The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-02
FARWEELL TO HIS CONGREGATION.
Rev. w, l. Herbert breaches His Last Ser
mon as Pastor of Central Methodist
Church.

Cno WeaLner Was very ulSd
greeable, a large congregation attend
ed the evening services in the Contra
Methodist church on Sunday. 1t wa
the first evening service held in TN
church, and it was the occasion of Rev
Mr.. Herbert's last sermon as pastor
Mr.. Herbert has served this congrega
ton for the past four years and will b
assigned other work by the Conference
which convenes in this church tomor
row. That he has been acceptable t.
his people and that he holds a warn
place in their hearts is evidenced b.
the expressions of deep and genuine re
gret at his approaching departure
heard on every side. The handsome
new church building in which he
preached his last sermon, andthe church
roll stand as monuments to his ability
and his f~aithfulness. These are the
results that can be seen with human
eyes. But these are small indeed com
pared to the greatness Of the work
which he has homework whose results
can only be seer with the eye of On
niscience-in Strengthening hands in
the Lord.
That was the subject of his sermon
on Sunday evening; the strengthening
of hands in the Lord. He chose his
text from Samuel 23:16: "And iona
than Saul's son arose, and wentto David
in the wood, and strengthened his
hand in God" The main thought
which Mr.. Herbert sought to impress
was that every life has an untold in
fuence either for good or for evil, and
that the influence of every life should
be so directed that it will do it's part,
however feeble, in the uplifting of
mankind. He had come to the conclu-
sion that there was only one thing in
life worth while, and that was to learn
to strengthen hands in the Lord; to sit
at the feet of the Great Teacher and
to receive that wisdom which comes
only from on high that wisdom which
enables one to make his life a blessing
to all with whom he comes in contact
in the earth life.
This was the fourth or fifth time that
he had come to this point in his life,
when to a congregation he must say
farewell. He had had one purpose
during the last four years, and God be-
ing his judge, only one, and that was to
strengthen hands in God. If he had
failed in that the work of four years
was a failure.
There was nothing that could posi-
bly, take the place of that work. The
Apostle Paul writing one mis- epistles
said, 'Ye are my JOY" Paul meant
that his highest Joy was the uplifting
of his people. If any joy was to come
into the speakers life from his four
years in Newberry, it was when some
one came to him and said, "Bro. Her
bert, you have strengthened my hand
in God" $500,
While he rejoiced in the belief that
some had been uplifted during these
four years, he believed the truth was
that some were further from the light
than ever before. This after his four
years of preaching. He did not un-
derstand it, perhaps he never would
understand it, but before God and be-
fore man he was here to say that his
only purpose had been to help. And
no higher Joy had ever come into his
life that when members Of his congre-
cation had come to him and told him he
had really helped them.
He prayed Gods richest blessings
upon the congregation and expressed
the earnest and sincere wish that the
next four years would be the brightest
in the history of the Newberry church.
= He closed with an exhortation to go
forward in the work of strengthening
hands in the Lord-the greatest work
in the world, and the only work that is
truly great.
Mr.. Herbert will probably preach in
Newberry again the second Sunday
morning and evening in December.