The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-18
FROM REV. I. c. MESERVE
A LETTER TELLING OF HIS "RECOG-
 TITION'' IN LONDON.

Installation of a Pastor-Interesting
 Account of the Ceremonies.
 The following letter has been re- ceived by a New Haven gentleman from Rev. I. c. Meserve, formerly pas- tor of Davenport church, this city, who went to London to accept a pas- torate there. The letter gives an &C., count of MT. Meserve's "Recogniton" in London, or installation, as it is called in this country:
 Chilworth Street, Hyde Park,
 w. London, April 5, 1898. My Dear Brother:
 Your desire to know about my ''Re- cognition" as pastor of the Craven Hill Congregational church, Lancaster Gate London, is natural and proper, and I am glad to satisfy it as far as may. You must know, first of all, that Recognition" is the same as an installation" in New England, except that there is no examining of the min lister by the council. A Congregation al church is independent in this coun- try, delegating no part of the manage ment of it's affairs to other churches. Our meeting had for chairman the best known and most influential lay man of our order in England, Albert Spicer, Esq, M. P. He Is a member of Craven Hill church. His address re- viewed the active and recent history of the church and concluded with the right hand of welcome, in the name of the church, to the pastoral office among them. Rev. o. H. Sandwell, formerly at New Britain, now of Ley tonstone Gondon N. E.), was the next speaker. His reference to the growing sympathy between England and the United States-of which my settlement in London is an indication-was greet ed with applause. He ended by say- ing that the Engish-speakingj nations must get the mastery of the world and then stop all fighting among the, na- tions. Rev. Andrew Mearns, secreta- ry of the London Congregational un- ion, spoke after Mir. sandwell. He was the means of my appearing in Craven Hill pulpit last November, and was disposed to congratulate himself upon the happy outcome of that intro duction. He made pleasant reference to the letters which he had received from America, particularly one from Dr. Bradford of Montclair, N. J., who is very well known and very much liked in this country. Then came the statement of the new pastor. This would be before a council in our coun- s.. T t l.. >F what the minister proposes to do in his new charge. The statement last even- ing followed that line. It had to begin with acknowledgment of the extreme courtesy which the author has been shown in England from his first com ing here last summer, and including the months of his service in his pres ent position. Could Americans but know what is really the English dispo sition toward them, and how pro- foundly they have English good will and sympathy just now, they would be neither jealous nor prejudiced any longer. Then the statement went on to speak of the ministry which might be expected by the Craven Hill church. Pulpit work and home work were the tWO QlVlSlOIo Ol It, SlllSL WdS ut- clared to be the Hero and the Re- deemer of His church and of the race. Anglo-Saxons are true Hero-worship- pers and cannot help it. Christ is to be their Hero. But He is more far more, even their divine Redeemer. Special stress was laid upon this. Swift glanes at the awkward mind of Chris tendon and the widened ranges of knowledge produce no fear for the throne and crown of the Christ. Eve ry road and lane of truth leads finally to Him. The second part of the theme dealt with the ministry from house to house, the ministry of personal influ- ence.
 The special feature of the occasion was the address of Rev. Dr. Joseph Parker, 'the top of London non-con- forrnity," as he is acknowledged to be. (tThe top'' means lat the top," as we would put it.) Dr. Parker is a man of singular and undecayed power though this is the jubilee year of his preaching. He is dramatic, with a wonderful voice, very heavy in the lower range. His thoughts are sound and strong and are put In excellent language. True mannerisms appear, but his own people do not mind them, and one gets used to them quickly He was in good form last night and spoke electrically. His text was the statement of the new pastor, which he characterized with approving adjec- tives. His personal references to MT Spicer and myself were graceful in the extreme, but the climax of such references came when he produced a letter to himself from Compton Rick cit, M. Pa member of his church, but an attendant at mine, of which his family are members--the tone of which was particularly reassuring and the language fraternaL. Dr. Parker said that testimonials are no good; burn them and present simply your- self" This is good, but the testimo- nials are often necessary to secure a chance to present simply yourself He referred with immense scorn to the de- cision OF a mass church committee to consider no man who was over forty years of age. He judged me to be about forty-one-at least that. He declared the secret of the immense in- terest in his own city temple, especial v M M N M VI