Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-29
REV. WARREN F. DAY SPEAKS
TO BIG CONGREGATION
Pastor Emeritus Tells of Struggles
and conquests and Advances
Made Since He Came to
Los Angeles

y
The front peWs were reserved for those
members of the church who were on
the church roll when Dr. Day as
sumed his pastorate fifteen years ago.
OF the 400 who were members at that
time only 142 are now living, and these
turned out yesterday to celebrate the
day.
DR.. Day preached an anniversary
sermon from the topic, These Fifteen
Years." and spoke of the events
which had occurred since his coming
to Los Angeles. He took for his text:
And thou shalt remember all the way
which the Lord thy God led thee. -
Deut. So.
DR.. Day said:
Memory measures our knowledge;
without memory there would be neith-
er thinker nor worker Life would be
reduced to the sum of present sensa-
tions. The Fathers evident plan is
that our lives should be wider than
our survey at any one time and larger
than the events transpring within any
single day and night. SO he makes us
able to recall much of our yesterdays
and turn their experiences to account
in the business of today. Thou shalt
remember all the way which the Lord
thy God led thee This passage fits
this pastoral fifteenth anniversary.
Receive Church Greetings
The street lights and the stars
were saluting each other in the early
evening of November 80, 1894, as your
senior pastor and wife, with the dust
Of the desert upon them, were greeted
by the officials Of this church. On
the Sunday morning following
preached my inaugural sermon in the
building on the corner of Sixth and
Hill streets. There, looking into the
faces Of strangers in whose eyes there
was kindness as well as curiosity, l
faced the future beneath whose hori-
zon lay what God only knew.
THAT we may recall all the way the
Lord has led US l need to touch only
a chord here and there. The march
Of these years has been in the presence
of mighty movements, carrying with
them the momentum of centuries.
Were not the strident noises of earth
muffled we should have been over
Whelmed with the clamOr of the mill
lions calling, commanding, debating,
and protesting. Sounding
out of this din our ears have been
smitten by the cry Of the Congo, the
victims of the Boxers and Armenian
massacres. the assassination of Presi-
dent Mckinley, storms and coal mine
disasters.
CITY MAKES hapld SroWln
Meanwhile there has been a pro-
cession of achievements. Electricity
has made this an almost new world
and wireless telegraphy furnished
new right arm for humanity and COM
merce. \ vast wave of temperance
legislation has vindicated its value in
a decrease Of crime and an increase OF
trade The Panama canal has been
assured. our flag fioated from Manila
to the north pole, munificent gifts eX-
ceeded those of any previous period
for religious and educational purposes
have been among the hopeful features
of these years.
And the city in which we have been
making our history must be reckoned
With: a city newly arrived, of phenom-
enal growth, to which the best blood
and brain of the east and middle west
is being drawn; a city in which every
political and industrial pro-
iect is at the front and with every RAD
and wild-eyed scheme and every foe
of the home and the state alert. 1t is
a city also in which a great company
is striving to make it a better city,
place where the young people may find
safety and our churches be in the most
fraternal relations, as witness our J.
NJ. {. A. and Y. w. c. A, with their
superb buildings, and our Federation
of Churches, of which your pastor was
the first president.
Struggle with Debt
ITO this church this period has been
one of trials and triumphs. Fifteen
years ago the situation was serious
to a degree which can hardly be real
lied in the present public prosperity.
A bonded and floating debt OF SlS'SOO'
which had been reduced from $4,000,
Law upon us, but that reduction had
reduced our debt-paying ability. The
then recent financial slump left a gem
eral depression. Through discourage
ment many pledges were Cancelled.
"Then the final struggle, pathetic dra-
matte, often seemingly useless, Whlch
resulted July / in victory, both bond
ed and floating obligations being wiped
out. on the following Sunday July a.
was a Jubilee. In November 1901 the
Sixth street property was sold and on
July 10. 1903 this house of worship
was dedicated free from debt.
since December 1894 our member
ship with constant removals has IN
creased from 431 to l949, not including
the list that will be received next
Sunday. Total additions during these
fifteen years are 1850. Our annual
current expenses have reached Sl4,'OO'
and bcuCvolcnces over $4,000.
"As "a church we are organized for
work. for men, women and young peo-
pie. This building is a beehive, and
open 36l days in the year, with from
forty-siN to ninety meetings of various
kinds each month
Brethren, the Masters work goes
on though the Workmen change. Only
two or three pastors in this city who
were here in 1894 are here now and
but 142 of our members at that time
We preach to a procession,
but the same loyal unity and hearty
kindness which marked those early
DAYS have been transmitted through
all change. The same faith in the
Saviour Sovereign Son Of God, keeps
fresh.
"WhNe there has been much which
men observe, through these years that
which has been most comforting, most
influential in human welfare and des-
tniy. has been as silent in it's action
as The football of a spirit in the halls
of a soul. outside of ourselves we have
reached out to Japan, China, and Tur-
key. with a large share in the reli-
gious and benevolent work of this
community.
Just this in closing. Your appre-
citation, your kindness and co-opera-
tion have been abundant | have rea-
son to be grateful for the kindnesses
of this community and for the cour-
tesies of the press. All that you have
been to me during these fifteen years
and all that these nine years in pas
toral association with my son in this
church have been to me l cannot eX-
press. l love you.'