The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-21
WELCOME TO
 NEW PASTOR Dr. G. w. Patterson of Presbyterian Church TWO EXCELLENT SERMONS Cordial Words Spoken by
 Other Ministers. Pastorate Began Under Auspicious Circumstances, Large Congrega- tion Present to Receive Him
 and Participate in Services.

Church, was given a cordial welcome l to Montgomery by two large congrega- tions who attended his church Sunday morning and evening. He pre- Iched two eloquent sermons and made profound | impression upon his hearecs, many of whom represented the other churches | and religious denominations of Mont | gOmery
 Sunday evening the service was one | of welcome to the new pastor. The large auditorium of the church, which has perhaps the greatest seating ca | pacity of any church auditorium in the city, was we'll filled. A special program of music had been arranged and a fine spirit pervaded the exercises. The pulpit and platform were adorned with huge vases of cut-fowers and the mild spring temperature made the interior of the church comfortable.
 l Dr. Patterson made an excellent irn- pression and his new pastorate opened under the most suspicious circum- stances. He is a young man of strik- | ing appearance. He is about six feet tall. of rather slender but proportionate stature. His diction is perfect, his voice is well m odulated, rich and mel lodious, and he speaks with the great est ease and fiuency.
 The Morning sermon.
 At the morning session, Dr. Patter- son selected as his text a part of the third verse of the 31st chapter of Jere- miah: T have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving Kindness have l drawn thee."
 The speaker emphasized the neces- sity of a recognition of God as loving in order to obtain an adequate con- ception of his real being and perfec- tionS. and then proceeded to develop his theme by emphasizing first, the everlastingness of Gods love, then the fact that it was individually and per sonally directed, and further that 1t was not content with being a mere emotion. but as an active principle it manifested itself in a loving attrac- tion. Its method was through Provi- dence, and through che work of grace.
 All this furnished ground for grati- tude to the redeemed, encouragement to the wandering. and to the penitent held out the strongest hopes of par don.
 Long before the hour appointed for the welcome service in the evening, persons began to reach the church, and by 8 o'clock the interior of the sacred edifice was well filled, the ushers hav- ing been kept busy seating the large congregation.
 Rev. Neal l.. Anderson, pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church, presided over the exercises, and Rev. A. J. La mar, pastor of the Court Street Metho- dist Church, and Rev. Stewart Me Queen, rector of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter occupied seats on the platform with pr. Patterson. Letters of regret at their inability to be present and accord the new pastor verbal message of welcome were read from Rev. A. l.. Andrews. pastor of the Dexter Avenue Methodist Church, and Rev. C. A. Stakely D. D., pastor of the First Baptist Church. MT. Andrews was absent from the city. and Dr. Stakely explained that a protracted meeting was in progress at his church.
 The Welcome Service.
 Rev. MT. Anderson, who read theSa letters said that he had also been re- quested by other ministers of the city to express their regret that they could not be present and to assure Dr. Pat terson of their cordial welcome to him and of their hearty cooperation with him in his new field of labor.
 The music rendered by an augmented choir of male and female voices accom- panied by the pipe organ, piano and violin was an enjoyable feature of the welcome service. Mrs. J. D. Car ter presided at the organ, Professor Thomas at the piano and MT. Bennett Griffin of New York at the violin. The choir consisted of Mrs. Bennett Griffin of New York. Mrs. Ro1Nemore. Miss Carter, Miss Woodruff and Miss Lutz ana Messrs Van Pelt, Sparren- berger and Shackelford.
 The services began with the anthem "Oh, for a Closer Walk with God" by the choir, after which the hymn "The Church's one Foundation" was an- nounced by Rev. MT. Anderson and was sung by the entire congregation MT. Anderson read from the second and third chapters of Paul to the Ephesians and the choir sang Men { delssohn's Hymn of Praise after , which a fervent and eloquent prayer for the blessing of the new minister and his people was said by Rev. A. J. Lamar.
 Dr. Petterson. then for the first time during the service arose and address, ed the congregation in an easy con- versational tone of voice. He chose his text from Acts XIX. 32: And now brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace"
 Sermon by Dr. Patterson.
 In beginning his remarks Dr. Patter- son referred with deepest feeling to his impressions upon leaving his Ten nessee church and to the open hearted welcome which had been accorded him Aa Montgomery. He referred to a ser vice held in Murfreesboro. Tenn, a week ago in which the ministers of the community and their congregations met to tell him goodbye. and expressed himself as profoundly touched, and deeply grateful for the graceful com pliment of this service of welcome.
 "Our cause" said he. lis one. Christ is the property of all who trust Him. No church can claim monopoly of either truth of holiness. We be brethren"
 In this spirit of fraternity he urged all present to look upon God as the supreme object of their trust and devo- tion. and to dedicate to His service all their ati'itins
 "The time has not vet arrived" said pr. Patterson, when we can afford to ignore or neglect God. Should such a time arrlve, which is denied, let an- other man speak it's message. To me the age of demand in which we live but emphasized the duty of the min istry. and the people of God to accent His claims. A new emphasis is laid on the old commission by the very cir cumstances that now surround us.' God is commended to men. accord