The Newtown bee., 1908-11-27

ouiSis Fhd sSI you are lO De CUll
 graduated that almost all of these gt
 forth as Christians and lead exem
 plary and useful lives.
 This church through all its history
 has maintained an uncompromising at.
 titude towards reforms. Her record as
 to temperance is one of which we may
 we'll be proud. You are to be con.
 graduated that the streams of your
 benevolence (perhaps not so large as
 they might have been) have neverthe-
 less been flowing on through all these
 years. How great the aggregate of
 your benevolent contributions and leg
 acies, if l could give it to you to-day
 in figures and results.
 But above all you are to be congrat-
 ulated because all these things are the
 signal tokens of the Divine favor to-
 wards you. God has not left you nor forsaken you, nor withdrawn His Holy
 Spirit from you. From what l have
 now said, Tam sure you will clearly un-
 derstand what have been and still arc
 my conceptions of the ministry and the church, and by what motives l have
 been actuated in all my work among you. Neither can you fail to under stand the gratitude of my heart for the co-operaton, sympathy, and love that have so greatly cheered and aided me in my work. The mistakes and fail ures, which have been so many. our loving Father will pardon, and for the successs to lHim be ascrided all the glory. But what of the future? There are certain obvious facts, which make the outlook into the future of our church, not altogether clear. The ten dancy of population and business away from our New England villages-the incoming of a foreign element, the death from time to time of those who leave no lineal or even collateral repre- sentatives behind them; these things suggest the following inquiry: Wheth- CT it would not be wise for some per- sons of means in this parish to make liberal addition to the fund of the Soci- ety? Might not such an addition be as great boon to those who, come after us, as the gift of the fathers and moth- CTS of this church has been to us? But under some conditions this vine of Gods planting, now 92 years old, will still live and grow. It still puts forth its green shoots, and its rich clusters are being gathered. The winds beat upon it. it has its periods of vigor and declension, but it lives and is strong.
 May God bless our church. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companon's sake, Twill now say, Peace be within thee.
 Looking backward and calling to re- membrance the sacrifices, tolls, and tears of the fathers and mothers of this church, l seem to hear them asying to i us this morning. Freely ye have re- ceived, freely give." "Take the tri umphs we have gained to cheer you; then go forward, to new victories, until you, too, are called to lay down your armor and receive from the Master, i the unfading crown.''
 know the failures of my ministry | far better than the most disparaging critic does, but l am bold enough to stand here this morning and appeal to you, dear friends, who have gathered here for many years, some of you, and to ask you whether or not you think have tried in my ministry to keep true to the key note which Paul has so strongly struck in this text? believe you will say yes, and l am thakful to God and to you for the long years dur ing which your love and confidence nave borne with my limitations and nave never failed. We have had 37 and more years without ruffie, with put a jar, and, thank God, the bond be tween us is at least as strong to-day as t ever was. Again ask you to con- ;inue your love and loyalty to this be- owed church in the days that are to come. and to give your affection to your new pastor as you have given it ,o me. You can do me no greater kind less than by continuing to fill your places here, and to help your minister md your church in every good word md work. Some of you have listened o me so many years that 1 am afraid familiarity has dulIed the penetrating power of my voice. Some of y)u are lere this morning occasional worship ,ers with us and drawn to-day, as 1 in- lulge myself in venturing to think, by 'our wish to show kindly feelings to- wards myself. l thank you for it and o all of you my last word which per laps may gain some force because it is ny last word as pastor of this church is I declare the Gospel which l preach d unto you, how that Jesus Christ lied for your sins acording to the beseech you to accept his Gospel with deliberate faith, and O cleave to it with lifelong energy. Sy it, and by it alone you will be aved.