Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-02-06
FAREWELL SERMON.
PREACHED IN THE BAPTIST CHURCH ON
SABBATH MORNING, JANUARY 81,
BY THE PASTOR, REV. K. n. PITT.


There is FINALLY" to be spoken
of all earthly experiences. Each
chapter in the book Of life has its
'sfnis" or end and tie whole volume
has conclusion. Every sentence has
its full stop. Every day has its sun
set. Every life has death at the end
of it. The Grst word of my text
then,suggests very familiar thought
--one that is being constantly press
ed upon our attention. 1t is not nee
essarily however, sad thought. 1t
may very well be that finally has
very pleasant and altogether desir-
able sound. There are some things
that we like to finish There are
very many experiences whose perpe-
tuity we would seriously regret.
And it is also true that the conclu-
sion of the same matter may bring
different results to different people.
One man may rejoice at that which
brings mourning to another. One
may be mournful and another car
nally hilarious at the end of the same
transaction. When a preacher how
ever, who has humbly sought to do
his duty, as he has seen it, is called
upon to stand and to say, Finally,
brethren, farewell!n he must have
had rarely and unusually painful
experience, if he can do SO without
serious distress of mind and heart.
For his relation to his people is
peculiar one. The fact that he is
usually dependent upon them for his
material support and they upon him
for spiritual sustenance and guild
-ance: the fact that his very position
brings him more than any other man
2 into close social relations with all
classes of his people, the cultivated
and unlettered, the prosperous and
the unsuccessful; the. further fact
that he is in peculiar way identi-
fed with them in many of the most
memorable experiences Of theirlives,
marriage, sickness, death--that he
is the privileged guest when the
physician has gone to return no
more-all these and many other SIM
liar facts make the pastoral relation
peculiarly close and tender. The
heart would indeed be hard and cold
that could break all these relations
without q sigh. Cruel and bitter
must have been the experience of
any pastor who could welcome the
dawning of the day that was to hear
his last word of counsel and invita-
ton, and to witness his last officia
service without a sorrowful thought.
And when the mass of his people
have been uniformly kind and SYM
pathetic and helpful, when they have
thanked him for the poor broken
messages of truth which he has been
enabled to bring them, when the
community around him and with
which he has had official relation
has been uniformly kind and sympa-
'thetic-what can he do but say,
FINALLY, brethren and dear friends,
FAREWELL while he looks through
misty eyes and speaks with tremu-
lous tongue. Such has been my ex-
perience here, and such are the sor-
rowful emotions as for the last time
/ occupy this pulpit as pastor.
There is yet another reason why
an occasion like this is peculiarly
solemn to conscientious preacher.
His work is done. The record is
made up. If he has erred he has no
longer any opportunity to rectify
his errors. If he has been unfsithful
he cannot find any room to undo his
carelessness. When conscientious
lawyer has done his best TO clear his
client from the charge of murder and
the case is given to the jury, it is
not wonderful that he should be Sc
rious and anxious that it has passed
forever out of his hands. But what
if the client is friend, beloved and
cherished friend What if, as he re-
views his connection with the case,
he sees or fancies that he sees, where
his argument might have been more
cogent, where his appeal might have
been more earnest? Then suppose,
alasl that in the breathless silence
of the court room the verdict guilty
is rendered, and amid the sobs of
weeping friends he is borne away to
prison; or the scafold, grim and
hideous, looms up before him. And
suppose as his advocate looks back,
he remembers that he was indolent
when he ought to have been active,
that he was indifferent when he
ought to have been enthusiastic and
earnest In word, suppose he feels
that he has not done his best. Would