Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-11-25
The New Baptist Pastor.

The Rev. George r. Stair, formerly
pastor of the Memorial Baptist church,
Brooklyn, N. Y, began his labors as
pastor of the local Baptist church last
Sunday. Large audiences were present
at both the morning and evening SER
vices, Mr.. Stair preached in the morn
ing upon the theme, "The Supreme
Test" his text being st. John is, 27,
"For the Father himself loveth you,
because ye have loved me-" The general
thought of the sermon was that Gods
love toward humanity is governed en-
tirely by their attitude toward Jesus
Christ. Men judge each other by GER
tain business codes, social standards,
or moral ethics. When God desired to
test men He sent His only begotten Son
into this world and men are divinely
Judged by the attitude they take toward
this supreme test. This is not an ex-
treme nor arbitrary test for the like of it
we use everyday. We test our fellows
by certain aesthetic, musical or art
standards and by mans appreciation of
these things we form our estimate of his
character. God tests by proffered op-
portunity for intimacy with. His son and
if one turns away from such compan-
ionship and selects one that is lower,
laxer, less worthy there is in such a de-
ceson an indication of character so plain
that he who runs may read. The theme
of the evening sermon was 1.-The Price of
Power"
Mr.. Stair was born in East Cambridge,
Mass, May 3, 1870, but spent the first
few years of his life with his parents as
resident of Charlottetown, p. E. l.,
Canada. For the past % years, with the
exception of the time spent at school,
Mr.. Stair has lived in New York City.
Entering business at II years of age,
he was employed for nine years as an
apprentice and then as journeyman par
quet floor layer and designer, studying
in the meantime in the evening grammar
and high schools of the city, finally grad
uating from Cooper Union as mechani-
cal draughtsman, ,at which college he was
employed until his entrance at Colgate
University Mr.. Stair graduated from
the theological seminary at Hamilton in
pastor of the Madison Avenue Baptist
church, New York City, of which church
the late Rev. George G. Lorimer, ID,
was the last pastor. For the past three
years Mr.. Stair has been pastor of the
Brooklyn church where his work was
very successful, large audiences being in
attendance at all services.
Mr.. Stair was for seven years men,
Der of and part of the time an officer in
the list regimen, n. g., N. Y, and saw
active service with this command. He
is at present the chaplain of the Veteran
association of this regiment. In addition
to this Office he was, previous to his re-
moval from Brooklyn, a trustee of the
Long Island Baptist Association and
clerk of the Board; secretary and treas
urer of the Long Island Baptist Ministers
Union; manager of the Law Enforce
ment society; manager of the Brooklyn
Sabbath Observance League; a member
of the New York Ministers Conference
and of the New York Colgate Alumni
Association.
Mr.. Stair is married man, has four
children, who with Mrs. Stair and
family are being entertained at the home
of Mr.. Ransom S. Benedict while await
ing the arrival of their household effects
from New York. They are to live in the
house on Washington street occupied by
the late William NJ. Cushman.
Previous to leaving his Brooklyn
charge Mr.. and Mrs. Stair were the re-
cipients of many beautiful presents from
the organizations of the church or from
individual members. The church pre-
sented Mr. Stair with a finely engrossed
set of resolutions. expressing their ex-
treme regret at his departure and well
wishes for prosperity in his new field OF
labors.