The Indianapolis journal., 1898-10-24
AWAITING THE NEW PASTOR.
Rev. II. A. GoOdwin's Sermon at Me-
ridian-stfeet III. Z. Church.

Rev Wilcox, of Lafayette was an
nounced to preach yesterday at the Me-
ridian-street M. E. Church, but, too late
Saturday to correct the announcement he
telegraphed that he could not come. In the
emergency the committee on pulpit sup
ply drafted Rev. T. A. Goodwin D. D., who
has been member of that congregation
forty-one years, and who is to celebrate
his eighIieth birthday next week. He chose
for his theme, How to Receive and How to
Treat the New Preacher" DR.. Quayle is
expected the first Sunday in November AS
a text, DR.. Goodwin read the first verse of
the third chapter of Second Thessalonians:
Finally, brethren, pray for us that the
work of the Lord may have free course and
be glorified."
THE first suggestive thought in this re-
quest" said the preacher. lis the solidity of
the church. the nterdependence of each
branch upon every other. The apostle. then
in the prime of life and in the midst of his
great work, had paused to write a pastoral
letter to the vigorous young church he had
planted at Thessalonica, giving advice to the
laymen of the church as to their faith and
their life, but closing with the request that
they do their part in the eyangelization of
the world-that they pray for their pas
tors This was not accidental or excep-
IL, a
at Rome, he wrote to other churches solic-
1ting their prayers not for release from
bondage nor for any personal favor, but
that doors might be opened to the gospel
and that he might boldly utter the word
This is ansexceptional occasion, kind of
lnterregnumk midway between the old and
with our blessing and we wait the coming
OF the new with large hopes How shall
we receive him? No suggestions need be
made as to social amenities or personal
treatment. These come as a matter of
course. But they are not the chief end of
church associations. Every one of us most
Lord, and it's triumphant crowning And
what is the glory of the gospel? Not large
audiences, we will be sure of them: not the
material appliances of church life, we have
them to completion; nor yet is it what is
commonly called the salvation of souls
when that trite phrase refers to the es-
Gaping OF endless misery. 1t is the highest
glory of the word of the Lord that it pre-
pares men to live here, leaving the here
after to depend upon the manner of the life
tnat now is. 1t is shameful burlesque on
our holy religion to teach that it provides
that man may live stepped in vice till the
last moment and then by gazing at a cru
cifix or uttering a short prayer may at once
enter into the joys of paradise The truth
Whlch underlies our whole christianity
reads: Whatsoever a man soWs that shall
he also reap. 1t is therefore the crowning
glory of the word of the Lord that it
teaches that life means duty and that ev-
cry one has place and work. 1t means
personal purity coupled with high pur-
pose TO serve; and his ministry is most
blessed who most effectually enforces this
central doctrine.
How may we be partakers in this work?
Paul suggests how. We can pray for him
who Is to lead us. This at once forestalls
all adverse criticism either of matter or
manner or of the man. Some men are very
cranky, they. were born so, and the race IS
not extinct. And it would be strange in a
membership of six hundred if some of the
family could not be found. And an official
member of this church rushed into print to
criticise the pastor because he displayed
two white handkerchiefs at once In the
pulpit. He had another grievance, but this
served his purpose best Our coming
preacher is a stranger to most of us but
he would be more than mortal if the con-
stitu.ional fault-finder does not discover
something to criticise IT he parts his hair
in the middle, that will be an offense to
some; If he does not, others may find fault
But these are the exceptions, if there be
any at all who will criticise instead of pray
for him. With such a man, backed by a
praying church of 600 members, the
word of the Lord will have a free course
Whatever impedimcnts may seem to be in
the way. will disappear. and not only will
we be lifted to still higher plane, but we
will be in condition to lift others by our
personal ZEAL by our spiritual life. and by
our material aid. The outlook is propi-
tiOllSo