El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-10-02

Gospel of CHRIST
During the months that have
stretched out into years, I have en-
deavOred to preach the gospel OF our
Lord Jesus Christ. as the book and his
spirit have revealed IL unto me- Like
Paul, from my pulpit and In my minis
tratlOns 10 you and among you ] have
purpOsed to know nothing but Jesus
Christ and him crucified. and God has
hOnOred our faith and our labOrs in the
salvation of many souls and in the
deepening of the work of grace in many
hearts As you know. the itinerant
wheel Of Southern Methodism has been
slowly but surely turning. but on the
9th Of October. so far as the New
Mexico conference is concerned IL viii
stop, and one itinerant preacher will
step off and another step on, and the
mighty machinery Of a mighty church
viii roll on to larger things and into
broader fields Of usefulness.
Sometimes, looking at it from our
standpoint, a change Of pastors every
four years works a hardship. to both
people and pastor. but God has greatly
houored our ittnerant system and thou
sands upon thousands have been swept
into the kingdom under past and pres
ent conditions. / am not a philosopher
or a sage, but I am not sure but the
time limit" is a good thing Our
church law provides for a change every
four years, except for bishops. editors.
college presidents. professors in schools
and colleges and in mission and settle
ment work Yet you viii find II you
examine church statistics. that South
ern Methodist preachers, on an
average, remain as long in our
church as do the ministers OF other de-
nominations. / call 20 mind many
changes which have come to sister
churches in FL Paso since I came as
your pastor Drs- Easter, Rice, over
street and Millican alone remain TO
tell the story II is the proud boast Of
MethOdlsm that we have no charge with
out a preacher and no preacher with
out a charge, and this cannot be said
or any other denomination except those
having the same polity and form of
government as that Of our own church.
Southern MethOdism has accomplished
much; her history is a glorious one.
and under the providence OF God and
his Christ the great head OF the church
we are doing our part in the work OF
evangelizing the world at home and
abroad
Preached for Christ.
During my quadrennium. no uncer-
tain sound has gone out from this pull
pit, for \. my preaeh,lns has been Christie
centric l may have said some things
which seemed harsh and which have hurt
just a little, but conditions made this
necessary. The surgeon sometimes uses
the knife, the gardener finds il neces-
sary to use the pruning hook the
he can bind the sheaves and gather
them into the garner. l assure that no
harsh word was ever spoken by me
through malice or personal spite or to
crafty a vindictive spirit There were
some unto whom Christ felt called upon
10 speak in no uncertain terms. and
ret there was no hatred. no bitterness.
no malice in his heart Some criticisms
have reached my ears, some kind. some
lnkind. but for the most part most
al nan- 70
criticisms but just or unjust. kind OF
lnkiud. none have swerved me from
he one purpOse-the salvation of the
ost- The same sermons which I have
to you 1 have preached unto
myself. for I have ever tried to think of
myself as sitting by your side in the
pew. Not much fOolishness. no strange
Tres have burned upon Gods altar here
ilnce coming to you as your pastor for
hold that this pulpit was not erected I
or worldly reforms, nor for secular I
.ducaton, but il was erected in the I
lame OF Christ and for the proclama-
ion Of the everlasting gospel of the .
on of God. As for me and my house. /
We love the church, her doctrines and /.
and wherever our lot NAV
all. we shall go with a smile and with 1
purpose in our hearts 20 make that 7
lace historic for God.
Trinity Wants Faith
I soon found. upon assuming the
uues OF the pastor Of this church. that Q
trinity cared little for the theoretical. I
historic. dead Christ. but reveled in
he faith and glory of the crucified and
iseu Savior, who while upon earth
vent about healing the sick. unstop-
ing deaf ears and opening the eyes
Z the blind. ] pray for you, that Christ
nay be permitted TO come in and oc-
upy the throne room Of your souls
nd because of your fidelity he NAV
'alk up and down these aisles. touch
lg the hearts Of the unsaved and z
peaking words of comfort and joy to
is children through the organ and
trough our sacred songs and the /
reached word. Ny prayer for these
rho shall worship here when I am 7
one is that this church shall be the I
" etest place to your souls this side
{ heavens gates Of pearl and that. in
he great day Of Judgment you may [
ppear before the everlasting throne
18th your robes unstained and 20 away !
nth Jesus into everlasting life Ny
lought. my wish. my prayer for YOU
II is breathed out in the language of !
~ text. The grace of our Lord Jesus
hrist be with YOU all"
-Four years ago I came to YOU. but
nose years are all but gone now God
closing as ii were the fourth volume
{ my ministry with you. and this
olume with the others will be laid
way, not to be opened until 1 shall
In I