Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-09-28
SUNDAY TOPICS.
[continued From First Pugc.l

The services last night opened with
several choice and appropriate selec-
tions by the choir, after which Rev.
Ash delivered his sermon. After re-
viewing briefly the progress made by
the congregation In the past five years,
he continued:
81 came among you at the bidding OF the
church FIVE years ago an entire stranger.
l was fearful then lest 1t was not Gods
will, but these doubts have all been re-
moved, for can now clearly see the
hand OF the Lord In the appointment.
While stranger at first / soon found
that I was among a kind, devoted and
hospitable people. As the months and
years have sped by, our relation has
ripened into the strongest ties OF friend
ship and brotherly love and Christian
fellowship.
Truly we have been workers together
with the Lord, for 1t Is a profound sat-
isfaction to know that the Lord has
been with US and so wonderfully blessed
and helped US In our efforts together
for good. We have seen the congrega-
tion grow from faithful few to hun
dreds who have crowded our walls. We
have seen the old, cherries and almost
unsightly building give place to one
that is comedy, and for beauty, cheer
fulness, convenience and comfort is
not surpassed by any in the West Vir-
ginia Conference.
We have seen fully three hundred
souls brought to Christ and penitently
confess their sins, many OF whom have
gone to join the Armies of the Skies, and
swell the number of the Church of the
first born in Heaven, while many more
are shining marks of grace and the
power Of God unto salvation. / have
married many Of your sons and daugh-
tiers. have baptized your children and
received them into the church, and I
have performed the last sad rites in
burying your dead. In labor together
we have been abundant, and in joys oft.
But these five years have not been
one perpetual sunshine. We have had
our nights of weeping as we'll as our
mornings of joy. We have had our
dark gloomy Fridays along with our
gorgeous Thursdays. Our joys and sor-
rows, defeats and triumphs have all
been mutual. "Sorrow has flowed from
eye to eye and joy from heart to heart. 1"
Well do l remember when / was called
to the home Of my childhood on account
of the fatal illness Of my mother, and
when l returned to you from that fresh
made grave where a precious mother
had been laid to rest you greeted
me with your sympathy and prayers, l
shall never forget you.
In turn when that unwelcome mes
senger entered your homes and you sat
in the habiliments Of mourning under a
great cloud Of sorrow, have gone into
your homes with my sympathy and
prayers and mingled my tears with
yours. Why, then, should we not be
bound together in that threefold cord
of faith, hope and love? And now that
you are to have new pastor, suffer a
word Of exhortation from a friend.
When he comes to you, receive
him as man Of God, with loving
hearts and open hands. He may
not be your particular choice. He may
not measure up to your standard. He
may differ in many things from your
present pastor. But you can make him
succeed or fail. Earnest work and pa
tient toll will always be crowned with
success. Success comes not through
might nor the preacher alone, "but by
my Spirit, saieth the Lord"
"As go away from you carry with
me none but sunny recollections Of the
past, and the many favors which you
have conferred upon me. Wherever l
shall go it will be pleasure to me to
reflect upon my pastorate here. Should
we never again meet as pastor and
people, let us hope and strive to meet
where shadows never fall, where con-
gregations never break up and Sabbaths
have no end"