Middletown transcript., 1894-12-22
PRICE, 3 CENTS

not allow himself to be drawn aside to self
:. pleasing or to worldly conformity. Th
one motive which is to guide his life is th,
will of God. That must be the determin
ing principle in things great and small
whenever questions arise "What viii
Thou have me to do? This is the thought
that rises in his heart at every turn in life
He feels that the glory of his life consists
n not in selfaggrandizement but in being
4 part of glorious kingdom-a kingdom in
e which the individual is, indeed, not LOST
. but finds his very life and joy in constant
= career of service
t Il have set God alway before me-" These
words suggest to US, my friends. truth OF
broad application, the foundation principle
| of life, and it seems well that we should
put it clearly before us on this Sunday
morning when we begin our common life
together in this parish as pastor and people.
1t is an occasion, at least of interest We
need not magnify its Importance. In a
parish like this whose corporate existence
has nearly spanned two centuries we may
well remember that any one rectorship,
even If it be long one, is after all but an
episode in the church's life. As 1 come
among you this morning, recall that it is
i my privilege to succeed lonf line of faith
ful Stewards who have preae nd fae. blessed
gospel and broken the Bread OF life in this
community. The results of their labors
through many generations are all about
me, and it falls to me now to stand IN their
place and to carry on their work. And
yet without exaggeration, the beginning
OF rectorship must be an event of interest
In the life of parish. While we should
not magnify. it is also well that we should
not minimize its proper significance. It.is
the beginning of a new chapter in the his
| tory of the parish. 1t is an opportunity
Tor taking fresh start, for going back to
the first principles of Christian motive. for
consecrating ourselves afresh to Him for
whom we live. We have received herit.
age from the past, but that heritage mnst
not be held as dead possession. u is re.
plete with living opportunities, and it &
ours to hand it on to those who shall come
after us not simply as we found it but en-
larged and beautfed by the conservation
of all our powers
So, on this Sunday morning, as we enter
together on new period in the life of this
parish, let us charge our minds with the
great principle which should animate us
in all that we do and let us pledge ourselves
to adhere to it in all the days to come.
In entering on my duty here must take
the lesson to myself I must set God al
way before me. tits His work and not
my own that 1 undertake to-day. am
not placed here 20 lead life of ease, to
seek comfort, to earn living or to win a
name. l am here to do the Lords work.
and if I am not to fail must set that high
principle clearly before me and make it
my rule of life. I am here to fulfil in this
community the solemn charge laid upon
me at the time Of nsV ordination. / am to
be a messenger, watchman, 4 astewafd of !,
the Lord,-"to teach and to premonish, to
feed and provide for the Lords family, to
seek for ChIist's Sheep that are dispersed
abroad and for His children who are insthe
midst of this naughty world that they
may be saved through Christ forever
Under the weight of this solemn obligation,
ask of you, my dear friends, for it eon
Germs your life as well as mine, to pray fdr
me that l may set God alway before me-
that in all my life among you may seek
the glory of His holy name, and that
may devote myself unreservedly every day
and every hour to the solemn yet blessed
work which God has given me to do.
The principle, however, to which have
called your attention, applies not only to
myself but to all who are to.labor with me
here. In all our parish life, in all its work
and organization, in all its teaching and
training, in all its missionary effort we
must set God alway before US. A parish,
we must remember, is not social or relie.
ous club, it is not ali organization, devised
'y ourselves for mental and spiritual i'm.
orovement. We are not sethere to do this
'r neglect that as our inclinations prompt
IS. The work which lies before us is Gods
work. We are to represent Jesus Christ In
his community, to do just what our
Blessed Master would do if he were here
mong us. We see at once, am sure, how
firm hold on this principle ennobles QUIZ
Jew OF life and widens the scope of ou
abors. With such thought inspiring u
Te cannot sink down into any easy rut
af-hearted and imperfect service, we ca,
ot please ourselves, we cannot make oul
eIglous life life of selfish isolatio.
'uties spring up around US OH every har
re welcome them and go forth to do tlel
, the name of Christ our Lord
Il have Sc. God always before me'-TI
reat principle which these words suggesl
ill elevate the spiritual tone of our per-
'nal lives-the lives which we live as
ldividual men and women. That is the
'ot of the whole matter. A parish, like ~
~ other society, has life of its owS, a.
life which has its special charat.
ristics, which does its work, which sue.
eds or fails, which stands ont before the
inds of men as a rounded whole. But
ter all the nature of the parish is de-
rmined by the character of those who 60
make it up. The parish is what we are.
5 loyalty and effectiveness is all deter.
ined by the question whether we, one by
lie, are loyal and earnest, wise and perse- s
ring, prayerful, hop9 Ing. So, this
lnday morning, lei nerpure.
I've that in our per-
I'd always before
those who hear
oment when tn
d received the
e of confrmatid
e of us pledge
; pledged him
Us. he would
ut he would Sc
IS guidance, and
w, at the atar-rail
inion, let us make thsS
the past we have beS
gin to be carefiH, 4ffSa 1||s). 1. ns.i...l