r' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) f/ ^ /. 1.0 I.I 1.25 ^ 1^ 1 2.2 12.0 1.8 U III 1.6 V] /^ ^V ^;. y /^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibllographlques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographicaily unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-§tre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mdthode normale de filmage sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. 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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ' f.'Vri '■T^tw-™', "■r- "".^ Y'"'^'J^rV:'J''"Wrri,^~ -im^ ■ v^w'^'-.r-. '■^■"■;'---\^ w, ^, ..^i^-.^r' . mw^^ , ppiu i.i. ,i^ii^ ;L": S -^ ->'^'l>v->i "■ (IL. a FAREWELL SERMON DELIVERED ON SABBATH EVENING, APRIL Gtli, 1884, BY REV. J. S. BLACK, ON THE OCCASION OF HIS KESUIXING THE PASTORATE OF ERSKINE CHURCH, MONTREAL. .5 ? jHontrcal : W, DRYSDALE Sr CO., PUBLISHERS, BOOKSELLERS AND STATIONERS, 23a St, James Street. fS FAREWELL SERMON DELIVERED ON SABBATH EVENING, APRIL ath. 18H4, i BY KEV. J. S. BLACK. ON THE OCCASION OF MIS liESiriNINd THE I'ASTOKATE OF EKSKINE CIll'UCII, MON 1 REAL. 7r_ \ W. DRYSDALK .Sr CO., PUBLISHERS, BOOKSELLERS A N D ST A TIO NE RS, 232 St. jA\tfis Street. iHSl ■' I'inally, lliftliren, farewell ' Be perfect, he of j^onrl comforl. be of i^ik! rniiul, live in pence ; :iiiil tlie (ioil of love atid peace shall be with you."- 2nii Cor. 13 : t4 Last words are usuallv Bad words. But sjul though they must be, they may also partake of hope and comfort. Ten years seems hut a little time to the aged who h)ok backward, but to tlie young who stand on the threshold of life and look forward, it seems a long time. It is not a small part of the working life time of }»n active ministry. The circumstances which compel me to leave you are not of the most cheering kind to me, and I know that I have your kindliest sympathy at this time. Even here, however, there is some little compensation. When a minister lays down one charge to take up another, no matter, hov/ evident the guiding provi- dence is, he is necessarily placed in the unenviable position of leaving the old for the stike of the new. We are spared this pain, I go at the call of duty, but I am not influenced by the superior claims, or the greater attractions of anotlier (ield ot labour. In reviewing these ten years, we have reason as a pastor and people to thank God and take courage. Our admirable system of annual reports furnishes ex- act data of the condition of the congregation when I came among you in the midsummer of iH74. The report for 1873 was the most favorable that had been issued during a time of a great prosperity. But even then there were two hundred and twentv-two sittinsrs unlet. In three months all this was changed. A new congregation was formed out nf our midst, and although 8ixt)'-one members were added to our roll in 1874, the close of the year found us with only six hundred and forty-one sittings let, a net loss of one hundred and twelve. The same presbytery which dismissed my prede- cessor gave this new congregation its separate existence I came amongst you at a critical time. A depleted membership, empty pews, and the recollections of a discussion which had not been to edihcation, were the plain facts which stared me in the face. To my surprise 1 was not long in learning that there were some whose consciences would not let them leave the church on account of the organ question, but who were very far from being reconciled to the new order of things. The original debt on the building fund was J$7,7UU when I came, but this was substantially increased by the alterations and repairs of 1874^ not being wholly met by the current subscription to defray them. Dr. Taylor, on whom 1 relied much for council, sympathy and support was spared to us only two years after I came, and during this time was not able to be much in this pulpit. Not long after 1 a!?sumed the pastorate one of the most serious times of commercial depressions which this continent has ever known came upon us, and I discovered that sometimes when men lose their money, they lose their interest in church matters. Til U' usi hnl rel foj t(| A new ^74, the J^ed unci [red and pi'ode- :isteiice pie ted his ol" a 1, Were e Were -ve tiie u were rder of i7,700 id by holly ^ear.s o be tlm liicii us, »eir ifa. Tlio outlook was fnr from oncourap;inp;. What ha» been the result? By the good hand of our God upon us we have prospered. The debt lias been paid. Attendance at worship liMs never been better than it. is to day. Our financial record has been the enviable one of current income meeting current expenditure. During these ten years four hundred and sixty-seven names have been added to o\ir roll in e(|ual numbers b}' profession of faith and by certificate from other churches. This means no small amount of change in the con- gregation. Many of the fathers and inothers in our Israel have iallen asleep. Of our twelve elders, eight havo been set apart to their honorable office since I came among you. Of the theu nine metnbers of the Board of Trustees, only five now are of our number. Three have died and one is now resident in Scotland. Of the present Board of Managers I have admitted five into the