The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-12-28
FAREWELL SERMON
OF DR.. w. HI. DODGE


The following is a brief synopsis of
the sermon preached in the Presby-
terrain church yesterday morning. The
text was taken from The Goth Psalm,
18th verse, ''And let the favor of the
Lord our God be upon us; and estab
lish thou the work of hands upon US;
yea, the work of our hands establish
| thou it." DR.. Dodge said IN the be-
ginning of the sermon the psalmist in
the psalm has contrasted two thoughts
which are the opposites of each other,
viz: the eternity of God and the brew
ity and frailty of human life, but has
given to man Notwithstanding his un-
| worthiness and his manifold infrmi-
ties assurance that he is still an OBJ
| ject of divine consideration and
subject of gracious privileges. One
Of which the psalmist commends, that
of supplication, as he made the words
of the text a prayer for the greatest
blessing that one could ask, even the
| favor of the Lord. This gift of his
| benediction he sought upon the work
of his hands, ali the things done by
him in the interest of the kingdom of
God, the good of his fellow man and
the welfare of human society.
| DR.. Dodge then called attention to
the work which he, as a minister of
the gospel in his church, has sought
| 70 n h. !. l.
years ago. He said his work upon
which he could ask the favor of the
| Lord, "that he would establish it."
! had been as to it's character evangeli-
cal, for he had preached Jesus Christ
and him crucifed as the Savior of the
| world; that he was both the son of
| God and the Son of Mary without nat
ural father; that he was the sin
| atoning lamb, slain for the remission
| of sins, and that his name was the
only name given among men whereby
they must be saved. He said his
| preaching had been evangelical in
that he had sought to WOO and win
men to the acceptance of Christ as
the Savior of the lost, and to the APP
| preparation through faith in him of
the great salvation that he had pro
vided and offered to them And that
| in his preaching he had sought the
edifcation of the church-teaching,
instructing, inspiring, encouraging
and comforting, so that believers in
| Christ might be built up in holiness
and comfort and made strong in the
faith and active in every good word
and work
Looking back upon his ministry
since he came here eight years ago,
| the doctor said he could sincerely
pray the prayer Of the text "and es-
tablish thou the work Of our hands
upon u.s." And he felt also that the
church could unite in this prayer as
it had wrought with him in all this
work with earnestness and fidelity, as
all the various departments of the
work of the church show increased
efficiency, improved equipment and
enlarged membership, and the general
condition Of the church is better than
| it has ever been. All of which attests
the character of the work the pastor
and his wife, aided by his church,
has been able to do.
Resolutions by the Presbyterian
Church
Whereas, our beloved pastor, Rev.
W. H. Dodge, D. D., has been called
to the pastorate of the East Jackson
vile Presbyterian church; and,
Whereas, DR.. Dodge feels that in
the providence of God under divine
guidance he has been led to accept
the call believing as he does that it
offers a larger field to labor in and,
therefore, greater opportunities for
usefulness and that by reason there
Of, he can the better serve his Lord
and Master; and,
Whereas, DR.. Dodge is greatly low
ed by the officers and members of this
church and in his going we lose a
faithful friend and pastor, and the
community beloved citizen; and.
Iedo' LIZ bouge mas served THIS
| church faithfully and we'll for the
past eight years and under his care
the church has grown in numbers and
spirituality, the sick of our number
and of the community have been min
istered to and carefully watched over,
the bereaved have been comforted,
the poor have had their needs sup
piled; his daily walk and conversation