The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-09

Rev. william A. Barr, OF Suffolk, Taxes
Charge Of Monumental Church

Rev. william A. Barr, OF Suffolk, takes
Charge of Monumental Church.
Rev. William A. Barr. Of Suffolk county.
entered on Sunday his duties as rector Of
Monumental church in this city, where he
succeeds The lamented Rev. Fenner D
! Suckney. lie conducted the services Doth
I'm the morning and afternoon ana mace
| an excellent Impression upon the large
congregations which were present on each
| occasion. A majority OF his hearers con-
sisted OF course OF members Of his new
charge. but there was also a fair sprink-
ling of representatives of other Episcopal
churches in this city.
Great had been the expectations as to
| the eloquencc. profound knowledge ana
| oarncstness Of teaching OF this minister or
| the gospel. but they were few surpassed
| by his powerful sermons, which did not
fail to make a deep impression upon his
! attentive audience.
Gifted with clear and strong voice
and a rare ability of expressing Just what
| he intends to say in a PLAIN ana most
convincing manner, his discourse IN the
morning was a mastery effort which az
| once placed him among the foremost pull
| Dit orators in this city. DIR. Barr select
ed as his text St. Pauls Episte 10 the
| Hebrews, chapter ii, verses ~ ana So
! And these all, having obtained a good
report through faith, received not the
promise" Cod having provided some
| better thing Tor us. that they without
us should not be made perfect
He spoke OF the decisions and illusions
! in human life, and how we are lea from
! early childhood to the eve of life by pro-
| ken promises. All the ages according to
| the teachings of the Holy Scriptures
were fun of these promises. Moses was
| given the promises Of the land flowing
| with milk and honey but he never saw
| the promised land he died and was bur
| led so far from human beings mat the
| place was never known.
| In n similar manner. said DIR. Barr, the
| promises given to Abraham and David
were not fulfilled. The cross Of Jesus
| Christ is the fulhllment Of the promise
| although this cross is in the largest sense
| q promise only. II is only an ending that
there might be n beginning.
The writer OF the Epistle TO the He
| brews, after rccounting the glorious
| deeds and achievements Of the Old Tes-
| lament. adds the words OF the text He
| states that all those who have gone be-
| fore. have not received the fulhllment
| Of the promise. except through the Sa-
| viour They may have looked for tenn
| porary relief, but centuries have rolled
on and the promise could not be made
| perfect without Christ. St Paul st. Au-
| gustine. Luther, Calvin, Zwingli-they all
| died not having received the promises,
| and IL has been so with every faithful
| son of God in every age, who has died
| with the promise still far of.
| This shows 10 us the lnterdependence
! Of the people Of God in every age. No
| man is perfect. and only a small spot Is
given to occupy. 1t is the glory of our
| Church that emphasizes the oneness Of
| all the people of God. We unite with the
| Saints Of God of thousands OF years ago
| I'm the Jewish temple. We join from Sun
day 10 Sunday with the holy Church all
| over the world. because we are one. We
look always forward buoyantly and hope
| fully; we also look backward TO those
| who have gone before us, and we are
| looking for those who are 10 come here
| after
| Always. throughout the history OF the
| world, have there been those who have
| been ready for the immediate fulhllment
Of the promise and ready TO tell ms when
| the Saviour would come the second time,
| but only 10 be disappointed in their eX-
| pectations. There are those who tell MS
| that we arc upon the eve Of the triumph
Of the Lord and of the complete fulfill
! ment of the promise: there are those
1
! and that his presence is only known TO
| few select ones.
do not know. nor DO 7 pretend TO
| know. when the Saviour is 20 come and
| he did not know 10 himself when he was
| living on this earth and II was only
known to the Father II 10 be true that
men nov are only monstIosities and THAT
Jesus OF Nazareth was the only natural
man. then feel that ] can say with the
| poet:
we are but saints OF the world.
| And I'm the morning Of our time"
on. what a blessed privilege Il Is 10
contribute something TO the promise OF
God, 10 labor in q place consecrated with
the iabors OF those who are gone and
cannot be made perfect without Cod
In closing DR.. Barr said he fully appre-
ciated the honor conferred upon him bv
I the vestry who selected him 20 become
the rector Of a church from where such
men as Dudley and Williams had gone
forth. and the debt would always be his
He could hardly understand why he had
been selected 20 preach the Holy GOSPEL
where the walls had resounded with the
teachings of sucn men as Moore, Wood
bridge. Newton. and Stickney. but he
prayed that God may grant TO each one
20 be faithful 10 his work.
the communion following the morning
sermon. was one OF the largest that was
ever held at the church.
The singing OF the choir was particular
ly commented on. II has been enhanced
by the addition Of Messrs Walter and
Charles Watkins. tenors II IS the inten-
ton 10 make the choir one OF the finest in
the South.
At the afternoon service Mr.. Barr
preached on the church as a fundamental
institution Of religion and urged the abso-
lutte Importance not only Of being profess
s0rs and believers IN Christianity and its
doctrines. bur also OF being active MEM
beis of the church
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