Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-02-26
FAREWELL
Sermon Preached
Sunday Morning by Rev.
C. J. Tannar,
To Congregation First
Church Of Christ.
Was Pastor of the Church
Almost Seven Years.
Large Debt Reduced and Church
Membership Increased.

Rey. u. j. launlr, WHO since august
/, 1893, has been pastor of the First
Church of Christ, this city. preached
his farewell sermon TO the congrega-
ton Sunday morning. Next Sunday
Rev. Mr.. Tannar will preach his first
sermon to new charge. He will stand
before the congregation of the Portland
ave. Church of Christ, Minneapolis,
MINI. This is the only Church OF
Christ denomination in the state of
Minnesota.
Mr.. Tannar's sermon was referred
to by himself as familiar talk with
the members of the congregation. AS
a text, the 126th and 133rd Psalms and
the 32nd verse of the Goth chapter of
Acts were read.
In his Introductory remarks, Mr..
Tannar said: "The church is not de-
pendent on one man. While one work
man passes away another comes to
take his place. The church is almost
like stage. Troupes of workers are
coming and going. The good done by
an individual or body of christian
men and women, is taken up when the
actors pass away, and carried on by
others.
"It is serious thing to hand back to
a congregation the charge it committed
to you. You have had almost seven
years of the best of my life. have
given you without stint my best eff.
forts, and were God to place me back
again where L commenced with this
congregation, could do you no better
work than have done in the past.
my relations with the congregation
have been very pleasant, and the fel.
lowship that I have enjoyed among
the sister churches has Also been graft
flying.
~ shall always remember this con
gregation with thela kindliest OF
thoughts, and trust that you will do as
good to my successor as you have tC
me-"
Mr.. Tannar paid a tribute to Rev.
G.. Slayter, Of Steubenville, who vii
be the new pastor of the First Churcl
Of Christ. Services next Sunday morn
ing and evening will be conducted b,
Rev. Mr.. McLeon of Cincinnati
All through the talk Sunday morn
ing, the retiring pastor spoke words o
cheer TO the congregation, urgin.
the members TO take encouragement
from the splendid record they ha,
made in the past, and continue to ex
tend the work. He referred to tn
Wabash avenue and South end Churcl
of Christ congregations which We're es
tablished by the First Church, an.
largely through the efforts of Mr.. Tan
mar. II would also like to see a chnrcl
built ut Barberton," the pastor said
This congregation has almost go mem
bers there, and I feel that the tim
is almost here for them to have
church of their OWL"
Referring to his new field in Mime
apolis, Mr.. Tannar sand: 81 do no
expect to end my days there. / woul
like to return to Ohio, my native stat,
and somewhere in the Western Re
serve do my last ministerial work."
When Rev. C. j. Tannar first becam
pastor of the First Church of Chris
the congregation was worshiping i
the building now occupied by the FL,
brew Reformed congregation Th
present fine church edifice on High st
was being constructed, and the har
i times of 1903 were very discouragin
TO the congregation, the members b'
ing divided relative TO the policy whic
should he pursued. Some thought tn
basement of the church should be fiji
ished up as place for holding servic,
and the completion of the church d.
layed until the congregation was nor
able to bear the great expense. Other
were emphatically in favor of compile
ing the church, and Mr.. Tannar was a
SO in favor of 1t. The final result wa
that the church was completed.
Mr., Tannar began his pastorate c
the church Aug. l, 1898. The congr,
CATION was then $4,000 in debt. But
LOT owned by the congregation was sol
for $4,000, reducing the debt to $40, 70'
Today the Indebtedness is only $1,000
and this will be paid during the presel
year, The church membership Is no'
s1a or this number 2s4 belonged I