The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-03
Mr.. BOONE SAYS GOOD-BY
FAREWELL SERMON OF CHRIST
CHURCH'S RECTOR.

To Leave Savannah This Week and
Spend the Winter at the North-His
Parting Words to the Members of
His Congregation.
Rev. Thomas Boone, rector of Christ
! church, preached his farewell sermon yes
terday morning. He will leave here Thurs
day, going to Brunswick for week. He
will then go north for the winter.
u will sing Of Mercy and Judgment; Unto
| Thee o Lord will sing. Psalm CT 1.
That was the text of Rev. Boone's dis
course. 1t was an Advent sermon, and the
Ireacher stroye TO impress upon his congre-
cation the great truths that are emphasized
by the Advent season. Abiding To his re-
tlrement from the rectorship OF the church,
he said:
"Well-beoved: 1t will not be my privi-
lege TO address you as your rector again
| L go away from you with malice toward
none-with love and good will to you all.
No one OF you can be more conscious than
| am of the many imperfectious of my min
| lstry in this parish. In much weakness Of
all kinds have laDored among you, and the
results can be fully known only to God.
Did L know nothing against myself as
the apostle says, 4 would not thereby be
justified. He that judgeth me is the Lord
But | know of much lmperfection, and |
can only pray God to be merciTul to me,
and to us all. Yet, SO far as have known
the truth, have not Stunned to declare
unto you the whole counsel of God |
have put before you, whether from the pull
pit or in the Bible class, the great central
truths of our most holy faith-the Almighty,
personal God, as our creator, and moro as
our Father, who in his nature is spirit,
light and love, holy aud righteous in all his
ways
II have held up before you Jesus Christ
as Gods only and eternal son, who is of one
substance with the Father, very and eternal
God; and for US men, and for our salvation
be was made flesh and died for our redemp-
ton, and was a sacrifice for us, well-pleasing
unto God, He is our Saviour, our Prophet,
our Priest and our King have proclaimed
the Holy Ghost as God and as the giver of
all spiritual life. have not held back the
truth, that Gods mercy is over all his
works. and that be willeth that all men
should be saved, and that all men have fair
probation, aud will be fairly judged accord
ing to what they had, and not according to
what they had not. And, yet that Zion is
Gods chosen seat, and that he hath, in a
special sense, placed his name there; and
that all his fresh springs are in her; that If
he be the sun, the church with her teach
ings and her sacraments is the moon shining
only in borrowed and reflected light-yet
bright, shining and helpful; that not every
one who saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven, but he which doeth
the will of the Father in heaven;' that
faith, hope and love are the roots from
which, and from which alone, can spring
the fruits of the spirit; that there is another
life beyond the grave, the outcome and the
goal of this, where all things shall be set
right, and in which the faithful shall reign
with Christ, and be like him, for they shall
see him as he is; and that all this great and
precious truth comes to fallen men through
the love Of God, who is love, and was
worked out of the blessed and eternal son
of God, as God and man, our incarnate
Saviour.
"If we fear God and keep his command
ments; if we believe and accept all this
truth, and all this grace in real, loving
faith, and live lives according to our faith,
then shall our song ever be of mercy and
judgment-of mercy triumphing over judg-
ment. And, here, and forever, God shall
be to US our Satlsfaction-our Saviour-our
Colour all in all, which, in truest love,
pray that he may grant unto us ALL"
During his pastorate in Savannah Rev.
Mr.. Boone has made friendships that will
last through life. Mrs. Boone, on
account of whose illness her husband re-
signed his pastorate here, is now north,
where she has been for some time.