The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1909-06-25
A Card To Church Members
To the Members Of the Methodist
Church Of Aberdeen.

! desire to congratulate you upon
the spendid progress you have made
in the new church enterprise you
have 50 nobly projected for the glo-
rp Of God While it is true that re-
suits have not been obtained as rap
idly as I hoped or even desired, still
there has been much accomplished
for which | am profoundly grateful
to Almighty God 1t IS beyond
question that the new church viii be
built, and that work will be COM
menced in the near future Your
building committee lacks only
1925 90 II having the amount that,
according to disciplinary require
ments, must be had before con-
tract can be let.
Your pastor deems it unwise to
90 into any extended argument set
ting forth the needs of a new, mod
ern church building commensurate
with yopr requirements as a congre-
CATION of worshipers and IN keeping
with the splendid type Of your So
cial, civic, and church life. That
need is 50 manifest to all that it
would be a serious reflection upon
your intelligence to argue it. None
can longer deny that though conse-
Grated by many hallowed memories
and tender associations, our present
church building is untitled for the
development of that vigorous type
of militant Methodism that IS need |
ed for the solving of the many per-
picking problems Of this twentieth |
century. True it is that at this al
tar you dedicated your children |
TO God in baptism that it was here |
they were given IN marriage; and |
that it was from here you bore your
sacred dead to the silent and dream
less slumber of the tomb | appre-
ciate the holy memories that cluster
around each piece Of brick and NOR
tar of this historic old building
where the mighty spirits Of the past
God and from which they
assembled to the Church Trium-
plant But while all this is true.
you must likewise remem ber that
the demands of the Kingdom of God
are more binding than mere senti-
ment for place, however hallowed by
memories of the past, or else you
find yourselves blind worshippers OF
the by gone days, and thereby prove
yourselves laggards in the great race
for supremacy. The demands Of
the Kingdom of God, and the saw
ing of yourselves from spiritual stag
nation call for immediate action on
your part, or else you must suffer
as the consequence of your neglect.
That which should be an ever
motive to action on your
part is your obligation to give God
the best that you possess, This is
an obligation that the mighty scheme
Of redemption imposes upon you,
and which you can never shirk.
Sod gave you Heavens best treas
lre when His Incarnate Son came
from the bosom of the Infinite and
entered upon the mediatorial func-
lions of His mission He that
spared not his own Son, but freely
gave him up" certainly deserves the
oest gifts in return for this redemp-
i've benefit This should be the
greatest incentive to service.
But there are other considerations
hat cannot be ignored by a people
" whom the law of progress Is
'beyed. This is an age of progress
md development. The tramp Of
he marching hosts of conquest is
heard on every side. The CONNER
.ial world is throbbing with activity
Is never before. The development /
# science and the marvellous Won ,
Ter of inventive genius have far sur r
passed the most sanguine dreams Of {
men. Man is fast attaining to the /
Ultimate supremacy over the forces ,
# nature itself, and entering upon I
lis predestined glory as lord and
master of world redeemed. 1t Is !
10 longer a matter of expediency
hat you obey the call of God to :
erviee; it is a matter of vital necesi- {
y that you be up and doing if you !
rope to win in this race for a crown. l.
Tod has no need of or use for a
'hurch or a people WHO CAN But {
vHo WILL NOT FULFILL His great re- /
lemptive purposes in the world. I
The day that Methodism ceases to /
ulfll Gods saving purposes in the t
world, y said the venerable founder !
# our church after more than a half
century of service, that day viii {
lie sweep it aside. and raise up an
,ther people who will be obedient |
into the heavenly calling Men ]