The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-07
HIS THIRD ANNIVERSARY.
REV. DIR. JORDAN REVIEWS THE
WORK OF HIS PAsTORATE. \

savannah BAPTIST Church Has Had
$4,000 During the Last Three
Yenrs-The Aims of the Denomina-
ton for the Coming Century Dis
coursed Upon Last Night-Dr. Jor-
dan Holds That the Baptists VIII
nemnIn the Same I'm Faith and
Practice During the Twentieth
Century as During the Preceding
Century.
Rev. John d. Jordan celebrated his third
anniversary as pastor of the Savannah
Baptist Church yesterday. DR.. Jordan
did not preach any sermon at the.morning
service, but devoted the time instead TO a
pastoral talk in which he reviewed the
work of the church during the last three
years.
It was apparent from the statement
made by DR.. Jordan that the work has
prospered under his care. There have
been 2S9 accessions to the church, 100 of
which were by baptism. The pastor has
married forty couples during this time
and there have been twenty deaths in the
congregation. Financially the church has
done well, having raised and paid out for
all purposes in round figures $4,000. The
church work is in good condition in all de-
partments. Communion was administered
at the close of the service.
At the night service DR.. Jordan dis
coursed upon THE Aims OF Our Denomi-
nation for the Century to Come AS
viewed by Dr. Jordan the aims and pur-
poses of the Baptist Church during the
twentieth century will be just what they
have been during the present and previous
centuries. 1t will hold TO the Bible as
1.-The only rule of faith and practice, with
no demand, present or prospective for a
revision Of creed" or change in the form
of church government. DIR. Jordan holds
that the church will remain strictly ortho-
dox, accepting the Bible as the absolutely
inspired word of God.
Dr. Jordan outlined his views of the
aims of the church for the coming CEN
fury as follows:
Our aims as denomination he said,
SHOULD be the same for the twentieth
century as they were for the first CEN
tury. There are but two aims in our de-
nomination. One is to be like Christ, the
other is to lead other persons to Christ.
our purpose will be best served in the
coming century as a denomination by en-
Ihasizing the following facts concerning
the Bible: That it is Gods book, and in
sp.red by the Holy Spirit from lid to lid;
that 1t is a full, complete and sufficient
revelation from God to man. That it is
our only authority and supreme standard
on all questions pertaining to the king
dom of our God. That 1t is the only basis
for Chr stan union which is either ac-
ceptable or desirable That it is univer-
sal book, designed for all nations, classes,
individuals lie ntlr
40 recognize and discharge our obligation
in giving the gospel of Gods love 10 lost
men.
Concerning education, our aims should
be: A larger endowment and better equip
ment of our UNCONVENTIONAL schools, for
both men and women: theological edu-
cation that shall be fairly scholastic, but
more fairly practical and administrative,
giving us better preachers and pastors
and fewer 'doctors-dry-as- DUST the best
education of the best equipment for the
least money possible-not cheap education.
Concerning the church. we should
strive for: Church Independence and
church in<erdependence, churches united
and cooperating, not under ecclesiastical
law, but under the law of love, wisdom
and expediency; churches composed of
people called of God to be saints and pre-
sided over by men called of God to be
preachers and pastors, the pastoral rela-
ton to be formed through the guidance
of the Holy Spirit and not by the tricks, 4
schemes or manipulations of men; inter
nal development of the churches, as well
as external enlargement, quality as we'll
as quantity, character as we'll as num-
bers and less of creed and more of life;
individual responsibility, less of what the
denomination is doing and more of what
! am doing as factor or personality in
the denomination; baptism by immersion
only, for believers only and a prerequisite
to church membership and the Lords
supper; the separation of church and
state, but the churches deeply concerned
for the welfare and salvation of the citi-
zens Of the state"
Al the conclusion of the night service
Dr. Jordan administered the ordinance of
baptism to three young converts, who
We're received as the result of the revival
services last week. There were good con-
gregations at both services