Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-01
SPECIAL NEW YEAR SERVICE
Four Churches Unite in Devotional
ObaerNance of The Event

observance of the Event.
The special New Years service held at
Westminster Presbyterian church Sunday
evening was greeted with large attend
ance and was participated in by Rev. II. c.
Herring of the First Congregational, Rev.
}. W. Conley of the First Baptist and Rev.
e. II. jerks of the First Presbyterian
churches. special musical service was
rendered for the occasion. Rev. II. {. Her
ring was the first speaker, and took for his
theme The Work of the Lord in Human
Affairs" He said, in part:
The Lord is the great actor in the uni
verse lie Is busy in human life. in our life.
Could we summarize our experiences of the
past year we would not find IL uneventful,
but replete with blessings and with some
Of us the release from the bondage of ill
health. Yet some of the best work TOR God
mas been done by those in misfortune. We
would find much for which to glority God
and christ for what they have done for us.
ne eNpenences OF the past year and ITS
blessings will be an enlarged vision and in
Spiration for the coming year. Let us find
In 1t a new emancipation from the bondage
of sin. 1t is not true that success is adu-
lated, but the criterion for measuring life
is not In the achievement of success or fall
ure, but in our taithfulness to Gods COM
lnands Let us rejoice that the shadows
that may have beset us at the outset of the
year have vanished, and thereby we can
give testimony Of the grandness of Gods
love and care. We go into the new year
with hope. The experience of the past is
the argument of hope.
DR.. Conley was the next speaker. He
said:
What a wonderful thing is the river of
time. Nations rise, increase and fall. We
are borne on the flood of all irresistible tide;
we cannot stop it, The years are what we
make them The past year has been one
OF a great variety of experiences. What
have we accomplished in the way Cf reli-
giUus experiences? What have we learned?
1t is possible that the new year may not
Z he hort fIHnr Vet ta
school like the school of Christ How
many examinations have passed in
Christs school? Are We learning more of
GOD? God is a patient teacher. If we fail
to learn II is not His fault. We should
abhor sin. Is there a growing adherence
| in our lives of sin? Surely our conceptions
Of sin today are lar more intense than a
! year ago. Have we grasped the profound
! meaning and Unreasonable influence and
vaiiantly and faithfully for God? How
! many of us can say of the prayer meeting
and sunday schools during the past year. I
| was there? Have you laid the founda-
! tions in the past year for Gods work for
the coming year2
DR.. jerks followed speaking of Building
! on the Past" He said
From the past let US take courage for en-
/ deavor for the future God did not intend
| to let the past get in the way of progress
! but He Is sweeping on for promise before
! us. Life is progressive. The Christian life
| is its highest eN implication. Let the past
! go. Let us press on. The great school,
after all, is that of life. 1t disciplines
mind and heart and shapens the human
soul for its immortal destiny. Let US do
| better with the new year. God has given
! us the years to do with we please.
Remember the past only by building on it.
/ The strongest. men are those who passed
! through the greatest misfortunes. The
| great fact of our lives Is that we have ar
rived somewhere, not how we have arrived.
! 1t makes no difference If We have made
! mistakes in the past IL we are forgiven,
and God loves to forgive. The school OF
life does not end with seventy years; IT is
endless, extending through all eternity.
/ Therefore, rather than be chained 10 the
past. let us ever press onward.
Rev. 7. V. Moore, pastor of Westminster,
spoke on the subject of Choosing for the
Future" He said:
Choose this day whom ye shall serve"
To drift along in religion il like being
tossed on a stormy sea. You will not
drift into any harDor but will be cast
upon the rocks. God gives us our choice.
definite act of the will and a personal sur
render to Jesus Christ. Look at religion
In any light you will and decide definitely.
God wants a decision now. Have you
been serving God during the past year?
Do not try to serve God and Mammon.
! Choose now what will be the definite fu-
ture of your life. Do not hold the world
in one hand and God in the other. Look
at all other gods and decide which one you
will serve. Uppcrmost, first and last,
should be the thought, Which is the best?
Service to God means liberty, bleSsedness
| and satisfaction. Bondage to sin Is II gall
! ing yoke. Who is there that can compare
to Christ? There is a necessity for q
prompt and immediate choice. Yet great
many of us put 1t off TO postpone that
choice is a sin, and the longer 1t Is post
poned the easier it is to continue postpon-
ing and harder to start. Let us not delude
ourselves with the assumption that we may
return to God when we get ready. 1t may
then be too late. 1t is no small thing To
accept when God says choose.
The services concluded with the distribu-
ton Of cards to the congregation asking
each to place his name and address on the
card, his church affiliations and whether
the recipient desired to talk with n minis
ter. either of this or any other church OF
the city.
The regular communion service of the
church was observed following the distri
button of the cards. with Rev. a. S. C
Clarke of Lowe Avenue Presbyterian
church assisting in the communion service