The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-20

Il
81 have always been, I think Chris
tian preacher. but during my pastorate
here have apprehended more vividly than
ever before the value of the gospel of the
personal Christ. | determined not to know
anything among you save Jesus Christ and
him cruclfied Martha hesftated to say she
believed in the resurrection, but she was
swift to declare her faith in the Christ
whose is the power of the resurrection. I
have sought to preach Christ as the COM
plete and sufficient revelation of God to
man. | may say my personal character, 1
am sure, has been strengthened by associa-
ton with you. l believe l am a wiser and
stronger man. I feel l am prepared to ex-
ercise more effective ministry elsewhere
as a consequence of my labors with you.
The church exists for the world. 1t is to
care for the poor foolish world around it.
| have sought to use you as a great COM
munity in behalf of the greater one that
lies outside, the ground that the church
that serves the world most is most nearly
the bride of the Lamb.
"Reviewig the quadrenium we find that
more than sixty thousand dollars have been
contributed by the church and it's friends.
Above six hundred have been received into
the membership. Our Sunday school is
perhaps larger by one hundred and fifty
than ever before. Our Epworth League has
developed into a body of thoughtful, conse-
Grated young people that are serving the
church and community in many ways. Our
Womans Home Mission society has gained
a secure footing and given us a foretaste
of what is destined to become. The junior
Epworth League and the industrial school
now numbers more than a hundred, are
new titutions.
There is nothing. perhaps. in the work
of the quadrenium in which / personally
have greater satisfaction than the inaugu-
ration and growth of the industrial school.
What has been we'll done l desire to share
with you the credit of, what has been poor
ly done, or neglected, you will share with
me the blame of.
II go forth from you cherishing only the
Christy charity for each member. God
will send you a faithful pastor who will
speak to you the word of life. You are a
great people. l hardly expect to stand be-
fore your equal in many advantageous cir
cumstances. I have never entered your
pulpit without being oppressed with sense
OF the opportunity lot Wlue sowing Oh lHe
seed of the Kingdom of God. May you be
increasingly great in the things of Christ"
Dr. steele to Railroad Men
DR.. l. D. Steele, pastor of the Cumber-
land Presbyterian church, preached a SER
mon to railroad men last night. The house
was well filled and the sermon had a good
effect At the close of the services four
men went forward to be prayed for.
DIR. Steele's text was "Seest thou a man
diligent in business he shall stand before
kings Prov. xxi o.
He spoke of the blessings to humanity
recently from railroads taking the products
of the earth to all peoples, and the impor-
lance of obeying orders from men and from
God. He drew striking lesson from dan
ger signals and warnings on the road. He
said when one was ready to live right he
could die right. He found lesson for
watchfulness and prayer from the life of
the engineer.
The sermon was listened to with great
interest.