The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-07
REV. bR0ADY TALKS ON CALL OF GOD New Pastor Breaches Intro
 duct0ry Sermon
ABRAHAM DISCUSSED
Comes to Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church From Shawnee, Okla.
 Modern Examples of Pas
 tors Heeding Gods Call

At the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian church yesterday morning the new pas tor, the Rev. J. M Broadly. conducted the service and preached his introductory sermon During the service the pastor was introduced to the congregation by Elder W. M. Cosby in fitting speech. and Dr. Broadly responded with a short statement in which he partially outlined his plan of church work, and said that he sincerely hoped the congregation would consider him always at their ser vice.
 | Dr. Broadly comes 10 the Fifth Avenue church from Shawnee, Okla, where he is said to have been remarkably success ful for young minister. The people ot Shawnee expressed regret that this pro gressiye young man should leave for other fields. and earnestly sought to have Dr. Broadly reconsider his decision. Dr. Broadly, however, was of tho opinion this his field for doing good was larger in Birmingham, and therefore he ac- cepted the call of the Fifth Avenue church when pr. l. D. Steele rendered his resignation to accept a call to Chat t<hooga.
 A Friend of God
 In his first sermon pr Broadly spoke from the text of Jos. 2:2s. And Ab- ra ham believed God, and it was reasoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God
 The pastor said in part:
 There is a strange analogy between Enoch, Noah and Abraham in that they were dreamers of far away day. in Abraham's day, 20o0 years before Christ the people lived according Go their right and went along plodding their monot- onous life with no thought of the future. But Abraham was the exception. lie dreamed of the God, Jehovah, and saw ahead 20o0 years and lived 200 years ahead of his people because he listened to the call of God and was the friend of God.
 There arc days in winter wfen one sees the coming of spring, there are people who have Easter visions while yet in the midst of winter. These are the ylsionarles, they are the victims of anticipation. But Abraham with his dreams and the wanderlust that seized nlm to leave his people and seek coun- try for himself, was the victim of his age. He believed in God and heard the call of God to go into other fields of en- deavor, and went accordingly. not being deterred by the hazardous trip. But with his faith in Jehovah he set forth and never stopped until he reached his goal. Abraham was thus described as the friend of God, for as Jesus said. 'Ye are My friends if ye do,' and Abraham did and fulfilled al. the requirements by ] making supreme sacrifices in obeyins the cal iof God. Abraham was Gods friend because he did what God wanted him to do in the way God wanted 1t done. Modern Examples Tn this modern day we have exam pies of those who. like Abranam,- ,-~heark- en to the call of God into larger and more useful fields. Not long ago John l Timothy Stone. young pastor in Bati- more, was sought for a Chicago pas torate. A committee of business men I from the latter city waited on him and sought to prevail upon him to accept the call to the larger and more responsible pastorate at Chicago. He refused for the people of Baltimore lovephim for his work and his power and he loved the people. Ine cOininltte 1eit put fetufneu l some months afterward with u stronger plea than ever that he should accept the Chicago pastorate. They drew the pie ture of his field there among the vic tims of our economical inequality. of the power for good he would become in this metropolitan church. MT. Stone consd- cred, and as he conqdercd his Baltimore | friends and all who could bear influence on him sought to ha him decide to re- main in Baltimore. l}ut MT. Stone real l ized then and there that the Chicago call was the call of God. and he resigned his pastorate and went to Chicago, where to- day he stands a great power for good | in his chosen field.
 'Other such examples come to light every day, and cannot enumeratc them | here. Suffice 1t to say that such men are believers in God and like Abraham are ever willing to hearken to his word of command. for they are the friends Of God"