Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-06
LONG TINE IN PULPIT
Rev. Or. Power Completes His
Fhirty-Fourth Year.
TALKS OF RETIREMENT
Remarks in Sermon Heard With
Regret by Congregation.
A MUCH-LOVED MINISTER
Vermont Avenue Clergyman's
Friends Many Among All Re-
ligious Denominations.

In the Vermont Avenue Christian
Church yesterday morning Rev. DR.. Fred
rick D. Power, the veteran pastor, re-
membered his thirty fourth anniversary
and commented upon it. During the
course of his sermon he declared that it
has always been a conviction with him
that thirty-five years should be the limit
of any mans service for the same con-
gregation, and that it remained to be seen
whether he will have the grace to lay
down his charge at the end Of that Pc
Rod.
AS he closed this paragraph the effect
on the congregation was noticeable. Dr.
Power. after thirty-fo years in the pas
torate has hundreds of friends who be-
lieve that 1t would be calamity to the
Vermont Avenue Church to lose him as
the pastor. Many told him at the close
of the service that they earnestly hoped
he would not consider the thought of re-
firing from the passionate.
His Wide Popularity.
Dr. Power is equally popular with
churchmen of other denominations in the
National Capital, and this morning a
number declared it would be great
disappointment to them to see the veteran
pastor retire: A Presbyterian said:
whenever contemplate the church field
of Washington and l gaze about for
to DR.. Power as the representative of the
Christian Church l regard him as one
of the strong men on Christ's picket line.
He stands shoulder to shoulder with the
| leading. ministers of the National Capt.
| tai, and churchmen throughout the city,
| in my estimation, would look with deepest
| regret on his retirement from the Ver-
mont Avenue pastorate-in fact. the
church people of Washington generally
| would feel the loss as deeply as would
| the disciples of Christ"
His Changing Congregations.
81 am not preaching today said DR..
Power in his sermon. Ito the same con-
| gregation that faced me thirty-four years
ago. The little church then has been
gathered into the Fathers home. Is be-
fore the Fathers throne-only half
dozen Of the veterans are with us this
morning. Twice at least In this period
| the congregation has changed.
"Paurs prayer for the Colossians is
mine for you today: That you may be
| filled with the knowledge Of His will In
| all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
that you may walk worthy OF the Lord
| unto all pleasing: that you may be fruit
| full in every good work: that you may be
strengthened with all might according to
His glorious power. unto all patience and
long suffering with 1OyfulneSS.
God has been gracious to u.s." said the
pastor in closing. This year has been
the best. Two things. at least. have
marked 1t: the purchase Of our Sunday
school house and the opening. through
the lfberality Of one Of our original mem.
beers, of our ninth center of religious
life, the Strauss Memorial Church. At
fictions have come. but with all our dis
1 cipline we are better men and women
than we were one year ago.
Looking Forward.
Now for another year Of glorious serv'
kice A thousand in the Sunday school
with our new facilities-a liberal provi-
sion for the payment on the new quarters
for the Bible school. Our work does not
stop, 1t does not even tighten; 1t becomes
more and more onerous. We must dc
more for the young people, for the chill
dren, for the poor and needy, for the
churchless and neglected. for the out
cast. for our city, our land, for the re-
gions beyond.
| I'VE must advance in grace, In piety, in
liberaiity, in the knowledge of the Lord
Jesus and In the likeness of the Lord
Jesus"