Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-12-11
FAREWELL SERMON
OF REV. DORNBLASER, OF THE ENGLISH
LUTHERAN CHURCH,
Preached Last Night TO a Large Congregation
Some Of the Statistics Of the Passionate Of
Twelve Ysars-FarsWsllS
Spoken.

The English Lutheran church, on
Sixteenth street, was crowded to its ca
pacity last night, when the pastor, Rev.
Dornblaser, preached his farewell SER
mon. The services throughout were
very interesting. The address of the
pastor told of the love and esteem in
which he held the members Of the coz
gregation, and the tear-dimmed eyes OF
his hearers bespoke reciprocal feel
ing. Rev. DOrnblaser's popularity
has not been confined to the congrega-
ton to whose spiritual wants he minis
tered, but be has been loved by all with
whom he has been thrown In contact.
The text was taken from III. Corinth-
fans, 1871, FINALLY, brethren, fare
well. Be perfect, ba OF good cheer, be
of good comfort, be Of one mind, live
in peace; aud the God OF love aud peace
shall be with you"
In the Providence OF God, my dear
friends, the time has come when | must
say "fnally" in my work among you
as pastor, and as such to bid you an az
fectionate farewell But as do so l
must use the apostles language, and
make it a fraternal matter. "Finally,
brethren" For, though there has been
a difference in the departments OF our
work, owing to our divinely appointed
positions in it; it has been a COM
mon work, and we have been en-
gagged in ii as brethren. What
ever friendships, and trials, and difficult
ties and embarrassments we have had
in guiding the affairs OF this church and
congregation during the period of our
union as pastor and people, we have
shared them together. We have been
common toilers aud sufferers. II we
have had any success, any triumph over
adverse elements, we together have been
with Gods efficient help, the elements in
Gods hands accomplishing the results.
1t has not teen my work as pastor alone,
or your work as people alone, but our
work together in the fraternal bond Of
Christian fellowship, as workers togeth-
er with God. And as one Of you in this
good work of the Lord In this city, l
now bid You grateful farewell, and as
a minister of the Word Of God, give you
my parting admonitiOn.
Ours has been a brotherhood OF labor,
sacrifice and anxiety, and our work, we
are forced modestly to say, was OF grad
ual and continuous advancement. 1t
never took a retrogressive movement.
There never was a spasmodic gust or
meteoric flash, but gentle, gradual
and continuous movement forward along
all lines of religious development. And
this makes us feel that 1t was work In
which the Lord took pleasure and APP
provingly aided us in all our under
takings In His name. He was not only
the efficient power that wrought
through US, but He was the true bond
of our brotherhood.
We have been close together in SYM
pathy and work, because we as pastor
and people, have tried to be close with
God. And we have been mentally
helped and improved, and comforted,
and nourished by Gods grace. We have
been drawn together and held together.
not because of any selfish enjoyment
and advantage; but because we have
had common interest in God and His
work in our midst. We have enjoyed
our fraternal union, because we have
realized the Fatherhood OF God In
Christ. Brotherhood is but a synonym
OF nearness to God. God is the fountain
from which all brotherhood flows. The
law OF our heart is from Him. He is
the center around which all our brother
ly feelings revolVe. He is the influence
by which they have been begotten and
sustained.
In our work together during the past
twelve years, we have shared one an
others lows and sorrows. We have re-
ioiced together and wept together, sung
together and prayed together, and our
experiences together the Lord has
made mutually helpful. AS your pas
tor l have preached in this house OF
worship 1,121 times, and elsewhere in
this city and out of it, 1913 times, max
ing a total of 1,244 sermons preached.
I have Joined in holy wedlock 164
couples, and officiated at the funeral OF
343 persons. BV our work together
there has been brought into church fell
lowship by adult baptism, II
souls; by the right OF confr-
nation, including also those
received on profession Of their faith,
314: by their certificate, 81, and by res
toration 81 souls, making total of ad-
ditions to the church Of AT. During
this time we have lost by death, excom-
munication and removal 2s4, leaving
the communicate membership 36S.
When became your pastor there was
communicate membership of rs, = net
gain during the pastorate of 1913. OF all
the officers of the church at the present
time, there is only one who was MEN,
her OF the church when | came here.
Twelve years ago the scholars in the
Sunday School were 513; now.it is SAC,
The number of infants baptized is 447,
and catechumens instructed in the doc
trines OF the church 500.
The financial record OF the Church
shows that we have, during this pas
torate, raised for congregational pur-
poses the sum of $50, Ss5. IS; fon benevo-
leuce, S., O99. 70; total, S35, 1880. This
includes the reduction Of the churcn's
bonded debt from $4,000 to $500. /
hope l may be with you within a year,
10 rejoice over the burning OF the can
celled deed of trust.
I rejoice over the working organiza-
tions effected, and at the work done by
each. The Rowe Band, Young Ladies'
Circle OF Earnest Workers, Y. P. 5. G.
E., Women's Home and Foreign Mis-
sionary Society, each and all have done
a noble work for God. l am heartily
glad for the spirit OF true devotion and
piety IN all these working forces, and |
hope and pray and look for greater
results from year to year. l trust and
know you will give your new pastor
the same loyal cooperation you have
given me.
Let US have great regard for the
sacredness OF Gods law, His whole