The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-27
PART WITH REGRET
Rev. James B. Spencer breaches His
Farewell Sermon in Butte.
HE WILL LIVE IN ANACONDA
After Nearly Three Years of Labor
He Has Built Up a Large Con-
gregation In the Mining
.City-His Address.
HE WILL LIVE IN ANACONDA

Rev. James H. Spencer, who leaves
Butte this week to accept the passionate
of the newly organized First Baptist
church at Anaconda, preached his last
sermons in this city in the First Bap-
fist church yesterday to large congre-
cations, both morning and evening.
Neither of his addresses was in the ma
ture of the stereotyped farewell SER
mons, but at the morning service he
spoke briefly of his removal from
Butte. Mr.. Spencer's forenoon subject,
from which he delivered an eloquent
sermon was THE Love of God" the
text being 1st John, AS: Beloved, let
and everyone that loveth is born of
God and knoweth God. He that loveth
not God, for God is love-"
Thousands of years had not sufficed
to give to man the faintest perception
of the word love until Jesus Christ
came and showed II to them. We are
not necessary to God in the exercise and
enjoyment of love by Him. We are so
accustomed to thinking of Gods love
as exercised and manifested towards us
that 1t has never occurred to us that 1t
could exist at all otherwise. 1t is pos
sible that we have unconsciously gone
so far as to imagine ourselves indis-
pensable to Gods engagement of the
feeling of love and consequently neces-
sary to his happiness. How can God
love unless He has something or some
one to love? Love is impossible with
out an object for it's devotion. 1t would
never do for God to break the vessel
which He has made. He must have 1t
to enjoy it. God had to make us in the
first place, and He must continue to
love us now that He has become ac-
customed to relying in us for His en-
joyment. We, who are jealous for the
dignity of God, would be in a serious
dilemma We're it not for one of the
great truths for which the Bible is the
sole depository, that sublime and aw-
full truth, and that is His trinity, His
| threefold personality.
We must remember that though God
| Is most really and truly one person. He
| is at the same time three persons. God
is the Father. the Son and Holy Spirit.
| In the Scriptures we never read of a
| time when God was alone. All of the
| delights of sweetest fellowship are in
| cluded in His nature. Gods glory
might have been attained otherwise,
but He chose our happiness to accom-
pany 1t and He desires now that every
| one of His creatures shall have just
| as much happiness as we can. No man
will ever be called time-servine
| preacher or a hireling who lives 9
Christ life, who not only breaches Je-
/ SuS Dul lives JCSuos IL 10 cttlQ lfldl sal
walton army lassies can go into the
| lowest dens of infamy on errands OF
mercy and they are rarely attacked oil
| even insulted. The reason is not in the
| poke bonnet, as some seem to think
but in the Christ charged life that these
| humble and sacrificing women live ev-
cry day and carry about with them.
In conclusion Mr.. Spencer said: 81
am glad that / leave this church In
possession of this spirit towards one
| another. Perfect love prevails II the
ugly head of dissention should thrust
| itself above the surface of our peace
and harmony, l believe 1t would bt
crushed at once. Though I leave you
! / shall continue to love you and pray
for you and I ask your love and YOU
| prayers to follow me-"
Mr.. Spencer has been in Butte near.
ly three years and his ability and elo-
quence have attracted a great deal Of
| attention. He organized the new Bap
fist congregation in Anaconda three OF
four months ago and he considers the
| outlook there very encouraging. Hi:
congregation in Butte and all of hi:
friends part with him with regret.