Evening star., 1927-11-07
OR. SMITH PRAISED
FOR LONG SERVICE
St. Thomas Rector Laud-
ed by Bishop for rs Years
of Church Work Here.

High tribute was paid Rev. DR.. c.
Ernest Smith yesterday at special
services marking his twenty-fifth an
niversary as rector of st. Thomas
Church. 1872 Church street Bishop
james F.. Freeman. preaching n con.
rratulatory sermon. declared that
'fundamentalism and modernism have
not affected the even tenor of his
way"
When we stop to reflect upon H."
SAID Bishop Freeman, the period Of
DIR. Smiths rectorship covers approx
1mately one-siXth of the life of this
Nation. This period has been marked
by greater advance along many
lines than any single period that has
some before. 1t has witnessed far.
reaching social economic and political
changes-indeed. one might almost
say religious changes within that
space of time. II is safe to say that
while these changes have been many
and marked. there has been no de-
Election from the course laid down by
the rector of this parish during the
period of his incumbency. The faith
that he preached 25 years ago is the
faith that he breaches today. Funda-
mentalism and modernism have not
affected the even tenor of his way.
Lauds Unchanging Religion.
"Were he to speak for himself this
morning, | am confident he would af-
firm the same faith that he preached
When he came to this congregation a
quarter of century ago. In an age
that seems to have what Bishop Pot
ter called a lust for change. a pas.
sion for the novel and the unique. il is
n satisfaction to belong to a church
that Is praying the same prayers,
ministering the same sacraments and
preaching the everlast Gosl el un
1nterruptedly and without deviation !
generation by generation. century by
century. l am confident in the belief /
.that those to. whom | speak today !
feel deep sense of satisfaction in
fhe fact that while men may come and |
men may go, while fashions may |
change and one administration follow !
another, this church to which we be- |
long maintains it's unfailing place of |
fpower and influence because it min /
listers the identical sacraments and |
breaches the identical Gospel given |
BIT by Jesus Christ.
while 1t has not been my proud |
privilege to minister to one consre |
cation for any such period as my
brother has ministered to this one, /
Il could covet nothing more than the !
memory of such remarkable pas. /
torate. While neither he nor | claim !
infallibility. nor unerring Judgment in
all the details of our administrative |
and parochial life. the things that we
cherish most are the memories Of a /
ministry that has blest and enriched !
the souls of men.
Spiritual Aids Greatest.
"There are doubtless those seated
shere this morning whom he received
into the church through the blessed
sacrament of baptism, who today have
come to maturity of years. There
are others to whom he miniStered in
sunny days of joy, as we'll as in shad-
owland, when sorrows lay across
their hearthstone. There are count
jess others to whom he broke the
bread of life at this sacred altar who
Ehave passed on into the church tri-
umphnt.
Men and women and little chill
dren have looked to him from year to /
year. through this quarter century of i
time, for those eternal truths that
bear so yitally upon the present 9ad
guarantee to them the hope of an
eternal being. What other profe> sion /
in which men engage is comparable 10 /
this one? What other Office touches
life at so many varied points or bears
so Immediately upon its large and in
innate concerns?
1T is because we commonly believe
that the ministry of this pulpit and |
altar has witnessed to a message and !
system that is unchanged and unchang-
ing, that we are gathered here to do |
honor to him who has so long served |
in our midst. Valuable as are the |
contributions that he has made to |
the building and enrichment of this |
noble parish equipment, persistent as
have been his labors in behalf of all |
that could beautify the house Of God |
] am confident that he does not count |
these things as the supreme witness
es OF the efficiency of his long and !
devoted service. Fine as all these |
things may be, they do not transcend |
in enduring worth what has been ef- |
fected in the moral and spiritual en- |
richment of those to whom he has
been privileged to minister"
Reception Tomorrow.
Bishop Freeman concluded his SER
mon with this tribute and hope: With
honor and high esteem, L greet you,
my dear brother, this morning, heartily
and affectionately congratulating you
upon the accomplishment of a quarter
century of service, earnestly praying
that God may dover you with physical,
mental and spiritual strength to carry
on through many years the useful and
fruitful ministry that we believe lies
ahead"
This ecclesiastical tribute will be
followed tomorrow evening by a social
tribute in the form of a reception to
DIR. Smith at $50 o'clock in the parish
hall. The Rectors' Aid Society will
take prominent part in the reception
Bishop Julius w Atwood. formerly
of Arizona, assisted during the cele.
bration yesterday and paid tribute TO
DIR. Smith.