always longing
for some word that can en-
body unexpressed emotions. Cyrus
as he lay dying on his roy al couch
said to his attendants and friends 'tare.
well," and when Paul used that word he
filled it brim full Of meaning and applied
it with all It's significance. The word
itself signifies an earnest desire that the
person or persons to whom 1t is applied
both be well and do we'll, and the speaker,
when he took his feelings into considers-
tion, knew no word that he could
use that would be more appro-
pirate. "Your PASTOR" he continued,
"being called to another part
of the masters vineyard can fill that
that you may all be well and do well.
My hearts desire and my prayer to God
for my people is that they may be
saved" Here he wanted to say, that If
any one has seen in him amiss, he
desired to make apology for the same
and, that If anyone felt aggrieved at any
thing he had done, he would also make
him an humble apology. All during his
pastorate in this city, he had acted
conscientiously and had Intentionally
wronged no man. ~ come to you loving
you as ona people, and my heart and
hand will ever 60 forth to the members of
this flock IS one without distinction.
"Be perfect" said the speaker, and
following up this thought in the text, he
said that it was completeness that is the
salvation of men. There wsre great
many Christians whose work was all in
vain; they strove hard to do what was
right, but their labor often amounted TO
naught, because of their Incomplete
ness. The speaker knew many students
who were seemingly full of energy;
they burned great deal more midnight
oil than WAS necessary, they caught up
literature here and there and devoured it
gluttonously, but there was nothing sys-
tematic about them. They mastered
nothing and consequently never amounted
to much. There were some in his con-
gregation who were now walking on in
complete grounds. II a person was
mechanic, merchant, artist, general
or anything he would always
be second or third rate with
out enthusiasm. And if person
undertook to go through this life without
enthusiasm, energy or completeness, he
would soon find himself drifting like
waste wood on the tide now gone down,
and left upon the muddy banks of time.
When quite young man he said to
General Robinson, who on his father's
grounds mustered his troops every day in
dress parade, General, what waste of
force this seems every day" and
the general, turning with flashing eyes
that became his position, said: "My
young friend, If | did not have dress
parade every day this army would
become demoralized." Concluding on
this line of thought, Mr., DuVsl said he
thought that the Presbyterian church
needed just a little more sanotifed
formality, aud he would beseeoh his
brethren to stand together aud be perfect
in all Things.
"Be of good comfort" the original
being "Be encouraged Christians
must be prepared to meet with many dis
coursgements in this life. Thousands of
defects are daily happening in the outer
world, and the newspapers will scarcely
pick them up, they don't care for them,
they are not worth it !; bnt, he con.
tiHued, let there be any defect in the
Christian world, and it is Immediately
emblazoned through the columns
of the press and is flashed
over telegraph wires from the
Atlantic to the Pacific coast This
fact itself was what often made Christians
lose courage, while they should take
strength and courage from the fact that
1t was God himself who had called them
under his kingdom. He thought the
First Church people should be
encouraged, from the fact that to-day
the Church stands better In every way
than it has for the past 16 years. 1t had
good officers, good trustees and q God
fearing session.
"Bs of eae mind" The apystle did
not mean at the sacrifice of ones intelli
gence. The true Interpretation was to
avoid unnecessary disputes. The reverend
gentleman mad known u en- who, if they
discovered a fly speck over q letter in
the Bible, wonld waste any amount of
time asuing that it WAS an 'f," regard
| less of the sense in which 1t was used.
"Live in peace" said the speaker, "spd
| it this were not written IN the text,
HGutu hdf6 lO ltfu w IubuklDl H. NuHB
consider the beautiful bond of peace
which has heen maintained by thi- fllck
siuce | have known it." He believed
the congregation stood before God and
the world as one people in bonds of peace.
Peace. however, should not be bought at
a sacrifice of purity. When E person
sins, people should not whisper "Let this
matter drop here say nothing about il
tor the sake OF peace" For il they did,
he continued, fostering mass of corrup.
tion would soon accumulate that WI aid
eat up and destroy the morality Of the
church. Let nothing enter to destroy
the harmony of Gods love. In CON
clusion, Mr.. DuVal said: "Stand by and
WORK together. If You have loved me,
pray you love my successor more, and
may the blessings Of God, our Father,
and the grace OF our Divine Saviour be
and abide with you always"
In speaking of the efficient officers oi
the church at the close OF his sermon, Mr.
DuVal said he would beg leave to men
tion the name OF Nathaniel B.Culbert who
for so long had been the church treasurer
and had transacted his duties in a highly
creditsble manner. When the young
pastor ceased preaching, many of hii
congregation were in tears, and the scent
was very affecting and impressive. Mr.
DuVal bade q number Of the members
good bye at the conclusion OF the service
There was large attendance at the
Sunday school in the afternoon, and Mr.
DuVal, after making an appropriat,
address. bade the school good-by in at
fectionate terms. Some of the children
gave completely away to their grief.