The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-10
INDICTED INTO PASTORATE.
REV. w. u. McCoRKLE INSTALLED
AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH.


by Rev. DIR. j. W. Walden OF
Athens-Charge to the Pastor and
the Charge to the People Deliver
ed by Rev. w. 4. Nisbet of the Sec
ond Presbyterian Church, who
WINS Appointed to Preside-RiGhT
Hand of Fellowship and of Well
come Extended the New Pastor.
Rev. William p. McCorkle was indicted
into the pastorate of the First Presby
terrain Church yesterday at the morning
service, when large congregation had
gathered for the formality. The installa-
ton sermon was preached by Rev DR..
!. w. Walden of Athens, pastor of the
First Presbyterian Church there
Rev. w A. Nisbet, pastor of the Sec
ond Presbyterian Church, presided, hav-
ing been appointed to take charge of the
service by the Savannah Presbytery. AT
ten the sermon by DR.. Walden, he pro-
pounded the usual questions that are set
forth in the ritual, addressing them to the
pastor and to the people, after which he
announced that the pastoral relation was
formally established
The charge to the pastor and the
charge to the people followed, being de-
livered by Mr.. Nisbet, after which an
appropriate voluntary was sung by the
choir The pastor was then called to
the pulpit by Mr.. Nisbet and formally
indicted into the pastoral charge. After
the benediction from the new pastor. ac-
cording to the custom on such occasions,
the congregation went forward ana eX-
tended the right hand of fellowship and
gave a welcome to their pastor.
DR.. Waldens sermon was preached
from the text found in Ephesians, 4I5-16:
But speaking the truth in love, may
grow up into him in all things, which is
the head, even Christ; from whom the
whole body fifty joined together and COM
pacted by that which every joint sup
pieth according to the effectual working
in the measure of every part, maketh
increase of the body unto the edifying
of itself in love-"
The sermon was an eXhortation con-
corning church growth based upon tho
analogy between the physical life of a
mans body, and the spiritual life of the
church of Christ. The human body, one in
its various members under the control
Of the head, was used to illustrate the
church under the control of Christ The
church," said Mr.. Walden, lis the body;
Christ is the head. The vital connection
between the church and Christ is the
same as that between the body and the
head The one is visible and physical,
the other invisible and spiritual Life
unites the church to Christ, the life that
is produced by the Holy Ghost. TIL.
church is as vitality united to Christ by
the communion of the Holy Ghost.
THE church, when spoken of as the
1,oa,- Of hrf 81 ic he i1xri or Niyit
Ual, as distinguished from the visible. The
invisible or spiritual is the true church
of Christ, and the visible is the true only
as it corresponds with the invisible"
The first grand point was to inquire as
to the source and nature of the church $
growth. rs it not that life which dwells
in Christ and which He. in His grace,
communicates to the church, from which
the whole body maketh increase of itself.
The source of all true growth in the
church is the Holy Ghost by which the
church is united to Christ. This reveals
the nature of the church's growth. AS
Christ is the source of life so is he the
end for spiritual life, like water seeks
its own level. We grow up in Him in
all things. There is no way for the
church of Christ to grow except by the
direct ministry of the Holy Ghost, con-
forming each member to the life of
Christ
THE text brings before us the type or
form of life that characterizes the
church's true growth. Different parts
and members of the human body are
united and knit together by the joints and
lgaments. so that one supply of life
flows from part to part, making the body
harmonious and compacted whole. IT
has a common life The multiplicity of its
members in no way interferes with its
essential unity. So also is it with the
true church of Christ. The different
members of it, of all ages, of all coun-
tries. of all earthly conditions, of all de-
nominations are united and knit together
by the tie of common life of faith
and love so that one supply of life and
the Holy Ghost which flows from Christ,
the Head, courses from member
TO member in communion of
saints making the church one
harmonious and cSmpacted whole.
The whole body, says the text, in
creases or grows, being fifty Joined together
and compacted by every joint of the sup
ply The true church is a living organ
ism. It is an inter-articulated and firm
ly-established physical structure. The
church can grow in numbers only as il
preserves and realizes this type of life
when each addition to its membership be-
comes a vital part of the church's COM
mon life. The church can grow in
strength only when it cuItivates this liv-
ing, harmonious, cooperative unity among
all its members. The growth of the
church is along the line of growth in the
communion of saints
Mr.. Walden next considered the instru-
mental means by which growth of the
church is to be realized. 1t is accord
ing to the effectual working in the meas
ure of every part The body grows in
this way. 1t gets life from God, but this
life produces growth by bringing into
play the various parts of the body, ac-
cording to their Office or functions So
grows the church. Its life came from
Christ. the head, life which it cannot
originate, but must receive, yet this life
Of the Holy Ghost builds up the church,
increases it In life, strength and efficiency
only as each individual member is led by
It's influence to perform the office and
function in the church's life and work to
which by gifts and graces he is assigned.
The text brings before US the element
or atmosphere in which the growth OF
the church is to be realized. The body. in
order to perform functions of physical
life, must have its residence in the ele-
ment that we call air, so the body OF
Christ, the Church, must be surrounded
and pervaded by the atmosphere Of truth
and love But speaking the truth In love
the whole body waketh increase of IT.
self under the edfying Of itself in love.
inc church will grow within and secure
living accessions from without. according
as IL cultvates the spirit Of truth and
love. Truth must 10 maintained The