The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-12-11
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ton, including also those received on
profession OF their faith, 3l5; by their
certificate, o., and by restoration, 81
souls, making total Of additions to the
church Of All. During this time we
have lost by death, accommodation
and removal 2S4, leaving the present
communicant membership In good and
regular standing 36S
"When l became your pastor there
was a communicant membership OF
175, making net gain during the pas
torate OF 1893. A sad reflection comes TO
US as we look over the church register
for these facts and it shows tho changes
that time brings with It. OF the 196
members found hero whom l came,
there are now only eighty-eight in ac-
tive connection with the church. The
greater part have removed, some with
certificates, some without Some have
died and some have proved untaithtul
to their VOWS
MADE BEFORE GOD AND MAN.
"of all the officers Of the church,
trustees, elders and deacons, at the
present time there is only one-Brother
John NJ. Vogel, trustee, who was q
member OF the church when came
here. All the rest were received during
the present paetorate. OF the forty
three present officers and teachers In
tho Sunday school there are only hva
who were members OF the church
twelve years ago. AT that time the
! scholars in the Sunday school were 61S.
The number has remained about the
same all these years now it 10 542. Our
rooms are full, often crowded. The
number OF infants that have been bap.
tised during this pastorate is AL.
"The financial record Of the church
shows that we have, during tho pastor
ate, raised for congregational purposes
the sum OF $50, 1856 So; and for beneYo-
lence, St, 900 70; making q total for al
purposes of $50, ,4S5 80. This includes
the reduction OF the church's bonded
debt, which, when I came here, was
81, 300, having Just before been reduced
from $1,000 by the bequest of 500 by .
friend OF the church. Now the bonded
debt is only $500, and Is very rapidly
vanishing. hope that when the last
dollar is paid and the deed OF trust cam
celled, and when you will have the
great Jubilee, hope may be with you
and rejoice over the burning OF the cans
celled deed Of trust. Twill look for this
before the ending of another year. This
debt has caused me many an anxiety
for its reduction. But the work went
on nicely, and the end ia in sight. The
saying is true, AT the evening time It
shall be light rejoice over the.
WORKING ORGANIZATIONS
effected, and at the work done by each.
All have been born in this church dur
ing this pastorate. The Woman's Homo
and Foreign Missionary Society had
been in existence before, but has been
in continuous working order. Each and
all have done a noble work for God and
the world, and have aided in the pros
perity of our own congregation. The
young people and children and all were
never in more enthusiastic working con-
dition. am heartily glad for the spirit
OF true devotion and piety in all these
working forces Of the church, and hope
and pray and look for greater and
greater results from year to year.
Il trust and know you will give your
new pastor the same loyal corporation
you have given me, want to thank
you for the help and comfort and in
spiration you have ever given me. I
have not always been what l should
have been; sometimes hastY aud some-
times lacked in good judgment Wher-
ever ! have ut any timo injured your
feelings, beg your pardon. OF course
l cannot apologize for Code law and
word. Wherever l have admonished
any OF you and told you OF your danger,
whom have known to violate Gods
commands, l OF course cannot rotrnct
the record OF God which ! pointed out
to you; but often know, might have
done this with more kindly, painstak-
ing, charitable spirit. Forgive me my
unfortunate manner, but remember the
divine record in the admonition adj
ministered and let us all 20 on to in-
prove our future work and life. Let us
have great regard for the sacredness Of
Gods law; his whole law. We cannot
violate any OF His commands without
great danger to our souls and without
| incurring His displeasure and deserving
His chastisements. Here let me as
PARTING WORD OF COUNSEL
address you with St. .Paul's words as found
in our text. You see, beloved that the
apostle desires for his children in the
faith nothing short of perfection of
Christian character. That was the
apostles constant aim for himself and
all followers of tho Lord, Jesus Christ.
And we can do nothing better than what
St. Paul did, who said, Brethren, l
count not myself to have apprehended; ;
but this one thing do, forgetting those
things which are behind and reaching
forthu those things which are before.
press toward the mark for the prize Of
the high callingo OF God in Iesua Christ"
"0ne OF the frat clements OF Christ
ian perfection consists in real sincerity.
We must be perfect in pnrpole before