The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-02

Pastors Close Their Years. Work.
Rev. nr. Cuninggim Completes Four
Year, Labor as Pastor OF Ft0h
street Churchill Has Accomplished
a Great the Churches Did
Well

Il The Rev. ". l.. Cuninggim. pastor OF
Fifth Street Methodist church. closed
up his four years work with that con
gregation on Sunday last. At both the
morning and evening services he had
large congregations. and the beloved
pastor preached two fine mo At
the morning service his text was First
Corinthians, xv:5S-"Therefore. my be-
| loved brethren. be ye steadfast. un-
movable, always Astounding in the
work OF the Lord. forasmuch as ye
know that your labor is not in vain in
the Lord" The text is suggestive OF
the line OF his sermon. and II was a
sermon OF admonition and not one %
farewell. II was an earnest and excel
lent discourse. AT night Mr.. Cunning
gins tex was Numbers xiv :24-"But
my servant Caleb because he had an
] other spirit with him, and hath follow
ed me fully, him Will l bring into the
land whereunto he went. and his seed
shall possess H." Mr.. C%uninggim again
preached a finje sermon along his text.
holding out the idea that he thought
We ought to take a high ideal OF life
as an inspiration rather than talk OF
our personal relations. He therefore
avoided speaking Of his relations with
his congregation. He reserved his
parting words until after his return
from conference. as he will preach
again before he takes his farewell OF
his congregation.
Mr.. C~uninggim has served Fifth
Street church for four years, and IN
der the laws OF his church, he can
not be sent back the coming year,
though his congregation would love to
have him back. His people and those
of other denominations as we'll hold
him in great affection. His people are
all sorry to lose him. He has been q
faithful, Jealous and able pastor, and
leaves the church in better condition
than it has been in its eventful his
tory. He leaves 10 dissatisfaction n
no faction. Not only has he done a
good work but Mrs. Cuninggim and her
sister, Mrs. Alberta Bourne, have lent
material aid in the work as teachers in
the Sunday school and as influential
workers in the Ladies' Aid Society, the
Oxford League, the WOman's Mission
airy Society, etc. The efforts of the
ladies have been highly appreciated
and the members of the church speak
of the credit that is due to them and
express their gratefulness in full
terms.
Not only in his relations as pastor
has Mr.. Cuninggim been appreciated
by his church, but he has been an
untiring worker and has shown his fine
usine qualities in his management
of the finances of the church. During
the four years of his paStorate over
s., 900 of the church debt has been re-
moved. The debt that seven years ago
was s37, 800 is now s12,625, $24 ,S75 Of ii
having been removed in hat time
During the four years the church has
raised s12, 853.46 for the following pur-
poses: Support Of the ministry, A,640;
conference collection, $546. 40; debt, pay
ing repairs on church and parsonage
81, 5SS. SO; Sunday school, $4S2; other OBJ
jects, $2,596.59 In the four years 49,
members have been received, making
the present membership SIS. There
have been baptized las infants and 1.
adults, and the Sunday school o has
PA scholars and % teachers and Off
GERS. Such is a brief resume of the
good work that Mr.. C~uninggim has ac-
complished and there is no wonder that
Fifth Street church parts with him
with deep reluctance and great sor-
row. He left last night for Elizabeth
~ o.
ference meets today. He is the effici-
ent secretary of that body and has
been so for several years.
The following is a cOpy OF the records
of the official records OF the official
board of Fifth Street church, and it
speaks for itself:
Whereas, The law Of the church
prohibits a continuance Of the rela-
tions existing batween Rev. w. l..
Cuninggim and this charge, this being
his fourth year of service as pastor,
and wishing to express our apprecia-
ton of his services before his conneC-
ton with US is severed, be it
Resolved, That, we, the official board
of Fifth Street NJ. T.. Church, South,
in fourth quarterly conference assem-
bled, do heartily thank Rev. Cunning
GIN for the faithful service he has rem
dered as pastor during his term OF
service, and for the energy and ability
he has displayed in assisting to reliev,
US of the debt on our church. We re-
greet exceedingly that the law Of the
church prevents his return TO us for
the ensuing year, but when the ~restriC.
ton is remove we HOPE to see him
again installed as shepherd Of this
flock.
w also desire to express our ap.
probation OF the services rendered by
, Mrs. Cuninggim and her sister. Mrs
, Bourne, and to thank them for the as
sistance they have given the paste
in the accomplishment of his worl
among US. We tender them our bes
t wishes for their future welfare an.
: earnestly pray that the thief Shepherd
may keep them in the hollow Of HI
! hand.
r Resolved, That there resolutions b
spread upon the minutes Of his meet