Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-31
JUBILEE SERVICE.
Continued from Page 81

erals in the church and community
We're conducted. give a glimpse of the
mission of the church to minister to
every phase of human experience. And
the mention of these statistics will re-
call to many who are still with you
the joys which were heightened, and
the times when sadness and grief have
been alleviated by the blessed gospel
of Gods grace for which the church
stands. Nor is it little thing that
through all of these years your church
has ever stood as a staunch defend
er of the faith once delivered to the
saints.
ut is a matter Of record, too, that
every agency of the church has always
been loyalty supported and that you
have ever given active corporation
to every good cause in the commune
ity. / recall also with special salts
faction, that you We're among the fore
most in laying the foundations and de-
veloping the influences, and senti-
ments. which have resulted in the En-
deavor and Christian associations.
which are now recognized as an in
tegral part Of organized church work
the world over.
Would Come to OttunWa.
"The question has often occurred to
me, We're to begin my pastorate again
Will llic dQoGo anu NdllGu SApSEltitCSS
of the years that are past since came
to you, what more or. different could
have done. to make my work among
you more efficient. The purpose and
aim with which lived those years
would not change. / am conscious
that my purpose was to win souls, to
be helpful to my people, and the COM
munity, and the cause of Christ in the
world. / think, however, that would
Tacn1niZo fi1l1x than I N1ra "a
to do at that time, that our race is UNI
der sorrow as we'll as sin, and that
Christian sympathy and helpfulness is
the great antidote for the sad mono
tone to which our race Is ever march
ing. In this respect would strive
more earnestly and stimulate you more
to love and to good works. Not in Or
der that you might be saved, but be-
cause you are saved, and that so the
spirit of the Master working through
you. might constrain men and women
to come to Christ
ut is fitting time also to acknow-
ledge the kindness and sympathy Of
which / was ever the recipient while
was your pastor and since and which,
with the consciousness that though
with many inperfections, I ever sought
ito be of service to you in the gospel,
will ever remain among the most pre-
cious memories Of my life.
Il will be Joined / am sure by each
of the pastors who have served you
in the past in congratulating you on
the happy and enlarged work you are
accomplishing under your present pas
tor, and in the hope that he may long
be spared to lead you in paths of
Righteousness and cause you more and
more to abound in every good work
That it may be so let the second semi
centennial of your history whose close
will find most, lie not all of us, together
in, the land of light and love- be en-
tered under the spell of the injunction
of the beloved Disciple, Love one an
other With hsartiest congratulations
to pastor and people, l am most faith
fully yours
The letter, of Rev. Ben T.. S. Ely
of Des Moines. was as follows:
To the Members of the Church and
Congregation of the First Presbyter-
ian Church of Ottumwa:
Dear Friends-Though can not be
with you in person, l am with you in
heart, joining with you in rendering
praise and Thanksgiving to God for the
innumerable blessing bestowed upon
our beloved church during the past
half century.
AS / recall the many pleasant mem
cries of my own pastorate of some
thing over thirteen years, there is
sunshine in my heart and in spirit I
am singing with you, as / have often
in the past, with the older members