The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-11-12
REV. E. J. CRAFT ADDRESSES MEN OF CHRIST CHURCH Retiring Rector To Leave Soon For New Charge In Kan
 SaS City
HAS BEEN POWER FOR
 GOOD IN COMMUNITY
His Final Talk To Men Of His Parish Proved Most Entertain ing---Experiences Of A
 Country ParsOn

Last night s D1-mOnthly meeting Of
 the Mems Club of Christ Episcopal | church in the parish house was not l able occasion, being the last time that 1 the members will have Rev. E. T. 1 Craft with them as their rector. The l general good fellowship that marks i these sessions were present but there was strain of sadness noted through 1 a feeling of regret that MT. Craft con 1 siders it his duty to go elsewhere. For the men of Christ church, as do l Bridgeporters in general respect and love him. Not only is it considered a loss to the church and community through his leaving but the members and guests showed that they are ex- periencing personal loss.
 1 The gathering was strictly informal, l much of the time passed in a special 1 manner. As was expected, Mir. Craft 1 was the guest of the evening. There l were other guests as each member of the club had the opportunity of i'm viting one and most of them availed themselves of it.
 President A. c. F1ather presided and introduced MT. Craft as the speaker of the evening. The address was more of an informal talk, interesting, as aI- ways and of much profit. ''Reminis- censes of a Country Parson'' was the general theme. From 8 wealth of ex- perfences in spreading the Gospel and GNV a number of the most thrilling
 Lights and shadows of human en- deavor, as seen by a typical circuit rider with 5 miles to ride on a Sun day in supplying three churches, or chapels, were portrayed by a master hand. Self sacrifice, that self sacri- fee that has resulted in churches un- der discouraging circumstances was shown, as met with in rural places
 Out of these experiences he picked here and there a character of parti- cular strength and illustrating the force that has been behind the spread and upho1ding of Christianity. One, perhaps a man. another a woman were presented to illustrate points out All were personally met by the speak CT. Each and every one met much to him in the success of his work With them he had sympathized in their grief and rejoyed in their suc- cesses.
 Throughout, he held the close at tention of his audience. His leaving Bridgeport was not touched upon and informally before, the address he said that there would be no farewell ser mon.
 During the evening there were mus ical selections on the photograph and, following the address, there was a roast beef supper with all fixings. As sisting President F1ather in entertain ing were Morton Lines, vice president, Herbert Smith, secretary and treas urer, F. M. Wilder and R. T. Whiting
 It was several weeks ago that Mr. Craft accepted the call to the rector ship of the large and inf1uencial St Georges Episcopal church in Kansas City, Mo. Attempts were made TO have him reconsider but were unsuc- cessful He expects to leave Bridge port November 30.
 Had he remained month longer ne would have been at the head of Christ church for seven years. During that time he has been one of the most prominent and best liked cIergymen in the city and has been a, power for good in religious, secular and civic matters. Possessing exceptional abi1- ity along oratoricaI and dramatic lines speaker at public occasions. This, his personal popularity and democratic manners have resulted in marked growth for his church.
 MT. Craft was born in Birmingham. Ohio in 1868 and was ordained a min ister of the Congregational church when he was 21 years old. It was about five years later when he was received into the ministry of the Epis- copa1 church and accepted a call to 1 Grace church at South Cleveland. l Later he went to Elyria and then to MassiIon in that state. It was from that place he came to Bridgeport.
 He is also prominent fraternally. l being grand chaplain of the Connecti- cut Masonic grand lodge.
 St. Georges church in Kansas Ciiv is one Of the largest and most in | Auencial churches in that part of the country and he believes that it will | give him much broader field of work.