The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1918-03-22
FAREWELL SERVICE AT The
BAPTIST CHURCH FOR Mr..
STEPHENS AND Mr.. GARY

1t is a very unusual coincidence
that a church should be called upon
to give up its pastor and its Sunday
School superintendent at the same
time for both to enter the government
service in the Y. NJ. c A. work. This
is what the First Baptist church of
Ocala has been called upon to do and
in honor of these two men-Rev Bun
yam Stephens and Mr. W. T. Gary
this church held d very impressive
farewell service Sunday night. The
previous Sunday Mr.. Stephens had
preached his farewell sermon and his
successor has already arrived but he
was persuaded to again occupy the
pulpit Sunday night, which he did and
preached a very beautiful sermon.
Goth the Presbyterian and the
Christian churches were closed Sun
day night in order that these congre-
cations should worship at the Bap.
fist church and almost the entire
congregations of both these churches
were in attendance
The Boy Scouts with the Scout
Master, Mr.. J. D. Mcdonald, also at
! tended this service in a body. Mr..
Stephens about two years ago when
the Boy Scouts had become disorgan,
lied, reorganized them and has been
their Scout Master ewes since and has
done wonderful work with these
boys. who are greatly grieved that he
has been compelled to leave them
The church and the annex were
both crowded and many had to be
turned away, showing the high es.
TEEN in which these two men are
held
Prior to Mr. stephens sermon there
was a prayer led by Rev. J. r. Harm
don and later another prayer by Rev
G. T. Wyatt
The singing was led by a choir
composed of Mrs. L. G. Ketchum
Miss Marguerite Porter, Messrs Les
ter Lucas. G. A Nash, Frank Gates
and c. E. Wyatt. Mr. Lucas render
ed magnificent solo Abide With
Ne"
At the conclusion of the regular
church services Mr.. John l.. Edwards
took charge of the meeting. He first
called on Mr.. w. H. Cassels, who on
behalf of the Baptist Sunday school
presented Mr.. Gary with a handsome
wrist watch as a small token of their
love and high regard for Mr.. Gary. In
presenting this gift Mr. Cassels made
very chaming and graceful speech.
Mr.. Gary accepted the gift in the
spirit in which it was presented and
voiced his thanks in a few beautiful
words
Mr. Edwards then called on Mr..
Harry Cole, president of the b. Y. P.
t., who gave a parting message to
Mr. Stephens and Mr. Gary from that
organization
Mr.. j D. Mcdonald spoke next for
the Boy Scouts and spoke most feel
ingly and touchingly of what the leav,
ing of Mr.. Stephens will mean to him
and to the boys, who all love and es-
TEEN him so highly Mr. Mcdonald
also made a plea for some one to
come forward and take Mr.. Stephens
place as Scout Master after his de
parture as this organization is too
great and too important an one to let
it again fall into dissolution. Our
boys" he said, ARE our greatest as.
set and they must not be neglected. {"
Mrs. F. Van Hood next spoke on be,
half of the WOman's missionary So
ciety Of the church and her talk was
very beautiful and inspiring one and
brought tears to the eyes Of many in
the congregation.
The last speech was made by Mr..
John Edwards, who on behalf of the
church, presented to Mr.. Stephens a
beautiful wrist watch Mr.. Stephens
accepted the gift and in doing so
thanked the congregation and all 9TH
ers in Ocala for the many beautiful
things they have said about him and
for their many acts of kindness and
courtesy during his stay of over five
years in Ocala and said that he would
never forget his many warm and dear
Ocala friends. But that he felt that
the service that he is going into is so
important that he could no longer fail
to accept the call to this work.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Stephens
talk the following resolutions were
read by Mr.. Neil Ferguson and were
unanimously adopted by the congre.
CATION
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