Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-24
DR.. RADCLIFFE ENDS
q YEARS IN PULPIT
Notes Great Changes While
Pastor of New York
: Avenue Church:

the closing sermon of his twenty
seven years passionate at the New
York Avenue Presbyterian Church
yesterday morning, in the presence of
a congregation which occupied every
seat in the church.
DR.. Radcliffe is a former moderator
of the Presbyterian General Assembly
and member of its executive commit
tee. He now is chairman of that as
sembly's committee upon United
States chaplains, director of the
Princeton Theological Seminary, an
active member of the Council of the
Reformed Churches in the United
States. a member of the World Pres.
byterian Alliance and of the Council
of the Federation of Churches of the
United States of America.
In his farewell sermon yesterday
DIR. Radcliffe preached upon the text.
from the second Corinthians: Now
then. we are ambassadors of Christ"
He said:
Church Brings God 10 Mau.
1t is the announcement of a divine
diplomacy. the noblest definition of
the ministry, the cleareSt explanation
of the church. the choicest express
sion of the gospel. The minister IS
not hired man. The church is not
an expedient for transient conditions.
The gospel is not mere paragraph
in modern sociology. The church is
the representative of God to man.
Tho man who speaks is in Christs
stead, as much an ambassador as was
Paul. offering by the wounds, OF
Christ the appeal of sovereign love
that men would be reconciled to God.
This distinct and exclusive commits
sion has been emphasized and eX-
allied in this pastorate.
The period of the pastorate has
been one of unusual distinction and
opportunity, as well as of unpreced-
ented burdens and distractions. 1t
has been included in the national ad-
rninistrations of Presidents Cleveland,
Mckinley. Roosevelt. Taft. Wilson
and Harding. 1t has witnessed mani
fold scientific discoveries and appli-
cations. 1t has been an era of the
automobile. the wireless. the world
encirclfng telephone, the submarine.
the aeroplane and the radio.
1t has been a time of question and
skepticism and attack of the high
est and purest ideals. 1t gave US
woman suffrage and constitutional
prohibition. 1t brought the recru-
descence of spiritism and many re-
ligious fads. 1t wrote the history of
the Spanish American War. the Mex
lean imbroglios. the downfall of Ger
many and Russia. the reorganization
of Europe and the sudden and ex-
traordinary advance toward univer-
sal democracy. 1t confronted the
anxieties and demands and threats
and reconstructions and Commissions
of the world war.
Pulpit Has stood Firm.
But this pulpit was not swept
from it's mornings. 1t did not revo-
lutionize our methods, themes or
convictions. Against insidious de-
mand it maintained the dignity of
our church life. the sacredness of
upon pulpit theme and the contin-
ued authority of the Sabbath and
the Word of God. The answer to
all questions was sought not in
worldly compromise. transient sue
cess or excited expedients. but in the
moral law and the revealed Word.
I'VE carried all things to Sinai and
Calvary. The credentials of the am
bassador were kept always in sight
way of the cross is the only solu-
tion of our social and governmental
problems and the one evangel of
peace and good will among men. With
largest charity and sympathy, this
pulpit has insisted upon the inspired
authority of the whole word of God
the sinfulness of aim and its certain
and necessary retribution, the duty
of Christ, the atonement of Calvary
and regeneration by the person of
the Holy Ghost.
ut has not compromised. 1t has not
excused. 1t has not kept silence.
It has not evaded. 1t has not sur
rendered. 1t has magnified the Bible.
1t has uplifted Calvary. 1t has
crowned Christ. The effect Of this
ideal may be suggested partly in the
statistics of the pastorate.
Results of His Long Service.
TN 1895, when this pastorate be-
gan the church roll did not include
any reserved lists and claimed lbs
communicates. In 1922 the total roll
Is 1856, but with the deductions of
the reserved roll and all more affiili-
ated membership the active roll is
I.127. There have been added upon
confession 173 and upon certificate
S03. making a total addition of 1876
communicates.
'.In the same period we have lost by
dismissal ISL and by death 401, MAX
ing a total loss of LIS. The finan-
cial results have been: For congrega-
ttonal expenses. s393.0S3. and for
church benevolence. s303.6so, making