The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-11-04
HIS FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
4 FEW WORDS RETROsP ECTIVE BY
 &EY. DIR. PHILLIPS.


 At the Church of the Redeemer Yesterday-
 His Pas torate of This Church-Interesting
 tatistics-Beautiful Floral Decorations
 of the Church.
 At the Church of the Redeemer yester- day morning Rev. pr. Phillips preached from the text, Atcs 1O 29: "Therefore came unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for; ask there fore for what intent ye have sent for Me-"
 Dr. Phillips spoke substantially as fol- lows: 'I have no comment to make up nthese words. They are quoted be- cause of their evident appropriateness to this occasion. Five years ago to-day I preached my first sermon in this pull pit as your pastor, To me these nave been happy, pleasant years. l should be doing violence to my best sense Of judgment if I did not make grateful acknowledgements of your kindness and patience. And, as you stand looking back upon these years I hope you do not regret your action more than do mine. It has been very easy for me to con- form to your customs and usages. The passage from one household of faith to another has been made exceeding pleas ant by your kindly greeting at the first and in your forbearance in all our ex- periences together. In the growing fa- cility with which honest men pass from che denominat tion to another the@a seems to me evidence of the growing nearness of that practical, if not organic unity, for which devout men are praying.
 But these years have also been sad. Many noble men and women have pass ed beyond our sight. Many homes have been darkened. Many of you bring tears to this place to-day. As I look down these aisles and into these pews I miss many faces which greeted me that Sabbath morning five years ago. But I look into the faces of many who were not with us then. Again I offer them a cordial welcome and assure them of our pleasure in their presence, shall bring you no statistics other | than these. We have received into our | fellowship during these five years 147 | persons, an average of 29 2-5 each year | Of these AS have come on profession | oc faith, 99 by letter. There have been removed no. Of these 5 were removed by death and 57 by letter. And now I | ask with what intent ye sent for me
 Not, hope, simply because you were in need of pastor, and were prepared tc receive whoever your committee might select May fatter myself that, after | investigation, you believed my work and | preaching such as would be adapted tc your conditions and needs? Certainly | I came believing that I would find among you such field. I have not 1 old I have not attempted to be a sen. sationalist or a crowd -compeller. | have tried to preach a simple gospe message, not my own word, but a word of God spoken first in my own soul 1 It has been a Christcentric message. l have tried to increase your love anG loyalty for this church as the best ave nue through which you can impress this community and an institution in every
 way worthy of your best effection an6 effort. To quicken your spiritual ap
 prehension. I have insisted upon the supreme importance of spiritual things
 not moral things, not matters of form | and doctrine, but those of spiritua | things into the appreciation and en | joyment of which the soul come. 1 through fellowship with Jesus Christ | Thus I have endeavored to build up 2 moral and spiritual force here that may be helpfully felt in all the thoughts an6 | life of the community. Such has beer my message. Such it will continue tC | be. I have not done as much as wished or hoped, but I am as much as | ever determined, by the help of God
 to go straight on in this course. Will | you strike hands with me for 8 new con | secration, greater efficiency and larger results?
 Yesterdays services were particularly interesting from the fact that the day was the fifth anniversary of pr. Phillips
 coming to the pastorate of the church The church was finely decorated witt potted plants. palms and cut flowers. 4 large congregation was present ant
 after the short sermon communion wa'
 administered. Eight new members were
 received.