The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-21
WORDS OF FAREWELL
Rev. ]. ]. McAlliSef Bids His Consfesa'
cation Goodbye.
An Eloquent and Manly Sermon
That Creates a Sensation-Pro-
gress OF the Church During
the Past Two Years.
Special Correspondence of the Standard.

oAAJ -"
NJ. T.. church was well filed this morning,
the occasion being the farewell sermon
for the conference year at least of the
church's faithful and beloved pastor, Rev.
j.. j. McAllister. An added Significance
was lent to the occasion by the prevalence
of the idea that those who had been plot
ting for the removal of the pastor had
probably accomplished their object, and
that the pastor who had at least been in
strumental i'm raising the church from
one of the poorest in the conference to
the richest, was to be rewarded" by n re-
moval. A feeling of sadness pervaded
the entire service, and when the choir
sang, await Till the Dark Night is Over"
tears filled many eyes.
There were some who were conspicuous
by their absence this morning, and when
the pastor arose the audience that he adj
dressed was composed OF friends, either
members of the church or those outside
of the church.
The text was from Acts x:29: "Therc-
fore come i n you without g~ainsaying,"
etc. The pastor, in a simple. direct man
ner. told Of Cornelius and his visit to
Peter.
"As a church we believe in the divine
call to the ministry" said the preacher.
"When the Methodist Episcopal church
came into existence il inaugurated a sys-
ttih Vi tdTTylIik ~ koebtl w NV utttI-
most parts. In this system, il was first
the rule that a poster should remain but
one year at a station. The system has
been eminently successfully, SO that to-
day the church stands second only to the
Roman Catholic church in numbers and
has had only l25 years OF existence.
The system has its benefits n its embar-
easements. II a minister is successful in
q church then il would be the opinion of
the best thinking people of the church that
he should remain the maximum of time
allowed by the general conference. IL this
were not true, why should the general
conference ever conclude that the time
limit should be extended, first to i've years
then To three and finally TO Ave years. At
present five years is demanded by the
people and the church. and no man has
the right TO ride overthe rule of the church
and say to the minister, Go, sir, we have
no further use for you.'
''The first thing needful then is to feel
the call of God and no man should enter
the ministry without that In the second
place, the work of the minister is to
preach the gospel. Its precepts shine
brighter than gold; it truth shows man
kind the way of right living; its promises
lift men through the deepest trials of life.
But the minister is not authorized to apol-
ogize for the gospel. That minister
is TO be pitied who would
preach the gospel for a year
or two years and then apologize for what
he had preached. My brothers, i'm my
ministry l nave preached the gospel.
What right have | to recall that gospel
years? The minister Is instructed 10
preach the gospel to the rich or poor, not
to the Pharisee, the hypocrite, the man in
high places. Our Master went to the poor
and we are enjoined to go ever to their
homes. A minister should preach in such
L. pnltnna That tho most tllifarnfa aan
understand.
Thirdly, what is the secret of this min
ister's success? A minister to fill the pews
must go among the people. He must be
possessed of a broad, sympathetic ma.
ture, manifest to his fellow men, and the
world must feel that we feel for them.
The world is to be made TO feel that the
truth preached is a truth to them. The
minister must be ready to answer every
call i'm the line of ministerial duty. At
times "inconvenient he must go to places
unpleasant. As n minister | ave been
lowest OF the low. l have a
challenge for any man to point
to spot the size of n
needles point on my character. Ii is an
open challenge. Don't be afraid to use
the press either, il you nave any answer
To the challenge.
"The minister must he a man among
men. I don't care il a mans religion is a
foot thick upon him, IL he is not manly he
is not a man. He must he a man i'm bust
ness as well as in the church. The day Is
coming when the cloak of religion will be
taken of and all will be made TO stand as
men among men.
"Three years ago next August, / was
attending a amp meeting at Carson City,
Mich. / received a telegram from Bishop
Foster from Butte City, asking: May
l transfer you to Montana took
time TO think it over mt finally declined.
On October 9 of that year, obtaining a
vacation. | first came to Butte City. Iput
up at the st. Nicholas hotel. I had a let
ter of introduction to our brother. John 4.
Richards. | found him i'm his store. /
presented the letter of introduction. writ
ten by Judge Page. He stepped up and
shook hands with me, saying:
"'Brother McAllister, i am glad to meet
you; glad TO know YOU. Why didn't you
come. when we wanted O for Butte
CityT
THAT was the first intimation ! had
that / had been wanted i'm Butte.
Then Brother Richards took me
from the hotel and to his own house.
| want to say that | have still the letters
that subsequently passed in correspond.
ence between Mr.. Richards and myself.
"One day, seated in my parlors, ! said
| 60 my wife. Il don't believe Brother King
knows one thing about this natter
II wrote To Brother King, who was then
your pastor. | ascertained that he knew
nothing of the wrinkle that was being
worked until he received my letter. ] gave
him notice and duo notice.
"On July IL, two years ago. i received a
telegram Of transference to Montana and
was stationed at Butte City. never
asked for his appointment, and never
knew ! was wanted here until told so b,
Mr.. Richards. ] came unto you without
p~aiusayiug, We packed our goods and
came.
II am not sorry hat | came in obedi
ence to the call OF the church. ! am only
glad that | came and for the measure oil
success that has attended my work. au
not here TO say a word in connection with
the matter hat has been fully developed
| II .....a.Al 49, an.a n=a ~ lnLn.