The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-12
HIS FAREWELL SERMON
Rev. E. B. Lounsbury's Last
Words to His Congregation.
AN ELOQUENT ADDRESS
He Has a Host OF Friends Who Regret
to See Him Go - His
Work for the
Church.

Rev. +. Il. Lounsbury preached his
farewell sermon last evening at the
Mountain View NJ. T.. church and his
many friends filled the church to hear
him and bid him goodbye. The Rev.
Mr.. Lounsbury has been very popular
with all who knew him, and all regret
that he must go. He is a great church
worker and during his pastorate of two
years here he has accomplished a great
deal for the Mountain View NJ. +.
church. When he came here the church
was in debt, while now his has been
removed, the parsonage has been built
and the mission put upon it's feet.
During his pastorate he gave 80 letters
of dismissal. and yet the membership
is now 81 more than when he came. The
Rev. Mr.. Lounsbury considers this one
of the most successful ~pastorates of his
life, though a rather hard field. He
feels that he has been very well sus-
tanned here and wen received by all.
He will leave Oh the 18th for Central
Ohio. His location has not yet been
definitely designated, as the conference
Will not meet until the 21st. He fully
reciprocates the feelings of his congre-
cation and many friends in leaving
Butte. but he is in poor health and felt
that he must seek a pastorate where
his duties would not require his entire
attention as they have here, and where
he could take a much needed rest.
His farewell sermon was very beau
tiful and interesting and one that will
ever be remembered. He took for his
text There was given to me a thorn
in the flesh" and said in part:
'Thp old (prinfbian Hh1ip4h GREATLY :
the famous apostle betimes.
His Keen reproofs We're given without
fear or favor. His sharp blows occa-
stoned much debating and dividing.
Some said, L am of Apollos.' and 9TH
ers, I am of Paul. To pronounce his
apostleship spurious, or even question
IL, at once aroused him. How it stirred
that little man of mightiness! There
was a human supremacy about him.
but more than all, a Christian supre-
macy. The gospel superseded every
thing. Il am crucified with Christ. new
ertheless / live. Yet not I, but Christ.
in me. and the life which | now
live in the flesh / live by faith in the
son of God. who loved me and gave
for me-
He said: And lest I should be eX-
allied above measure through the album
dance of the revelations. there was Civ
en- to me a thorn in the flesh What
was this thorn? Whatever II was, il
was i'm the flesh. I prefer to take his
a bodily afiiiction.
""Turtullian thought it the earache. I
am at a loss to determine why he thus
Chrisostom says: 1t may
been headaches If he looked
the arrest of Pau as recorded in
Acts 26:13 to be a sunstroke. he might
decide that his trouble was headache.
'Cyprian said the thorn was many
md pYfaxs,Rsg Hill. -
may find scripture TO sustain this in
verses 3 and 10: Most gladly therefore
will | glory in my infirmities.' They
are so prominent and continuous that
are first mentioned. Therefore
take pleasure i'm intirmities. and in re-
.proaches, in prosecutions which | suf-
Ter not only on account of the gospel
preach, but because of my inhrmities.'
Now | will note two thoughts. First.
he unparalleled opposition he met
at Corinth. He says, There was
given to me a thorn i'm the flesh The
messenger of satan to buffet me- one
would think he referred To the false
apostle at Corinth. He is styled the
or angel Of satan. as though
Jesus Christ sent Paul to proclaim the
truth and satan sent a man To preach
les at the same time or place. But this
is beset with difficulties. II
makes the thorn in the flesh of recent
appearance. Does the text imply that
[ was more recent?
Not at all. Again, regarding such
an obstacle or opposition, could he con-
'istently say, There was given to ne
/ thorn i'm the flesh furthermore that
apostle was overcome. His in
iuence broken; his power stopped. Rut
What of the thorn? For this thing /
1esought thrice that it might depart
rom me- Did IL? No. The second
hought is the probability of this
horn being sore eyes. AT midday. on,
| saw in the way a light from
heaven, above the brightness of the
'un, shining round abou me and them
which journeyed with me; and when We
we're all fallen to the earth Ills at
endants rose up and stood speeches..