The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-11
DR. WOODS
 IS INSTALLED Becomes Pastor of Cen tral Presbyterian. SERMON BY MR. EDM0NDS Congregation is Charged by MT.
 Lang. Congregations cf the Three Presbyte- rian Churches of the City United in the solemn and Impressive
 Service Last Might.
 

Before a congregation of the mem bership of the First Presbyterian, tns Highland Park Presbyterian and the Central Presbyterian churches, a con gregation which filled the main au- ditorium and the adjoining Sunday School room opening in to the main auditorium, pr. Neander NJ. Woods was solemnly installed as pastor of the Gen. tral Presbyterian Church.
 Rev. H. NJ. Edmonds. pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, preached the sermon and propounded the ques- tions to pr. Woods. Rev. E. D. Kerr, pastor of the Highland Park Presbyte- rian Church charged Dr. Woods. and Rev. George Lang, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of North Birming- ham, charged the congregation of the Central Church.
 Mir. Edmonds preached his sermon from John XXI, 16: He saith unto him again the second time, simon, son of Jonas, lowest thou Me more than these?' He saith unto him, Yea. Lord, Thou knowest that love Thee. He saith unto him. Feed my sheep"
 The word feed has perhaps a larger meaning than the one given In the translation. It would be perhaps better to render the word as shepherd or care for. Events had been moving very quickly for these apostles during
 
 seven men mentioned in the chapter were on their way to Galilee and had come to Peter's own home on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. They had come back to things that they had known before they followed Christ.
 "As they saw the fishing boats com ing in from the sea. Peter and the apostles sitting by the lake felt the old ties coming back upon them and he .nr fishing, the others said. So are we.' and they go out over the lake as the evening shadows are falling. This boat holds the future of the church, hurmanly speaking, on this earth. The men in 1t had forgotten for the time the heart rending scenes which they had recently witnessed at Calvary.
 They stayed out upon the lake all night and caught nothing, and as they returned in the early morning they saw a figure on the shore faintly outlined. John with a perception said, Tt is the Lord Peter with his impetuosity jumps overheard as the beat hears the shore. while the rest come in the boat.
 "GettIng out of the boat they sit down to a breakfast prepared by the Saviour and for a while nothing at all is said. It is time in which words are totally inadequate. Christ breaks the silence with his question to Peter: Peter, lowest thou Me9 and the old life comes back to Peter fin flash.
 'aThe same question is asked three times over, for just a little while earlier Peter had denied Christ three times over another fire.
 The inference to be drawn from this are, first, that if a man loves Christ he will interpret 1t into service, and secondly, we are called to service. al- though we may not admit it in our &C., tions. We are called, but we forget it.
 There are two clsses of people in this world, one of which is exemplffied in the congregation which sits before me. A people which will go out in the morning and work for their living. and for the living of their loved ones. The second class Is that of the tramp whom we have to support Before Christ which are we? Are we the ones who go out to do His work, or are we the ones who are the tramps who do no work?
 Service is the law of life. If you would be anything. you have to work for 1t. This is true in the spiritual