The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-01-07
AN IMPRESSIVE
INSTALLATION
The Services Attending the In
stallation Of New South
St. Church Pastor.
SERMON BY PROF. HUGH BLACK


The South Street Presbyterian
Church was filled on Monday evening
at the services Of installation Of the
Rev. Alexander MacColl, as pastor Of
the church by the Presbytery of Nor
ris & Orange. Rev. Stanley White
was the moderator OF the meeting.
Decorations we're potted plants and
the Christmas green's which were left
up for the occasion.
The services were opened with anil
anthem by the quartet Of the church,
after which Rev. George Kennedy
Newell, pastor Of the church at st.
Cloud, offered the invocation. Rev.
Thomas B. Ironside read the scripture
lesson, after which the hymn " The
Church's One Foundation was sung
by the congregation.
The preacher of the occasion was
the Rev Prof. Hugh Black, who gave
as his text, John 18: "a Jesus an
swered him. sayest thou this thing Of
myself or did others tell it thee of
me. " The speaker told the circum-
stances under which Jesus asked the
question in response to the question
of PLATE Art thou the king Of the
jews
The question stung PLATE and we
can put the same question to our
selves. There could not be more OPP
perfume time. The whole question of
religion stands right here, Jesus Christ
is at the bar to-day and we must de-
eide. The question should sting us
to tile heart. 1t raises the whole
question Of, what is original and not
traditional in our faith and practice.
We owe something to others. In a
sense it is true that we have nothing
of ourselves. We enter into an inher-
itance of heart. All knowledge is a
growth with roots in the subsoil Of
the heart. Art, science, literature,
lreligion, all are exhuded drop by drop
Through the tears and blood Of count
less generations. Education begins
with absorption; the child is asked to
learn the multiplication table. The
beginning Of religion is like that.
No doubt some religious belief is in
stinctiye and primative, but we can
not contine ourselves to that. We can
not denounce authority even if we
would like to. 1t is foolish to run
amuck against tradition. 1t is absurd
to consider part of history to 60 for
nothing. Some believe because they
have heard, and it is satisfaction as
far as it goes. Tradition is not the
seat of authority, but it is foolish to
exclude it. Long continued wide
spread faith IS presumptive evidence
that there is something in it. Some
thing to begin on at least.
Tradition can never take the place
of experience, but experience without
tradition can never take it's place.
Absolute originality is not possible,
what we mean is individuality. Shake
speare took scenes or whole plays to
make up his plays. Robert Burns
took the folk songs and recreated
them. Took the material so into
himself that it became his own and
came out colored by the red blood OF
| himself,
The temptation is to lay too much
emphasis on tradition and not look
for new vistas. Men too often repeat
catch phrases how seldom we hear
an original voice. Just there is the
need of the church. True faith rs
tested ultimately by what we say and
think of ourselves. In our religion,
tradition must have become expert
enced before. anything is achieved.
Prayer is not vain repitition, but the
balm of the soul seeking for himself
God. Faith is merged somewhere,
somehow in communion before it is
made personal. You must make your
very own experimentally.
Much unbelief really is indifference.
The best confession of faith is of little
worth if not Individual. Our true
creed has fewer items than the one we
profess. 1t is not what we say we be-
lieye, or think we believe, or even be-
lieve we believe, but what we do be-
lieve, that is the touchstone of char
acter.
Many can realize the qualities of
Gods grace just as they can view a.
landscape, but when man wakes TO see
that God is for his soul and his soul
for God, then the whole world changes.
He needs no other to tell him of it.
Call it inspiration, instinct, or what
you will. It's not the amount, but
| the depth, intensity OF conviction
which is the personal note Of assur-
ance.
In closing the preacher said he be-
lieved the new pastor came with live
original message and can speak from
experience. He hoped that the new
relations may mean the deepest Of all
successes, closer to God and therefore
closer to one another.
The Moderator then propounded the
constitutional questions TO pastor and