The Plymouth tribune., 1902-05-08
GREETS NEW PASTOR
First Sunday Service of the New Rector Of
St. Thomas Episcopal Church.

entered upon his ministerial labnrs.
AT the morning service the church
was well represented and the respon-
sive parts were entered into by the
congregation with new zeal and glad
ness. The choir was exceptionally
strong and the music was of high
order. Several changes were noted in
the arrangement of the pulpit and
chancel and in the placing of the
choir. Before proceeding to his SER
mon the rector took occasion to speak
of number of things pertaining to
the conduct of the services and gov
ernment of the church and indicated
plainly the lines upon which he pur-
posed to move. Religion, he said was
both a science and an art. AS a sci
ence it represented principle that
contained the thought and purpose of
God in regard to the church which he
established on earth, and art was the
wise and comprehensive understand
ing of that principle and carrying it
out in the management of the church.
He therefore was there to carry out,
not his fancy nor personal preference,
neither an individual Interpretation,
but the true meaning and principle of
the church. The observance of GER
tain occasions and memorable davS
important to the church would be
faithfully observed. He stated his
position clearly and wished to be fully
understood, and asked the prayerful
support of the church in his work.
The sermon was a practical talk
upon the text, "Worke-s together
with Cod" The real nobility of work
was traceable back to God. He had
set us the example. My Father
w0rketh hitherto and l work." SAID
Christ. The energy of God was dis
played in the, creation. He himself
dignified labor. We were long past
the day when tie word gentlemen"
meant one that Gid not labor The
man that accOmplishes something is
the man who stands high. The idea
of nobility depends upon the ability
to perform something. We are meas
ured, both on earth and in heaven by
what we accomplish. But we had been
talking about the man side of this
working. There was also a God side.
The text speaks of God working with
us. God wants to work in us that he
may work out selfShneSS and ungodli-
ness, and he wants to work through
us to extend the Kingdom of God and
for the salvation of souls. And this
work will not be done unless we do it.
Bringing the subject to practical
application, the new pastor asked his
congregation join with him in taking
up all the lines of work that belong to
the church.
The congregation of st. Thomas
church has evidently been fortunate in
its choice of pastor. They are all
encouraged and their impressions of
their new pastor are highly Satisfact-
ory. They feel that they have got
one of the strongest men in this dio-
cese. sit took great deal of faith, ;"
said one of the members, ''tO reach
out as We have done, but our parish,
which occupies central position in
the diocese, has never occupied the
the place which its position ought to
demand: but we believe we have en-
tered upon g larger field of usefulness
than we have ever yet enjoyed"
Rev. w. S. Howard was born and
reared in Michigan, where his parents
still reside. He entered college at Ro-
chester, N. Y. where he graduated
with honors from the University of
Rochester in 1891, receiving the de-
gree OF B. A. After two years of re-
ligious work in Detroit Mr.. Howard
entered divinity school in Chicago.
He graduated from the Western
Theological seminary in Chicago in
1896 and was ordained both deacon
and priest by Bishop McLaren and
was made rector of the Church of
Atonement the same year. This po-
sitlon he resigned to enter the work |
Of the Associate Mission, Omaha,
Neb. This work Mr.. Howard left two
years and half ago to accept the po-
sition of Dean of Trinity Cathedral, |
Michigan. City, Ind., and he now comes
to Plymouth, at the request of Bishop
White to assume the rectorship of st. |
Thomas Church.
Like Governor Matthews.