Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-21
HIS FAREWELL SERMON
REV. DR.. EASTON'S MESSAGE TO
HIS CHURCH.
Resignation as Pastor to Be Con.
sidered by Congregation Thurs
day Evening Next.

iiciiittS >ItlnltIS fLdSIOn preached EdSt
night at the Eastern Presbyterian Church
at the close of his pastorate The con-
gregation was a large one The retiring
pastor stated that it was owing to his
threat troubles, and that cause alone that
ne was resigning. The announcement
was made that congregational meeting
Will be held next Thursday evening at
the church, when the resignation of the
pastor will be formally accepted and rep
resentatives appointed to the Presby-
terrain synod to formally report his resig-
nation.
Easton said in part:
"Gld-fashiored farewell sermons gen
orally ended in a diet of tears. 1t is not
my intention to play upon the emotions
Oh my audience toniShtt but present a
calm, clear, simplc practical line of
thought which will help US to lead better
lives. Salvation is secondary to right
living. What | believe is Of far less i'm
portance i'll comparison with what l say
and do. Character outweighs all the
creeds of Christendom. The things that
are true, that are honest, that are just
that are pure, that are lovely. that are
ot~good report-these are the moral rubies
and diamonds and sapphires in the crown
OF true manhood. and when these are
wanting character is deformed.
We hear it said on every side that the
church has lost its grip on the masses,
and that the fault Of the pulpit was in
emphasizing doctrine instead of prac-
tice; that so much is taught that does not
touch the experience OF men and infu-
encc them to lie purer and stronger in
virtue; that they prefer to read the news
paper at home or roam the woods on
Sunday Now, l hold that every sermon
whose influence is not to make men bet
ter is a downright failure.
influence of Sermons.
DIR. Easton then spoke of the thousands
of earnest ministers of the gospel who are
laboring all over tie land and teaching
Gods word to the multitudes, and added:
How much all this teaching has had
to do in forming our national character
as Americans none but God can tell
This one thing we do know. the gospel of
Jeus Christ sodifies strengthens. bright
ems and ennobles, while an atheistc philos-
ophy or infidelty disorgan:zes. debases
and destroys. Character nodded by the
teachings of Christ will exhibit all those
sterling virtues and command the su-
preme admiration of the world.
"Veracity belongs to the eterna. order
Of things. while lie is an infringement
of that order. Life must be founded in
truth. How true is the cd coup-et:
Oh. what a tangled web weave
when first we practice to deceive.
why did Paul place things that are
true at the head of his brilliant series?
Because truth is the ground of all Gods
commands and the ground Of all human
obedience. The love of truth is the intel
lectual part Of mans piety. 1t raises the
moral temper and tone of the world 1t
means a determined opposition to all in
sincerity in spirit or conduct. By truth
we are sanctified, and the things that
are true should naturally be the constant
thought of our life
Honorable things must be in us also.
for there is only disgrace in acting dis
honorably. Our whole life, public and pri
vate. must be based on honor. Every
man is very much what he thinks and
when he makes venerable things the
subject of his deepest thoughts he wi.
rise higher and higher in the scale of
true manhood and be acceptable to God
and approved of men. Greed and
graft are the stains today upon our ma
tional life. No true man can read the
municipal evils of dishonesty as revealed
of late in Philadelphia Harrisburg and
San Francisco without "a feeling of intense
Indignation. Men should be honest from
principle and not from sheer policy, for
If a man Is governed by policy he will
steal and p.under to fatten his holdings.
The Scottish bard of Ayrshire placed
honesty as the jeweled crown of man
hood when he said An honest man is the
noblest work of Cod and again. The
honest man, tho e'er sac poor, is the king
of men for a that
Old-Time Common Honesty.
Give back to the nation, to the church
and to the home the good old homely
virtue of common honesty and new
beauty and strength will adorn the Ameri-
can character. Religion exempts no man
from the laws which bind him to his fe.-
low-men. Ten thousand prayers. mil!
lion professions. and all the rigid observ-
ances of a strict Christianity are worth
less If we do not hold the balance fairly
between conflicting interests and do by
our neighbor as we wou have him do by
US.
las / close my ministry among you
the only deep regret is that more active
life of righteousness has not been de-
veOped by us as a church; that faith has
not been more deeply rooted in eternal
realities, filing and firing us all with III
love Christ had for human souls and for
the everlasting Father. Tonight l miss
dear famiier forms that greeted me when
came. They lived the virtues and loved
the things that were true, honest, just.
pure, lovely and of good report, and lived
the Christ life and are at home in tn
church above. Their names are embalmed
in our heart Of hearts for their love and
devotion to this beloved church. Blu
there is an ache in my heart over some
of you whom fain would have led to my
Savior's feet, and you are still outsid
the fold To you who remain let me plead
that you will stand in solid ranks. work
together with one mind and with all your
heart for the uplifting of the kingdom OF
God. AS 1 lay down my work here so
stained with imperfections and limited
successes which impe rfections l have
asked God to blot out of His remem
brance, l shall ever thank Him here on
earth and praise Him in heaven forever
for my opportunity.
There have been seasons of great
gladness, seasons of stern trials. sea
sons of bounding JOY and unmeasured
depression, but your steadfast loyalty
was the pastors uplift all through thes
past fourteen years. God bless you. To
think of meeting is far more elevating
cheering and comforting. So let us think
not of parting at all tonight but realiz
we shall still be joined together in heart
wherever our lot may be cast, and when
life's great workday is closed we shall
be where
" Perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity
Before reading his resignation DR.
EaSton received nine new members into
the congregation, and stated that there
has never been a communion in his four
teen years paStorate without accessions
to the membership.
Letter of Resignation.
Dr. Easton's letter of resignation stated
that when he returned from California this