The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-25
Interesting Service al First Pres
bYteriaR Church.
REV. DR. HANOLEY PRESIDES
New Pastor Assumes Charge of His
Birmingham Church, and Members
Give Him the Glad Hand of
Fellowship.

The Rev. DR.. John w. Stage was in
stalled pastor of the First Presbyterian
church yesterday afternoon at o'clock.
The installation sermon was delivered by
the Rev. DR.. L. S. Handley, pastor of the
Central Presbyterian church, who also
propounded the questions to the new min
lister and the congregation; the charge to
the pastor was given by the Rev. U. d.
Mooney, pastor of the Second Presbyte-
rian church, and the charge to the congre-
cation was delivered by the Rev. J. G.
Snedecor, pastor of the Woodlawn Presby-
terrain church.
The services were interesting and at
tracted large number of the members of
the First Presbyterian and other churches
After an opening hymn and a prayer
DR.. Handley read the second chapter of
Second Thessalonians as the lesson. An
other prayer was offered by DIR. Handley
and at the conclusion of another hymn he
delivered the sermon.
His text taken from Second Thessaloni-
ans, 3d. was, Finally, brethren, pray for
us, that the word of the Lord may have
free course. and be glorihed, even as it is
with you"
Paul told the Thessalonian church that
1t was an example to all others and to
this church he paid a beautiful tribute to
its loyalty. He prayed that the church
might continue in its good works and
then asked the church to pray for him
and his colaborers. The text gives the d.
vine plan for spreading the gospel.
Gods Chosen Way.
First, 1t must be made known by the
preaching of it to the people in the world,
and it is one of Gods chosen ways. In
the old Testament passages of scripture
tell of preachers in those days. Noah was
| preacher and a good one, for years
preaching to the people and asking them
to prepare for the flood Moses was an
earnest preacher. Isaiah was a powerful
preacher, and Ezekiel and jeremiah were
preachers. And then the link that binds
the old testament to the new, John the
Baptist, was a preacher, a forerunner Of
Christ and a shining light His theme
was prepare We the way for the Lord"
When Jesus came He preached repent
ance, as John had done In Luke's gos-
pei and fourteenth chapter we find that
He was in the synagogue reading from
the prophecy of Isiah that He would be
sent to preach, to set the captive free,
that the scriptures might be fulfilled.
In the second place, the members of
the church should preach, in a way, and
1t is often that people forget this subor-
dinate help to spreading the gospel.
In fha htrl
word will be magnlfied and sinners will
be converted and saved.
Questions Are Asked.
When he had finished speaking DR..
Handley asked the usual questions to
DR.. Stage and then to the congregation.
The new pastor promised to discharge
his duties in faithful manner, assisted
by the grace of God. and the congrega-
tion promised to cooperate with him,
protesting its readiness to receive him
as pastor and encourage and assist him
in his endeavor for spiritual aid.
The charge to the new pastor was then
delivered by DIR. Mooney.
1t Is the full man whose life is a vital
force and out of his fullness gives to the
world that which blesses it.
There are three qualifications which
are necessary to constitute a full man.
bearing in mind that fulness is a God
given capacity.
The first is the qualification of the
heart; he must have a sympathetic
| heart, a pure heart and a heart in SYM
pathy with the gospel.
| The second is qualification of the mind.
The minister must be man of mind,
and is bound to be In this day and gene
ration. He must be able to think clearly
and intellectually, possess a heart that
can teach, making plain the truths of
| the gospel.
The third qualification is personal ac-
| tivity.
The charge to the congregation was then
| given by Dr. Snedecor. He asked that
the members of the congregation help
their pastor in every possible way and
especially with their prayers.
| The pastor is only one, and the con-
gregation is composed of many, hence
many small things should be overlooked
and dissentions over little things should
not arise.
The people should not shrink from do
ing their duty and all should agree to up
hold their pastors hands. Let this mind