Los Angeles herald., 1905-05-01
BIDS HIS PARISH
FOND FAREWELL
DR.. BOWLING breaches HIS
CLOSING SERMON
RETIRES FROM THE MINISTRY
New Rector Of Christ Episcopal
Church, Rev. Baker p. Lee, VIII
Deliver Inaugural Discourse
Next Sunday

The Rev. George Thomas Bowling de-
livered his farewell sermon as rector
of Christ Episcopal church at the SER
vices yesterday morning. 1t had been
expected that the Rev. Baker p. Lee
would arrive in time to preach his in
augural sermon last evening, but he
was delayed by the washouts in New
Mexico and will not reach Los Angeles
until today. DR.. Dowling received a
dispatch from DR.. Lee last evening
stating the cause of his delay. The
Rev. DR.. Lee will preach his first ser
mon next Sunday morning.
In his sermon yesterday morning DIR.
Dowling bade a fond farewell to the
parish he has so faithfully ministered.
He pointed out the men of olden days
in doing the will of God. He said in
part:
"It is with this spirit, my dear, dear
people, that l have sought to come up
to the ordeal of this morning. For it
is an ordeal. No man can lay down a
work which he has learned to love as
nave ION6u llllS WllllOuL d WlcllCAiilS
of the heart-strings, and pausing to
wonder why it is. But 1 want to say
to you this morning, that it is all right
for all Of us, though perhaps it may be
never makes any mistakes. Oh, my
people. when it suits us shall we trust
his providence, and praise his wisdom,
and call him God; and when the land
scape changes, and He rideth upon the
whirlwind, and maketh the clouds his
chariot shall we forget our religion,
and turn atheists and say God is not
here No, no, my brethren, that is
not right. All the past history of this
church is but a revelation of his provi-
dence. So has it always been, and if
you are but true, it always shall be.
Live With God
'The very core of all my teaching to
you has been the ceaseless love and
watch-care of a never slumbering God.
So that 1 want you now to turn your
faces away from the west, and the day
which is setting, and to look eastward,
to where another sun is about to rise.
Let the past be in the past. 1t has
brought us all it can bring; why linger
over it longer? Arise, let us be going
Begin another day with God, and
with him who has been sent among you
to represent his will. Our lives are cut
up into epochs. You have passed
through one, now go forward with
faith, courage, hope and song, with
Joshua for your leader across this
Jordan which lies before you, straight
on into the promised land.
This Christ parish stands in this
community. and in these United States
for it's work is more widely known
than you think-for certain things. You
know what these are. 1 need only men,
tion some of them.
'It stands pre-eminently for hospi-
tal1ty toward the larger thought,
for Intellectual and ecclesiastical
BREADTH for fraternity toward those of
every name. 1t stands for all which
Episcopal church of ours inclusive, in
stead of exclusive. Do not forget that
this very edifice was erected as a mon
ument to the broad church movement
on this Pacific coast. So may it ever
remain! In the words OF Moses, Turn
not to the right hand nor to the left
Abide steadfast to your ideals. Hold
these with tenacity, unity, loyalty, but
hold them also with enthusiasm. Be
not content with past achievements.
jordan lies before you, and the prom
ised land.
every church, like every man, should
think not only of his abilities, but of
his capabilities.
Finally, what of Moses? Only this:
when the time came for him to leave
his work, he laid it down just as read
lily as he had taken it up; and his very
last message closed with blessings up
on his people, and a song of gladness
to his God. And so, my friends, I
want 1t to be today. 1 am going away
from you for a year, at least. A year
is long time, and If it should be so
that I should never return, this is the
kind of memory which desire to linger
among you: A blessing and song"