membership of this church, four of them being by profession of faith. Of the present office bearers of the Missionary Society, I have seen six enter our fellowship, four being by profession of faith. One-half of those who are at present teaching in the Sunday School have entered into communion with us during these ten years. These statistics of those who hold office in the church are very suggestive and indicate far more clearly than can any other method the great changes which a com- paratively short period of years brings about in every congregation. Far be it from me to take to myself the credit of the peace and prosperity which have characterized these 6 years of my [)sist()rato. Youi rt'aclinoss to aid in evory ^'ood work lias been a continual pleasure io nie. Most frladly do T hear my testimony to the fact that I have never presented any liood work to you to whieli you have not responded most jrenerously and cordially. It is on the whole a happy circumstance, that in accordance with the time honored custom of this con- gregation, your minister has not been brought much in contact with the Managers in their administration of that part of the life and work of the church with which they have to do. but no small part of the pros- [)erity of this congregation is due to the faithful and diligent manner in which they have discharged the duties devolving upon them. With the kirk session my relations have always been of the pleasantest. Although much of the best work of the faithful elder does not appear upon the surface, and indeed may never be known to the general membership of the congregation, you may rest assured that the prosperity of every Presbyterian church depends to a great ex- tent upon the character and activity of its session. In the visitation of the sick, and in the caring for the poor, 1 have found much aid and encouragement in my fellow workers of the eldership. I part from them with unfeigned regret. • To you, dear friends, of the congregation in general, let me again say that nothing save evident duty and providential leading and guiding would part us. You have been kind and forbearing. In effect I succeeded two ministers, to either one of whom it was no easy matter to be a successor. It was simply impossible for a young and comparatively inexperienced minister, to give you that personal visitation and ministration to which you had been so long acciistomcMl. The pulpit ministrations of one man can never have the f'resliness and diversitv which can he given bv two men dividing the work between them. Being fully sensible of this, 1 appreciate all the more your courtesy and kindness to irie and mine. I take away with me a treasury of pleasant recollections. I leave with good wishes and heartfelt prayers f«)r all of you. Witii all of you I have had pleiisnnt, social intercourse; with many 1 have been in your hours of sorrow and bereavement. The links that bind together a pastor and his people are many and various, and, thank God, going away does not, cunnot sever all of them. It has been matter of regret to me that I have not been able to do as much work in the Sabbath School as I desired, but the Sabbath School and the Juvenile Missionary Society of this church, have always been very near my heart, and I have rejoiced, and do re- joice in their prosperity. To us as a congregation there is a sense in which the decennial period now closing has been very uneventful. We have had no dissensions, no heated debates, no stormy meetings. The even tenor of the way of fair prosperity must of necessity be a time of calm and of rest. There is however another sense in which we have been nuiUing history for ourselves, and 1 question if another ten years will bring as many notable events. The Union of h11 the Presbyterian churches of this Dominion was a happy event in our ecclesiastical history as a nation, followed as it has been by a union among our Methodist brethren of equally good omen. 8 This edifice was pecnlinrly identified with this event as Ihoohl Canada Presbyterian (.'Imrch met here, and then alter the consummation of tlie union on tlie historic filteenth day ot'.Iune, the united Assembly or rather Svnod. lor that Assembly was also svnodicnl, met within these walls. In the following year, that is in 1876, the death of the Rev. Dr. Taylor was an event of no ordinary im- portance in the history ol' this church. The introduction of our present system ol' linance is also worthy of note. A system which is theoretically perfect, and which practically has done well. But my friends remember that the very excellence of our system requires a rare amount of conscientiousness to make the practice be at sill equal to the theory. Our Jubilee services of last vcar. and the com- menda])le way in which we did honor to ' many aririiinonts in favor of pastorates of reasonable length, as there are lor life pastorates. The practical snccess which has attended the Methodist cluirch proves that even very freciuent changes can, bo so arranged as not to interfere with the spiritual life of the congregations. God vises means, and it is simply an impossibility for any one man's method and cast of mind, and trend of thought, and grasp of the truth, to be equally acceptable and adaptable to all