The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-07
DR. ]. H. FOSTER
 AGAIN DELAYED
DEATH OF WIPES MOTHER MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO SUNDAY.

Due to the death of his wifes moth CT, Dr. J. H. Foster, the new pastor of the First Presbyterian church, will be unable to reach Brmin gham in time to fill his pulpit Sunday. A letter re- ceived by Judge A. c. Howze yesterday stated the grief which had entered the pastors home, which will cause a de- lay of one week in his taking charge of the local field
 Dr. Foster preached his farewell ser
 mon to his charge in Petersburg last
 Sunday, and received a beautiful silver service as a gift of devotion. The fol-
 lowing account of the occasion pub
 lished in the Daily Index-Appeal of
 Petersburg will be of local interest:
 Rev Dr. J. s. Foster, who for the
 past eight years has been the beloved
 pastor of Tabb Steet Presbyteriaii
 church in this city, and who recently
 accepted a call to the pastorate of tn
 First Presbyterian church at Birming
 ham, Ala, conducted his final service
 as pastor of the church last Sunday.
 His text in the morning was T am
 the vine; ye are the branches" from
 which he preached most able sermon. At the close of the sermon Dr. Eos ter announced that this would be his last Sabbath as pastor of the church, and then briefly referred to the call he had accetped to the church at Bir- mingham. In closing, Dr. Foster said h, AoI lofA Al ,Af fa rarr arI, a farewell sermon, as he was not will ing to trust himself to do so. Through
 remarks from friends he believed that he had the confidence and esteem of the community for which he was very
 grateful; that there was scarcely a church in Petersburg in which he had not conducted a service of some kind during his eight years ministry here.
 He would never forget the people of
 Petersburg and should ever pray for
 them.
 At night at o'clock, Dr. Foster
 delivered a special sermon before A.
 P. Hill camp of Confederate Veterans
 which was present in body in uni-
 form, and occupied the front row of
 pews in the middle aisle. All of the auditorium was packed and many oc :.
 cupied seats in the galleries. Dr. Eos
 ter's text was taken from Romans and
 his subject was "The Obligation of
 Every Man to be a Christian" The
 speaker discussed his theme under three
 heads, showing that the greatest gift
 to the world was the Lord Jesus Christ
 as the Saviour of man. Dr. Foster de-
 clared in beautiful language that the
 obligation of every man was not to his
 chief joy of the world was true Chris tianity. Addressing himself especiaHy to the Confederate Veterans present Dr. Foster said that whenever he ap- peared before a body of ConfederaNe veterans he always felt like doing so with head uncovered Bringing his ser mon to a close Dr. Foster expressed his high appreciation of the compli- ment paid him by A. P. Hill camp of Confederate Veterans in requesting him to preach sermon before the camp be- fore leaving to take up his residence in a distant city, and also for the large attendance of his Masonic friends as well as the large out-pouring of rep resentatives of other denominations of the city. In feeling and touching words Dr. Foster said that during his min istry here he had preached to thous ands of people from this pulpit, and that his ever desire and prayer shoulu be that when the roll was called up wonder the answer might be Saved . The sermop, which occupied nearly one hour. WAS heard throughout with the closest attention.
 "Dr. Foster and family will leave some time this week for Birmingham, l carrying with them the prayers and best wishes of the entire community. "As testimonial of their love and esteem for their retiring pastor the congregation of the church has pr5- | sented Dr. Foster with handsome silver service
 l Rain and SIeet at Decatur.