The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-16
Rev. E. D. Kerr 0rdain- cd by Presbytery.
CONGREGATION FILLS CHURCH
Interesting Services Held to Mark
 Beginning of Pastorate.
pr. Neal L. Anderson Presides, Rev, !. M. Elder of Troy Charges the Pastor, and Rev. HI. M. Ed-
 monds the Congregation.


 the Highland Presbyterian Church to the doors. notwithstanding the fact that chairs were placed in the aisfes of that edifice, the solemn ceremonies of the ordination and installation of Rev p. D. Kerr as pastor of that church were performed.
 The Presbytery of East Alabama had examined Mir. Kerr in all parts of the Presbyterian theology and government at It's session Saturday morning, and MT. Kerr had preached his ordination sermon on that day.
 The Presbyterian ministers and el- ders of the East Alabama Presbytery sat on the rostrum of the little church during the services. Dr. Neal l.. An derson. pastor of the Central Presby- terian Church of this city presided over the meeting.
 Rev. J M. Elder, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Troy, preached the sermon at the opening of the ceremonies, taking his text from Philippians Il, 5: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Jesus Christ"
 The sermon was forcible discourse on the necessity of unity and humble ness of mind. both with the pastor and the congregation, through the exam pie of Christ's humility and exalta- tion.
 He poiuted out that in everything there should be all of Christ and none of self, and that Christ's earthly life was the high ideal that every profess ed Christian should endeavor to live up to. no matter how many times he should stumble and become discour- aged
 After Mir. Elders sermon, a special choir from the singers of the other Presbyterian Churches In the city, rendered an offertory.
 pr. Neal Anderson then propounded the constitutional questions to Mir. Kerr, and with the Presbytery of East Alabama surrounding, sMr. Anderson offered him the right hand of Chris tan fellowship, as did the other Pres byters present.
 MT. Elder then charged the new pas- tor. He said that new pastor should take heed to himself as to his ptety, prayerfulness, knowledge of Gods word He should take heed as to how he spent his Sundays. and every day should be Sunday for him.
 He should, too, take heed to his flock as a preacher. He should preach the Word of God skillfully, simply, earnestly, seriously and lovingly. He should not become careless in his prep aration Of his sermons. If he is con- graduated on a sermon that he preach ed on the instant, without any special thought and preparation. and is after ward told that that sermon did cer- tain one of his flock more good than had any of his carefully prepared ST. mons, he should not go on the supposi- tion that unprepared sermons were more effective than ones which are carefully prepared beforehand.
 MT. Elder also warned MT. Kerr against being fiattered by one of his congregation telling him that he had preached an excellent sermon. But he must in all things, be humble and not ain-glorious.
 Mir Elder also said that he should be heedful to himself as a pastor; that he should always be kind, gentle. affec- tionate, gentle. dignihed, approachable, tender and always live the truth.
 Rev. Henry M Edmonds, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, of this city. then charged the congregation ot the church with regard to its duty to the pastor. He said that the members of the congregation should at all times help the pastor in his preaching by their attendance. by listening closely and by, appreciation of the sermon. He said that when the pastor breaches tc a church where the congregation is scattered throughout the auditorium the pastor loses interest somewhat ir his line of reasoning, but when the congregation is compact and is paying strict attention, the preacher is made to preach by that very fact.
 Mir. Edmonds said that the congre. gation should also help in the pastora work by demanding little and remem. bering that others want the pastor and also that the pastor, to preach Koot sermons. must have time to be alone and think how the battle is to bt fought. The pastor is only human ant cannot always know what is needed unless he Is notified. The congrega' tion should also help by prayer. Ht said that no preacher could do with. out the individual prayers of his par ishioners for him.
 Lastly MT. Edmonds called the con gregation's attention to the fact that it must help the pastor by its cooper, ation. He said the pastor is in tn, position of a general of an army whC leads, but his men must do the work The leader is in front and urges hii men forward, he cannot fight the fgh all by himself.
 MT. Edmonds closed with an exhor tation of the congregation to build LII the church--to do for Highland Parl what churches of other denomination had done for other parts of the cit! and State. He said the Highland Parl Church had a clear field and coulC make itself the great power for gooC in that section of the city.
 The motion for adjournment was theI made and with the pronouncing of thu benediction by the new pastor, thu Presbytery of East Alabama adjourned
 The new pastor, Rev. B. D. Kerr, wa, born November IT, 1881. near Char Iotte. Va, and prepared for college a sharon Academy near that place. H.