men. It is foolish for one to say " 1 am for Paul, and another I an. the follower of Apollos, and another 1 am of Peter." Foolish it may be. even wicked at times, but we i»ave to take human nature as we find it, and make the best of it. I thank God for the proof of my ministry which he has given me, and for the iruit which I have live^ to behold, but the new voice which God in his goodness will send to vou, and the fresh thonght, and the altered methods, will call forth new powers and activities in you. Be perfect, not as if yon had already attained, nor even as if yon could attain to unclouded perfection in this present mortal state, biit it can be yonr goal as individuals and as a congregation. The perfect day comes to all those who are waiting for it. Be of good comfort. — " Parting is such sweet sorrow.'' It is pleasant to know that 3^ou are missed pleasant to know that kindly thoughts and good wishes go with us. A place in your memories and in your prayers is very precious to me. But this parting is one of the many events which teach us that the church of God is a grand edifice, a vast temple and the most useful or most prominent member of it, is only one of 12 the living stoneF!. Tlir ji^rand army of the Lord is on llie march, here a common soldier and there a leader drops out of tlio ranks, but the army marches on. ri()w often in the history of a congregation, as a pastor or saintly office bearer, or generous giver, or active worker is laid aside, do we find ourselves wondering as to wdia.t we shall do without them, and as to whom the TyOrd would raise up to fill their places. But the Avot k goes on, })ecause it is God's work as well as man's work. Keep. T pray you, in quick sympathy with the spiritual side of your church life and work, and God will lead you, and you will be "of good comfort." B?: OF ONE MIND. Communiou depends npon union. The fellowship of kindred minds is one of the essen- tials of success On the eve of one of its greatest successes wc read that tije clilirch was "' with one accord in one place." You are entering upon a phase of con- gregati(mal life in w^hich it ^y v^ery essential that yon should cultiAate the grace ot being "of one mind." This can be accomplished by the exercise of miuch mntual forbearance. Remember that the church is the purest democracy on earth. One is your master ever, Christ and all ve are brethern. But iust because every one has the right, let all gentleness and w^isdom be exercised in the asserting of it. I do not counsel indifterence. The one mindedness that is secured bv the enercv and determination of the few usino; the indifference of the many is fraught witii danger, but that which is secured by our fuliUling the law of Christ in bearing each other's burdens is fruitful witli blessing. . LiYE IN PEACE. — Even when you cannot be of one 13 mind, it is possible to live in peace, but the peace ot* mutu^ -^forbearance in always in danger of being dis- turbed. The peace that is born of one mindedness is the crowning glory of any congregation. But let us re- member that of being of one mind does not mean that there shall be neither variety of tliought nor differ- ence of opinion. Living in peace does not mejin that principle is to be sacrificed for the sake of any false peace. On the other hand let us never forget that one mindedness and peace can be cultivated by every congregation, and never so 'much need to be culti- vated as when in the Providence of God, there is no official head and guide and leader. And the Gon of love and peace shall be with YOU. This is a gracious promise. Take it to your- selves, I pray that you may have a rich experience of it. It is something that God is in His church, and with His church. The high priest may die, but the altar tire need not go out; the high priest may depart, but the daily sacritice need not cease. Nay, the Christ himself may go away, but the (comforter comes when he goes. 'I he departure of a pastor is of little conse- quence so tar as the ultimate prosperity of the church is concerned, if the God of love and peace be with you. May he be with you in fullness of blessing. Jblnally, brethren, farewell ! To the aged a long farewell, tor it is not possible that we shall all meet again on this side of the grave- To you who have been my compeers and fellow workers, farewell. In God's providence we may meet again, and shall we not be glad to greet each otlier when that meeting time shall come. To the young, especially to those who have bec,nin the christian life under my ministrfitionH a kindl;^ ard loving (krwell. To hear good of you will be "^3' joy- ^ mof.^ t^arnestly pray tliat I may never hear of any of you bringing disgrace or shame to your church or to vjur homes. 1 am persuaded better things of you. I go, but thought is free, and often shall fancy carry me back to the noble mountain and the great broad river, and the pleasant homes, and the genial friends of this good city, and in the very heart of all of these ])leasant things must ever be this church and this pulpit. If there were no sad partings there wouhl be no glad meetings. I go supported by the hope that I may meet many of you in the future. Eveu if there is to be no meeting o on earth, there will be one in Heaven. Amen ! J