The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-10
PASTOR FOR F|VE YEARS
REV. A. B. MELDRUNpS ANNIVER-
SARY SERMON DEALT
WITH DEBT
SHOULD WIPE IT ALL OUT
Incumbrance of $31, 900 Ought to he
Removed Before 1902, the
Church's Fiftieth An
niversary.

Rev. A. B. Meldrum preached a SER
mon yesterday morning concentrating
the fifth anniversary of his pastorate Of
the Central Presbyterian church He
dealt With the material, as well as the
spiritual progress of the church in that
time and outlined some of the work which
the church had accomplished, calling at
tenuon In forc1ble terms to much that it
should enter upon as it starts out on the
new year.
Mr.. Medium believes that the church
should not only look after the spiritual
needs of its members and hold it's regu-
lar and weekly and midweekly services
but that 1t should be open each day of
the week for the performance of some
pracucal labor and should become a CEN
traI agency for the material helpfulness
Of the community. Such duties as estab-
fishing and maintaining sewing societies
Tor the young women, gymnasiums for
the boys, and operating quasi-empIoy-
ment offices for any people out of work
should be assumed by it. He pleaded in
clear and decisive terms for these acoui-
sitions
The most important part of the Rev.
Mr.. Meldrum's sermon dealt with the
financial condition of the church He
called attention to the fact that in the
last eight years the church had paid out
the sum Of $24, 3S9 for interest on the
mortgage, and that still a balance of the
Indebtedness remained in the sum of
$3l'O The pastor urged that the time
mad come when not the interest alone,
but the principal, should be paid and free
the house Of God from this heavy bur-
den of debt He said that it had never
been rightly dedicated, and would never
pc until every cent Of this debt had been
hqu1dated. He asserted that God did not
care to receive a gift with a heavy in
GllI0DT9nRn
than a human being would be pleased
TO receive from a friend a town lot with
a mortgage upon it,
The effective spirituality of the church
Is crippled by the existence of this heavy
debt, declared the preacher, and if the
members hope and wish to attain to the
pest standard Of Christian proficiency
and usefulness they must do their might
in removing this burden
Mr.. Medium referred to the MANY in
stances OF la lie where churches in this citv
nave released and burned their mort
cages, and said that if smaller organiza-
tons had done this certainly the Central
presbyterian church could do as much.
Ihese church, he maintained, received
their inspiration to rise from beneath
their financial load from the example
set by the people CT the Central church
three years ago, When, by their persist
ent and tndomitable effort, they cleared
away the sum of $4,000.
Il say this advisedIy," said Mr.. Mel
drum, not in a haphazard way, but at
ter having consulted with representatives
OF every one of these churches which I
nave named. They have told me that
our example set them to work"
Now he continued, eff we could paw
OH a debt of $4,000 three years ago. we
can pay off one of $31 900 this year, when
our numerical and financial strength are
both greater than they were at that time.
II Is not matter of can, but a matter
OF must. We are able to do this thing
and we must do it,
The minister stated that the fftieth
anniversary of the life of the church as
an organization will occur in January. 1902
and it is the desire of every member
Of the church to appropriately celebrate
that memorable occasion. But he said
there could be no appropriate celebration
of it unless this debt is released and the
mortgage destroyed.
Preliminary action has been already
taken for the purpose of raising the
means necessary for iiqudating the debt
and the earnest pastor indicated a course
which he intended to pursue steadfastIy
until the desired end is accomplished. He
processes the belief that the people of the
church will be able to meet the obliga-
ton within year at least.