Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1914-12-04

sion, fraught with the sacred joy
that is attendant upon the con-
summation of mutual endeav0r, a
foreward to the message our Chief
Pastor shall presently bring us,
! trust, be inappropriate.
As / stand in this presence
would call to remembrance the
years that are past-the years Of
an entire ministry exercised among
you, and / am reminded in this
connection that in point of con-
tinuous service / may, modestly
! hope, claim seniority of every
minister of every household oi
faith in every community in this
entire d, whose northernly
boundry is Okolona and southern.
ly boundry Macon. My rectorshir
covers a period ofonly eight years,
and yet, We're there such an office,
I might, after diplomatic usage,
be styled the Dean of the Minis
terial corps in northeast Missis-
sippi.
MY first visit to Macon, as a
clergyman and also a theological
student of the senior class at Sew
anee, was made in the early days
of January, 1906, during vacation,
and disclosed two facts. / was
the rector of an invisible church
building and Of a scattered, dis
pirited flock, long unshepherded.
On a windy March day in 1901,
the old frame church of the Natl
witty, which occupied another site,
had succumbed to the flames that
originated in and destroyed the
adjacent rect0ry. The congrega-
tion sat in the ashns of desolation,
wrapped in the mantle of apathy.
There was a brief season for the
holding of a few services, for &C
quaintanceship with my people,
and for a survey Of conditions,
and then, vacation ended, / re.
turned to Sewanee to complete my
Unity course.
In September, 1906, I assumed
regu.ar chal &c Of uliis wJrk, hav-
ing been advanced to the Priest
hood. I shall not dwell upon the
struggles and vicissitudes of the
first year of my ministry to this
congregation further than to say
that they challenged faith and
perseverance and gave zest to the
surrounding of obstacles not a
few. The very existence of the
congregation was jeOpardized by
reason of the lack of a Lords
House. We resolutely determin-
ed, by Gods help, to once more
rear our altar in this community.
The insurance money and other
sums had created a nucleus for the
church building fund which was
sufficiently increased through in.
dividual and corporate contribu'
tions to justify the breaking OF
ground in October, 1907. A loan
of 81, 700 from the General Church
Building Fund, the last payment
of which has just been made, en-
abled the speedy completion Of
this structure, which was formal
ly opened on Sexagesima Sunday,
1908. The total cost ofsite, build
ing and furnishings is about $6,
900. not including nearly $500 in
terest.
So much by way of reminiscence.
A church building has been aptly
called a sermon in stone. Un'
doubtedly the Church of the Ma.
tivity is one in brick, for it has
taught us come helpful lessons
We have learned from our own
experience that the three great es
,entials of the spiritual life are
vision, work and pr yer. One Of
the first questions which st. Pau
asked after his vision on the
Damascus road was, "Lord, what
wilt Thou have me to dot" HI
wanted to go to work and not
simply be a visionary, but to trans
late vision into action. But, how
ever essential are vision and work
they are worth nothing without
that spiritual dynamic thatis call
ed prayer. st. Paul was what hi
was because he was man of Wis
ion, work and prayer.
Vision, Work, Prayer. Of this
Triad let this Holy Temple be
memorial throughout the years it,
cross. crowned tower shall lift vi
it's head in this community.
The race is not always to th'
swift, not the battle to the strong
This is another lesson written fol
our learning. A few faithful peo
ple NAV dare and accomplish al
adventure for God-yet ''not untt
us, O Lord, not unto us, but unit
THY name we give the praise" If
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