The Press., 1913-11-05
HOME NEWS.
STAFFORD SPRINGS. Recognition of Rev. L. Rees.

Recognition Ot Rev. l.. Nees.
 On Wednesday afternoon and even
 ing the services for the recognition o
 Rev. l.. Rees as pastor of the Congre
 gational church took place. At ?. 3'
 o o'clock Rev. J. W. Ballantine of Wes
 Stafford read the letter missive, fafte
 which Rev. R. G. Clapp of Lowell
 MT. Rees' predecessor, was elected
 moderator of the council. Rev. E
 H. Thayer of Somers was chosel
 scribe. After the roll-call of thu
 council members the moderator reat
 the authorized form of procedure fol
 such a service, and the new pastor
 was then asked for statement. After
 explaining his preference for the rec ognition over the installation form o1 service, on account of the simpler
 method of procedure obtaining in rec
 ognition, MT. Rees proceeded to give
 his confession of faith, of which the following is a a brief summary: ]
 believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ,
 therefore, CD I believe in the God
 revealed therein; (2) I believe in
 the great Central Figure therein por- trayed,. Jesus Christ, 'the flower of
 man and God;' (3) believe in the
 Holy Spirit therein promised to carry on the work of redemption from age to age; (4) In the kingdom of God
 therein unfolded as the ideal social order, and in the church as the in- strument of Divine purpose to estab- fish that kingdom upon the earth. God to me is a Father, with heart of love and tenderness, infinite and ineffable, and an indwelling spirit,
 inspiring all that is good in me, and checking all that is evil. God is one who loves men because that is His in the hearts of those who will re- ceive Him in faith and humility. God has revealed Himself most of all in Jesus Christ. All that know of God, in His moral attributes, is through Christ. Christ is God to me, and I see no idolatry in giving the Christ the worship and adoration of my soul. To Him I give the first place in my life and in my ministry. And the Holy Spirit that talketh of the things of Christi is constantly leading those who trust His guidance into all truth. Revelation did not cease with the apostles; God, through the Spirit, is still fulfilling Himself in many ways. The Spirit operates in the church for the building up of the kingdom. The kingdom is greater than the church. The kingdom is toI enter the whole of life, whereas it1 is impossible to bring more than al part of life into the church. But that part should be of the greatest import ance to the whole, and in vital re- lation with every other part. This is my view of the church. It is a special organ of the kingdom, and it's function is to expound the nature and enforce the claims of the kingdom. This is the message of the church. God claims to be King, and it is to the proclamation of that message, as a minister of the church, I rededicate my life.'
 A short intermission was given the audience, during which, in secret council, unanimous vote was taken for the recognition of MT. Rees. At 4 o'clock, after the singing of hymn, Rev. D. E. Jones of Ellington read from Matt 6: 19-34. Dressler's an- them, ''Te Deum,'' was sung by the choir, assisted by Miss Badmington, soprano soloist in the Union church, Rockville. Rev. J. w. Ballantine offered prayer, which was followed by the congregational singing of hymn. Rev. G. B. Merriam of the Puritan Brooklyn, N. Y., took for the text of his sermon Christian poise,' '' as found in Isaiah 26: :3, "Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee." MT. Merriam spoke of loyalty as an important link that shall bind hearts together, and the great need of it by both pastor and people as representatives of Christ There was never such a need of Christian poise as at the present time and never such a realization of what we face. It is lack of poise that causes the so-called restlessness of the masses, which is literally the restless ness of the classes. Cultivate Chris tian poise and never hurry never furry = never worry. God reigns and the government of the human soul is right. Poise comes from the Master, who said Let not your heart be troubled, Come unto me- Poise is the fly wheel which sets the machi- nery in motion; it gives the move- ment which develops the power. King Saul and Jonah had it not, but David and John were surely it's possessors. The twenty third Psalm is the master piece of Christian boise. This poise is the metal which shall be put in the scales to balance the past and the future.'' The choir sang the anthem, "Blest Be the Tie That Binds, '' by Root. Miss Hortense W. Philbriok of Hartford having the solos. After the singing of the. doxology Rev. H. A. Blake of Colchester, who preceded MT. Clapp as. pastor of the local church, pronounced the benediction. A. E. Waite, the organist, gave for a postlude "Hosanna, ; by Wacha. Luncheon for the out-of town guests and visifino clarov uoa so~ooI1 ;,, +bo