The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-27
HIS FAREWELL SERMON
DIR. DICKINSON LEAVES HIS
 SELMA CHURCH.
Tho Various Congregations of the City United to Bid Him Good bye-Goes to First Baptist
 Church of Birmingham.
Advertiser Bureau,

Last night there was a great out
 pouring of the different denominations of the city of Selma, the occasion Delhs a farewell service to pr. A. J. DICK inson. who for twelve years mas been the nastor of the First Baptist Church of this city, but who has severed ms connection with this people to accept
 the pastorate of the First Baptlst Church of Birmingham. The Cumoer- land Presbyterian congregation the
 Christian, the First Methodist and the
 congregation of Mishkan Israel all ca me to the First Presbyterian Church, and by their presence attested the warm
 place that pr. Dickinson holds in the affections of the people among whom he has lived so long. The seating ca-
 pacity of the Presbyterian Church is
 about 1, 800, when the lecture room and
 all of the class rooms are thrown into
 one, and the capacity of the building
 was tested to its utmost on this occa-
 sion. It was splendid tribute of love and affection for a faithful minister of God.
 Mrs. John A. (MoKinnon presided at the organ, and the choir of Mishkan israel. Mrs. W. c. Ward, Miss Lula Rhea Wise, MT. Rosser, Hugh Hudson
 and Todd Adkins, furnished the music for the occasion. This is one of the finest choirs in the State, and music loving Selma was delighted with the
 selections rendered on this occasion. Dr. Dickinson took for his text, Col, |, 8: "A faithful minister of Jesus Christ" He first extended his hearty
 thanks of appreciation to those who
 had gathered together on this occasion, when he was about to sever his rela- tions with a people whom he loved so tenderly. His pastorate, he said, had
 not been peculiar in any particular, ex-
 cept in it's length. he having served
 over twelve years as pastor of the
 First Baptist Church. which was
 longer period than any other minister
 had ever filled a pulpit in Selma. In a
 vein of humor Dr. Dickinson then add
 ed that the pastorate might
 liar Hs when the great endur-
 ance of the people was taken into con-
 sideratio and the tenacity with which l their pastor had held onto a good thing. He had gone in and out before this people ot1e-third of an average mans life, but he thought that his peo- pie had appreciated his course .n re-
 malning In this pl"ce so long. He then
 stated that since he had been pastor of
 the First Baptist Church, Revs. Rush
 Moore, Lamar. Shoaf and Andrews had II
 their church and had gone. Dr. An
 dreTs had gone and now his successor
 was here to fill his place, Dr. Dickln- son paid loving, tender tribute to pr. Cecil when he said that being his se
 n.or, he was not only hiJ friend, but his | comforter and companion. Dr. Dickin- son said that pr. Cecil was bound | closer to him in many respects than any other pastor in the city, and the | memory of that good man would be one
 of his chief joys throughout life.
 Dr. Dickinson then said that he could
 not trust himself to say much on this
 occasion. The people of Selma had
 been kind and gentle to him. and he would speak more about what his twelve years pastorate ought to have
 been. He then proceeded to tell his
 hearers something of the work and
 character of Epaphrus, who was sent by Paul to preach the Gospel in the valley of Lycus. Epapthrus was rather
 an obscure man, but he was great
 man in that he preached the word of God with great earnestLess. He was
 converted to Christianity and united
 with Paul who sent him out to min lster to the churches in the mountains
 sIrI oundirg the Valley of Lycus. Epaphrus founded several churches and everything went along smoothly until
 the year 6i. when false teachers made their appearance and commenced Ito SOW the seeds of heresey and | teach kind of agnostlclsm that
 the minister was not able to an
 swer. He Illustrated from this the
 trials that ministers have had to go | through from that day to this | Epaphrus could not cone with the
 learned philosophers who were sapping
 the fOundatCn of the belief of the faith
 full He was confused and perpleXed