The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-05-09
WILL COME TO PORTLAND.
Rev. d.. Wilson Accepts Call to the Free
Street Baptist Passionate.


An interchange of hearty greetings i'm
mediately followed the morning service
at the Free street Baptist hurch, yester-
day. Rev. DR.. Joseph K. Wilson of Mel
rose, Mass. whose preaching here two
weeks ago made so favorable an impression
on his congregation that the church
again occupied the pulpit and supple :
mented his sermon with the reading of a
letter of acceptance. He will begin his
pastoral labors here the first of June.
DR.. Wilson, though still s. young man,
has been preaching twenty years. and
during that time. has held three pastorates,
the first at New London, Conn, next at
| Taunton, Mass, and the last at Melrose
He ranks among the leading pastors of
the Baptist denomination in Massachu-
setts.
His sermon yesterday was from the
text Jerem iah, 1, II and 10, and was a
logical and thoughtful treatise on the re-
quirements for teaching the gospel. He
said that. first the teacher should have
the consciousness of mission; second,
must have message given him of God:
third, the power and inclination to see
what God wants him to anu to in
| terpret it.
He dwelt at some length on the inf1u-
ence of environment on our vision. We
are all very apt to be guided in our vision
by what and how others see. Members Of
social society are likely to look at men
and things from society's view. 1t is a
narrow concelt that prompts person to
think that his anglo of vision is the only
proper one at which to view God. The
secret of Jeremiah's wisdom was that he
looked in the light of d-given revela-
ton, beyond the things close at hand.
and saw the destruction that was ap-
preaching. The man whom God can use
is he whose eyes God has touched, and
who can see things as God sees them.
In conclusion the speaker asked his
congregation the question, 'What seest
thou?' and added: "Can you see nothing
but party, or business advancement. or
the duties of society? If SO, God cannot
very web use you, The man who can see
only the near things is blind, and all the
more blind because he thinks he sees all
there is"
After the singing of the closing hymn
DIR. Wilson asked the congregation to be
seated, and he proceeded to read the fol-
call extended him:
| To the Free Street Baptist Church, Port
land:
Dear Brethen and Sisters-I am in re-
| ceipt of the notification of your action in
calling me to the pastorate of your church
and to the ministry of the word in Port
| land.
| desire to express my sense of apprecia-
ton of the honor which you have done
me in SO unanimously and heartily in
viting me to a place in the line Of the
you in this relation. l sincerely trust that
1t msy be proved that your confidence has
not been misplaced, and that your action
in this regard may never be to you
cause OF regret or Of sorrow.
Sharing with you the conviction that it
Is the will of Him who is head over all
things to the church, that we should
dwell and labor together, I accept your
invitation as cordially as you have ex-
tended it, and will begin my work with
you on June 1st, of the current year.
1t is no tritiing or upimportant step
that we are taking today, you and 1.
Serious consequences to the church. to the
souls of men, to the kingdom, depend up
on it. It ought not to be taken thought
lessly. Let US think well of what it
means. Let US ponder much upon the
mutual obligations involved in tine re q.
tions which we are assuming, the oblIga-
tions of pastor to people, and of people to
pastor. And, above all, let us be much
in prayer for each other, and for the cause
here which from this time is ours in
common love.
Our supreme need is the helm that
comes from above in answer to the plead
ings of Gods saint, for whatever of pros
perity is to be enjoyed will be ours. NOT
by might or by power, but BY His spirit.
/ therefore cast myself upon your loving.
| sympathetic intercession with orr
| Heavenly Father, saying in the words of
Paul to the Christians in Thessalonica:
Finally, brethren, pray for me, that the
word of the Lord may have course and be
glorified," among you from the begin
ming of aud through all the continuance
of my ministry with you.
Very sincerely, Christ's servant and
yours,
JOSEPH KENNARD WILSON.