Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-05
PASTOR CELEBRATES
FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
Women of Congregation of WestIake
Presbyterian Church Decorate the
Edifice in Floral Designs, One
Bearing Text of Presiding Preacher

The fifth anniversary of the pastorate
of Rev. w. d. Lands was observed
with appropriate services yesterday
morning at the Westlake Presbyterian
church. Decorations had been pro-
vided by the women of the congrega-
Hath the Lord Helped U.s." in large
letters over the pulpit, which was
taken as a text by the Rev. 1. B. Self,
pastor of the Presbyterian church at
Clearwater, Cal, who has known the
church from it's organization and been
acquainted with all of the four pastors
who have served it.
In part Rev. Mr.. Self said:
"The help of God bringing deliver
ance is the theme brought to our no.
tice and specially emphasized in the
the victory in the Conflicts thus far
is also a pledge of complete and final
victory. The object of the memorial
stone set up by Samuel in connection
with the text was to keep in thank
full remembrance the help which had
been received. This stone was called
Ebenezer, or stone of help.
Every Christian has his grateful
ebenezers, thankful memorials of help
from God. There is not day in his
life but calls for some such memorial
of the divine help received in the hour
of need. Then there are special occa-
tion should be made of the loving
kindness of the Lord Jehovah. On the
first sabbath of November, 1901, the
present pastor of this church, Rev. w.
D., Lands occupied this pulpit for the
first time. Desiring appropriately to
observe this anniversary the officers OF
the church have arranged this service.
| have been invited to participate in the
same by the dedication of the infant
child of your pastor and wife in the
ordinance of baptism, and now to
speak. few words appropriate to the
occasion. A mountain is an elevation
in space that enables us to take a
broad view of our surroundings. So
such an occasion furnishes a fitting OPP
portunity of scanning the past and
peering hopefully into the future. God
has blessed you as a church in the
pastors whom he has sent to lead and
guide you.
the church eleven years ago last july
now rests from his labors and his
works do follow him.
Brothers Johnson and Tanner,
neither of them with you very long.
were with you long enough to SOW
good seed and make good impressions
for the cause Of Christ in this conf
munity. And fpr the past FIVE years
you have had the faithful efforts of
your present pastor.
"The very best the pastor and his
wife have had of prayer and effort of
their heart and life they have given
to this church. With you they have
labored and prayed and hoped. And
with you they are eagerly looking
toward the future, in faith believing
that greater things are In store for
this church. God will bless and save
in the new church, which you hope to
have in the near future. The same
faithfulness on your part which has
secured mercies numberless already
will bring the same blessed fruitage
In the years to come"
The pastor then gave some facts
about the growth of the church. Five
years ago there were only fifty-nlne
members, since then there have been
added fifty-nine on profession of their
faith In Christ and 40 on letter of
recommendation from other churches,
making 2sS who have been members
during the past five years, but remov-
ais and deaths have made the present
roll to be POI, only eighteen of whom
were here five years ago.
In the evening the choir gave a
grand praise service under the direc-
tion of Mrs. Ignatius Brown, the eff
fieient and beloved ehorestef.