Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-06-08
Anniversary Sermon.

In delivering his tentn ahnuai au
los Of Grace Church yesterday morning
th 80 rector Rev. G.. f. Ball, took as his
tnvt Cor. iii. 9. ave are laborers to-
sretber with God" Reminding his hear
ers that all work for good of souls and
upbuildng of the church of Christ was
work with God as well as for God, and
that each one who received blessing
must be in turn laborer, that Others
might receive blessing also, he turned
and gave rapid sketch of the history OF
the ten years and view of its results.
His first official act was presiding at a
yestry meeting Thursday, May Is, 1893.
Sunday following was Trinity Sunday,
when after preaching his inaugural ser
mon. in which he pledged entire loyalty
20 the PRAYER Book as the authoritative
voice of the church, and besou ght the
LOYALTY of his people in the way he should
lead them. he first administered the
bolv communion. The rector then
showed the results of the ten years as
represented in figures. Baptisms, in
fants. 2O3; adults, 80; total, 239 con-
frmations. "a marriages, 81; burials,
172 OF which &c we're COMMITMENTS.
Commuricants last reported by Rev. IL.
T sharp. 175; added by combinations,
81 otherwise II, l6l total, 1886. Lost
NV death. removal, ETC., 40; confirmed
Dersons who have not or are not now
receiving holy communion, Do; total,
1906 total number receiving IN last year,
IA. total number of services held, 3, 3Ol;
oftbese HOLY Communion, 800 OF winch
in nrivate no; sermons, addresses, IN
strnctions. l.660. Beside these many
thonsand visits to families and indlyldu-
ais not only in but outside the regular
membership of the church. "Another
side If >ur work together-your labor OF
love for v,ur church, appears in your Of
fer;ngs for the support of Gods work
in Grace Church, in the city OF Alex
andria. in the Diocese OF virginia,
and in the church in the nation ana
in the world at large. These. nave
amounted in ten years to the, for US,
LARGE sum of $25,,65O.72. Compared
with the offerings of the fourteen years
Of the former rectorship, they snow
that YOU have been very much aiiVe.
There were $40, S7S.19or only Eoou' nVe
nintbs as much As in these ten years:
This should greatly encourage you
The new rectory and the renovateu,,
transformed beautifed Church am
Cbancel are standing witness OF a
mart of the work. He then paid d
ioucbing tribute to those who had been
translated from earths labor to the rest
of Paradise, specially mentioning only
three. two of whom had been calieu
from the Office Of Junior Warden, OF
s,hom he said. "You knew them longer
tbau I, but knew them deeply, ana 10
tnow was to honor and to love, and !
Loved them even as you, and mourned
them deeply then, and mourn them
etiu One little child through months
of battle with painful and fatal disease
fund the way of holiness. Patient,
resigned full of faith and love, he went
from us a child, but a saint In
closing the rector said "When l look
at the way God led our lost ones 70
1icbt and the way He has led us through
the shadows, am stimulated to peliev'
that 4 church which has thus been God
iusframent for help to souls is (humanly
o. ,aking) necessary, and He WILL sustain
II shall have fulfilled its miss on
Thnt uissiou." he said, "was III
steady boa Ting OF witness for the faith II
its n9rity q, I'd simplicity as set forth II
fine Apostles Greed, the iall order Oh ln y,
church as ct i''rth in the Pfsyer BOOK
reverence and d 'gnity in worship, an lS
chiefly for the c, 'utinual setting fofs
of the death of the Lord till lie come
and the unity OF the church and ne
faith in ali ages. 50 long as sh'
breaches this gospel to the poor rO'
will bless her with the Astounding oiess
ings ofHis grace and make the waV :, .
her feet glorious" At the close of IL
sermon a solemn TIE Deum of thanks
giving was sung, after which he pro
ceeded to celebrate the holy commun
ion. The TIE Deum and the music o
the communion service were those o
Il Tours. in F. The singing which wa
bv the regular choir was especial.
good. At the night service the recto
preached from Lev. l, 10, on persona
conservation as the way to successful
issue i'm all human work for God