The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-09-12
Baptist Church
Presents Chest of
Silver To Rev. Wear;
Rev. Entzminger Is
Called To Passionate


mon last night, Rev. Wallace Wear
resigned the pastorage Of the FRS,
Baptist church. Touching and beau
tiful were the words that fell from
his lips as he spoke to his people
severing this most close tie-that OF
pastor and people. After over four
years of faithful and efficient service
in this church, he answers the call
of his Lord and Master for service
in another corner of his vineyard.
These have been four years blessed
of the Lord, over four hundred added
to our membership, largely by bap-
tism, a thoroughly organized Sunday
school and church, a costly and hand
some addition to our Auditorium, a
people free from the burden of a
lifted debt; all these facts bespeak
the work done by our beloved pastor,
Bro Davis was elected by the church
moderator pro tenn. Resolutions were
read by Bro. H. H. Haldeman ex-
pressing the deep regret and sense Of
loss the church sustained in accept
ing Bro. Wears resignation. Said
resolutions were adopted by the
church.
With sad hearts the church accept
ed the resignation of Bro. Wallace
Wear as pastor. Deacon Dan Sloan,
chairman of the pulpit committee,
read the recommendation from this
body After a prayerful conference
together and due elaboration, they
recommended to the church Bro.
Lewis Entzminger, of Fort Worth,
Texas, as the man to fill the place
made vacant by Bro. Wear. An in
vitation to preach has been extended
and accepted by Bro. Ensminger and
many heard him preach last Sunday.
The pulpit committee have been in
conference with him in regard to his
plans of church work and recommend
him to the church. The church ex-
and accepted by Bro. Entzminger and
unanimous call as pastor, and the
church clerk instructed to wire at
once to Bro. Entzminger this action
of the church. Bro. Wear theI
spoke of the friendship and fellow
ship he had enjoyed with Bro. Ems
minger and felt we had made a wise
choice. Bro. Davis added his hearty
approval and endorsement Of this
action of the church and predicted q
great future for our church and that
Bro. Entzminger would be one Of our
great Baptist preachers of the future.
What might have seemed an act OF
discourtesy on the part Of the
church, in seeking to fill place not
yet made vacant, was done so only
at the urgent request of our pastor.
He wishing the work that he held
so dear to go on without interruption
and that leader be chosen at once
if possible to succeed him. In this
be showed his greatness and the
sweetness of spirit that actuates his
life. For the closing moments the
officers of the W. M. s. and the Of
ficers of the T. Ell. Class and the
committee from these organizations,
occupied the rostrum. Mrs. W. d,
Edwards, president of the W. NJ. s.,
in a talk that came from her heart,
voiced the sentiments Of the women
when she expressed her apprecia-
lion of her pastor and his wife. In
he name of the women OF the
church she presented to Bro. Wear
and his wife a. token of our deep
love and esteem, a gift of silver, con-
,isting of one dozen teaspoons and
.wo said spoons Of colonial design.
Bro. Wear responded expressing how
leeply he was touched by this token
md of his deep appreciation and that
If his wife; that this token of our
owe would be a daily reminder, and
hat we would be remembered in his
petitions to his Heavenly Father
Thus closed one of the great and
,ventful days in our church-the res
gnation of our beloved pastor the
.hurch recognizing and bowling In
submission to this call Of God for
me of his messengers for service in
mother field. The unanimous call
ng of Bro. Lewis Entminger as our
lew pastor The Baptists with the
Bible as their confession of faith and
Thus saith the the Lord" as his
,uide, seek this guidance. Bro
Davis in closing made an earnest
,rayer that God would by his power
nd might show us whether the man
elected by the church to lead them
n spiritual things, was the man God
esigned for the place In deep 10y
lty to our church, we turn to a new 7
,astor by the help of our Lord to
o our part in holding up his hands
nd assisting in the onward progress I
{ the work of the kingdom. Yet we