The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-15
GREATPROCRESS
 IN CHURCH WORK
 MADE BY ADVENT
Dr. Barnwell Reviews Church Activities In
 Closing Sermon

A congregation that filled the Church of the Advent to its capacity was present at the II o'clock service Sun day morning when the Rev. Middle toe s. Barnwell preached his last sermon as rector of the church. Other than the sermon of Dr. Barnwell and the splendid rendition of the musical numbers by the large choir under the direction of Choir Master Allen, the service was not marked by special fea- lures. At the conclusion of the service Dr. Barnwell shook hands with the members of the congregation, who wished his Godspeed in his new line of duty.
 On taking the pulpit Dr. Barnwell announced that he did not intend preaching farewell sermon as Bir- "mingham was his home, and that he would sit with the congregation, on such occasions in the future when his duties permitted him to be at home. He expressed his appreciation of the cooperation of the congregation dur ing his rectorship and said he would for ever cherish the many close per sonal friendships he had formed maong the members.
 Briefly reviewing the progress that had been made in the church during the eleven years, ill which he had been rector, he stated that the pledged in- come of the church 10 years ago was about S4,500 with nothing for mis- sions; today it is nearly S30,0O0 year of which $10,000 goes to missions. He spoke of the many permanent i'm provements in the church property that had been made, and of the many thou sands of dollars that had been raised for local and general church activities, the total gifts for the ten years reach ing over quarter of million dol lars.
 Agency For Service
 "These are the steps whereby we have come to the material equipment of today. We are turning over to your new rector q vastly better equip ment than we found. Under hls splendid leadership you will do vastly more. Your material equipment may or may not have value; it depends on within. The parish is not an end in itself; it is an agency for service; it's mission is as wide as the world it. self.
 God want men to know him be- cause to know God is eternal life. Hence the coming of Jesus Christ. And l have preached on the need of the world for God. But men can under stand only in terms of their own ex- perience. men had to be on level with Cor, or God on level with men. Hence the coming of Jesus Christ. And
 
 the last time l want to say it all in breath. the world for which God so loved that he gave his only begotton Son. the world for which Christ lived and died. looks to you to make known Gods love by living Gods life. Nothing else really matters, that is all there IS without it all this-the paraphernalla of worship-is vain; with it the world is won.
 "A word about the new work into which I am going, no one but GQd knows how lonesome and helpless l feel. But it had to be done and the church has called me and l cannot say no. All that l am to do IS to carry the same message that 1 have tried to bring to YOU, to do my little bit to awaken the whole church to it's respon- sibility to the world in the sight of Al mighty God. q,
 "Whatever failure I meet will be my own, whatever success will he the result of the experience you and have had here together. Some time when you pray-remember me.
 New Rector
 But what 1 want to say to you most of all concerns the splendid man, the Rev. Mir. Clingman of Texas, who mas accented the call to be your rector. He has left one of the most promising narishes to come. When l went to Houston to carry the call he asked, why should I come to the Advent, l repiied. because your present. task IS easv and this we call you to IS hard So he came and saw the great work waiting to be done, the responsibilities to he met, and because he is the kind of a man he is, he laid down the small CT burden and took on the greater of the two.
 "Remember this; he is not coming here to do his work his work is down there in Texas; this is your work and has been for years; he is coming to show you how to do your work. not to do it for you. Do not make of hlm newer of wood and drawer of water,
 
 nor A money raiser. Give him time to be a pastor and priest, leisure to study and time to pray that he may prophecy. Rally around him when he comes and stand by him ten years from now. Never let him ask in the still watches of the night if after all he was wise to come.
 II know there will come times when YOU will grow weary, there Will come times when he is weary too, but ne will keep going and you must keep going too No priest wants to go into fine Kingdom of God alone. Almost the best part of the journey is the com panionship of the road, Sharing that eompanionship you and he will daily rejoice in the brightening vision of the Fathers face.'
 -