The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-04-24

church. Their special work is to raise
funds for the support OF Rev. and Mira.
d. d. Allen in the mission field OF
Kendrick, Idaho. They ara especially
interested in Mrs. Allen, who was ior-
merly a member OF our congregation.
''lhe Lyle Memorial, taking its name
from former pastor, is a mission band
composed OF members OF the primary
department Of the Sabbath school, and
is working for the foreign field.
1.-THE Dorcas Society Is an institution
OF the church working for the interest
OF our own congregation. 1t is the
largest and most successful society OF the
church. Its main work has been TO lit
the debt OF the church and it has spent
over nine hundred dollars in the past
year for that purpose,
THE CONGREGATION,
"The congregation has made material
progress in the past three years. We
have received ninety-eight new mem
bers, sixty-nine OF these by confession
OF faith; and our membership has in
creased from two hundred to two hun
bred and tifty.one. In the three yeara
we have increased our gifts TO the
boards of the church ninety-nine per
cent. One dollar more this year would
have made the amount sent to the
boards this spring double what 1t was
three years ago.
"Thirty.eight children OF the church
have been baptized and eleven adults
I have prepared and preached three
hundred and five sermons in the church
and flEty,tlye delivered in other places
during the three years. The Lords
Supper has been celebrated ten times
and over five hundred pastoral calls
made since became your pastor.
"God has been very kind to us and
has taken away in death very few Of our
members, While | have otliciated at
no less than one hundred funerals since
my arrival in the city, yet only four OF
our membership have died in tho three
wears, Mrs. Johanna Bryson, Mrs. Ell
vira Campbell, Mrs. Rachel Steele and
Mr.. Isaac Stewart. Mr., Peter Leighton,
very worthy member, was buried
from this church, but his membership
had been transferred to Massllon, Ohio.
"Yet am sorry to tell you that no
less than forty names have from time to
time been stricken from the church
roll, because they we're spiritually dead;
men and women who started out to fol-
low Christ, but have forsaken him, In
reference to such people Christ says:
NO man, having put his hand to the
plough, and looking back, Is lit for the
kingdom OF Cod These forty are our
friends and neighbors, living
around us. There are some
others following their example,
and unless they soon show some sign OF
spiritual life, and love for Christ and
the cause, they should DO better out OF
the church than in. Our duty as Chris
tians is to pray for them, that God may
quicken them into the newness OF lie.
NOT AN EASY FIELD.
"Our field is not an easy one;on the
other hand it is the hardest field to
work in tho Washington Presbytery.
We are completely surrounded by q
liquor drinking, Sabbath desecrating
element, while inside tho church we
have large percentage OF members
who are Indifferent to the work, and
who neglect the services OF Gods
House. That VIC have succeeded at all
in the face OF drunkenness aud lawless-
ness without, and carelessness and in
difference within, is matter for which
wo ought to be truly thankful to God.
Surely the Lord hath donegreat things
for US, whereof We are glad
allow can we increase our prosperity
in the years to como?
IINyn IL oul,l No ,ntInI in otIF nffCRtu
Do not permit anything to divide us US
people. The greater unity and peace
within our walls the greater will be our
success.
1--WE could increase our prosperity by
being more faithful to duty. There
ought not to be any OF members away
from church services unless they have
an excuse which they can conscien-
tiously give their Lord and Master II
every member OF this congregation
would attend every service OF the con-
gregation, except when providentially
hindered, our success next year would
be far beyond our expectations.
above all things look constantly and
expectingly to God for success II we
rest on him tor our growth and progress,
and at the same time work for the
same end to prove our faith, our church
will from this day have prosperous era.
Let US to-day DO glad, for the Lord
hath done great things for u.s.
"Presbyterianism is needed in this
end of our city. 1t is q safety valve.
The belief in Gods sovereignty gives
stability and confidence to a comma
nifty. Opposition to sin and the highest
regard for law are two cardinal princi-
Piles OF this denomination, The Eighth
ward would be better if there were two
thousand Iresbyterians in it instead Of
two hundred and fifty"