Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-11-12
THE ENDOF A MINISTRY.
Rev. w, r. Jones breaches his
Farewell Sermon.
SOME RESOLUTIONS.


No services We're held at the Baptist
and the Methodist churches Sunday
evening but both societies joined in the
| farewell service to Mr. Jones at the
Presbyterian. The house was crowded
to its fullest capacity and many were
turned away. After the opening exer-
cises, in which Revs. Clough and Carrel
assisted, Mr.. Jones announced his text
from Acts 20 "a. He spoke of the scene
in the worldly Greek city, Ephesus,
when Paul first beheld it. He looked
upon it us no other man had done and
| by his three years ministry wrought a
great change. But the forces Of evil had
their revenge and Paul was obliged to
leave. Some would look upon this inter
ruption as calamity, but "here we haye
no continuing city"-Ephesus was only
a stepping stone TO what came next in
Gods plan for Paul's life. To be
| faithful minister was his supreme am
bition. 1t is mine also. Mr.. Jones then
analyzed the true minister as priest,
prophet, servant, and a witness of
Gods grace. 1t is the duty of the priest
TO reconcile and comfort-''oh TO be a
priestly man'-and of the prophet, to
warn. A union of these two is necessary:
for ministry without anger is a min
| istry without love. Paul as servant
was willing to be blotted out that others
might live. He was a witness Of two
things, that he had been a sinner and
that he was sinner saved. IF l can
not tell you l am a witness Of Christ's
power TO save, l am not a minister"
Paul said, Il know whom l have be-
lieved." 1.-The ending of a ministry is
like the ending OF life" Farewells
must be exchanged. While l have been
among you, mine has been the duty of
preaching and yours the duty of hearing.
A ministry should be judged by its pur-
pose and not by its accidents. What
matters passing sorrow and disappoint.
ment if we finish our course with Joy?
We ought always TO covet Gods "Well
done" "Are we living for that" Then
after reference TO Paul's trials and
experiences, Mr.. Jones closed his sermon,
which was a most mastery effort
throughout in the following well chosen
words
"And now, my friends, among whom
have gone preaching the Gospel of the
kingdom these six years and half, l
take my leave of you. We part until
we meet at the judgment seat of Christ,
for meyer again shall we all meet thus
upon the earth. Judge my ministry
rather by its aspiration than its accom-
plishment, and be charitable to its de-
fects. In SO far as knew how, accord.
ing to the light given me, and to the
full measure of my power, | have
preached the truth as it is in Jesus
That | have not altogether walked in His
steps as your minister i am well aware.
1t has been my desire and my earnest
endeavor to be helpful and inspiring to
you in your spiritual lives, and to en-
phasize before you the transcendent
worth of character and righteousness of
life. have sought to preach the Gospel
of Christ as a practical, every day con-
Germ, as the power of God unto saliva
ton, both now and hereafter However
unwelcome the task, have not hesitated
to rebuke evil in your midst. am not
speak against an iniquity when the
occasion seemed TO justify and demand
it. That you should all see eye to eye
with me in these matters were too much
to expect. You will all bear me witness
that / have not shrunk from my duty in
opposing the saloons of our town, and
my only regret is that our success has
not kept pace with our zeal for their
abolition. In this wider work of tenn
perance reform l have come into espe-
cially pleasant relations with the good
people of the other churches, and not
the least of my regrets at leaving Alma
will be the discontinuance of this goodly
fellowship. You will permit me to ex-
press my esteem for, and appreciation
Of all the people of Alma with whom /
have been brought into relations outside
Of this church | shall ever count their
friendship and uniform courtesy during
these years among the joys of my life.
A special word l must say TO those
who, i'll the intimacy and closer bond of
common church, have labored with