The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-22


 and thank Him for each one in It's turn. the Society for the Relief of Disabled Clergy-will learn how it was estab- lished more than half a century ago; how it's property was preserved during the dark days of the late war. and will thank God for it's present existence and it's ability to aid.
 He will recognize in the city of Mobile, the Church Home for Orphans; will re- joice in the benevolent work there being done and will thank God for the sympa- thy and faith which led to it's estab lishment and for the wonderful generosi- ty with which it has been sustained, He will regard the history of the Woman's Auxiliary as a most beautiful interpre- taton of the parable of the mustard seed, as he realizes that from very small beginning, made with many anx- ious thoughts, it has grown to it's pres ent proportions, and he will thank God for the great work that is being done by this agency. And as he traces the work of the Diocesan Missionary society, es- pecially during the last ten years, he cannot fail to approve the system upon which it has been placed and the energy with which the work has been carried on, and once more he will thank God that this diocese has realized the truth that the church of Christ can only be true to It's mission by being a missionary church, and deyoting it's energies to- wards preaching the gospel to the world. And as one by one these blessings are considered, the heart will understand more and more fully the reasons for 
 As the promised blessing of God in temporal matters does not lessen the ne- eessity for diligent labor on the part or the husbandman, so among the blessings 4~1. IL. s-1 ample reasons to place the labors of our chief pastors. It has been my privilege to know and serve under every bishop of this diocese, and I can bear most grate ful testimony to their earnest efforts and most faithful labors. They have been willing and ready at all times to go where duty called; they have not only sought to uphold the hands of the paro- chial clergy, but also to become &C., quainted with the individual members of the flock, that both by official inter- course and personal efforts they might win souls. The first bishop of Alabama is said to have remarked that so far as he could learn, he had visited every church family in the diocese. Tn this matter his successors have been no less diligent and while the growth of the church now makes such a result imprac- ticable. there has always been an effort to accomplish it.
 Seed Must Be Good
 As no amount of labor and no promised help from a higher power will avail to secure rich temporal harvests unless the seed be good, so we have ample reason to believe that the growth of the church in this diocese and the prosperity we now enjoy are largely due to the fact that the seed sown has been good. The seed is the word of God and that is the word which by the Gospel has been most delivered to the diocese. Look ing back, as in this instance I may be permitted to do. I doubt whether the word has been more earnestly preached by it's bishop, than the diocese in which we live.
 There are few living in the land today who remember the first bishop of Ala bama, but I may be permitted, in all to say, that his preaching had much to do with the growth of the church in this diocese. His constant theme was the love of Christ. In lan- guage plain, simple and direct, he dwelt upon the reality and the value of the atonement. He laid great stress upon the truth that God was now reconciled to man and that there was no condemna- tion to any man who was in Christ Jesus. And dwelling upon this truth he urged men to come to Jesus and sought by all means in his power to encourage the doubting Christian.
 There are many living today who can recall the words of the second bishop of Alabama how with deep feeling he loved to speak of the Fatherhood of God; how men were made brethren through the death of Christ, and how the church of God was designed to be the home of all the faithful.
 There are many, too, who remember the preaching of the bishop coadjutor of this diocese; how his fervid eloquence