St. Andrew's Loss

The following is the full text of the annual sermón delivered by Rev. Mr. Tatlock in St. Andrew's church in this city last Sunday: In the year that lies behind us, and whose record I shall ask you briefly to review with me, we have been blessed with growth and progress, but we have also suffered many and sore losses. Mr. Charles W. Penny, who entered into rest on the 6th of last December, at the fuU age of fourscore years, belonged to that generation of men to which Michigan owes its greatness. He was one of that band of earnest, high-minded men who, comingto this Península, when it was little more than a wilderness, set about to transform that wilderness into a land of homes. They carne here to live. They were not adventurers; were not in quest of fortunes easily made. They were willing to labor, and content to thrive by patiënt industry. They brought their moráis and their ligion with them. They set highei store upon truth and honor than they did upon money. By purity in private life, by justice and honor in business dealing, by hard work and courage and perseverance, by intelligent and generous interest in the common weal, that band of men laid the foundation for all that is good and strong in the state of Michigan. Of their number, as I have said, Mr. Penny was one; and during the whole of his long residence in the state, at first in Detroit, afterwards in Jackson, and at he close of his life with us, he was he high-minded and public-spirited citizen, the true and trusted friend, he loyal and devout Christian. He did good in his day and generation, and he has left behind him a fair and honorable name, which all who ;new him shall lovingly cheiish. In the death of Mrs. Kezia Adams Rogers, on the isth of February, we ost from our midst an ideal Christan woman. Mrs. Rogers had ained to so high a stature of perfect womanhood, she exhibited so com)letely and so fully the virtues and ;races of a character in which the Christ was formed, that she was a iving exposition of the Gospel. ?aith and hope and charity, trust in God and good will towards men, vere in her personified, transformed nto life and action . Her very presnce was a benediction. For eighty ears, in word and deed, she taught o men and women peace and love. Vho can recount the blessings of lat life? Who even can number hose who received of her personal enefactions? And who that knew ïer has not feit and does not still eel the benign influence of her charcter? For the last twenty years of er life, Mrs. Rogers was a resident f this city and a member of this arish. There is no greater boon lat ever comes to a church or community than the presence of such a carácter as Mrs. Rogers; and "we ield to Almighty God most high praise and hearty thanks, for the wonderful grace and virtue declared in her, who was a choice vessel of his grace and a light of the world in her generation." Miss Mary Jane Matthews, who departed this life on the i4th of March, was a loyal and faithful member of the church. Her life was one of quiet industry. In her home she was a loving and devoted sister, and among her friends she was cherished for her kind heart, her cheerful spirit, and her warm and ready sympathy. In the death of Mr. John M. Wheeler, on the 3oth of March, this Parish suffered a great loss. Mr. Wheeler had been a member of this church and congregation for upwards of thirty years. During nearly the whole of that time he was a member of the Vestry,'and for the greater part of it held the position of either junior or senior warden. He was the treasurer of the Parish at the time that this beautiful building was erected, and in connection with that work and with every subsequent undertaking for the material improvement of the Parish he contributed largely of nis time, his thought, and his means. Mr. (Contlnucd oa sccoud page.) St. Andrew's Loss. (Continued from flrst page.) Wheeler was a man of broad and generous culture. Endowed by nature with intellectual powers of high order, he had trained and furnished his mind by study and reading and travel. His courtly manners, his dignity of bearing, and his strong and intellectual countenance made him a conspicuous figure in any company. He had withal a genial and kindly spirit and a ready wit and pleasant humor which made his presence and conversation a delight and refreshment to all who came into his society. But great as were the intellectual gifts and graces of Mr. Wheeler, his moral endowments and virtues were even greater. He 4 was a man of unspotted character. He had the keenest sense of right and justice. In his profession as a lawyer, he was constantly entrusted with the property of others, and in no instance did he suffer a single penny to be diverted frotii its right'ful object. In his domestic life, all the tender and gentle and affectionate qualities of his heart found their natural place and office, and he made his home a perpetual feast of happiness and joy. He has left a large place vacant, and we sorely mourn his loss. By the death of Dr. William Sherman Taylor, on the 9th of June, a young man of great promise was stricken down on the very threshold of active life. He had been graduated in medicine from our University in 1890, and was successfully establishing himself in his profession, in the city of Detroit. A native of our town, he had here a large circle of friends and acquaintances, and by all he was esteemed and loved for his noble and manly character. He was a faithful member of the church; and brief as was his life, he has left behind him a precious memory. On the 2oth of June, Mr. Benjamin Taylor entered into rest. He had been for several years the faithful sexton of this church; and those of us who knew him well, esteemed him for his sterling honesty and for his genuine kindness of heart. By the death of Mrs. Sophia J. Coolidge, on the 27th of June, a sweet and lovely life was brought to an early close. Mrs. Coolidge was a lady of beautiful Christian character. Gentle and kind and affectionate in her disposition, with a cheerful and sunny temper, she was loved by aü ier friends. She was an earnest and devout member of the church; and young as she was, she had learned to take the experiences of life with patience and fortitude. On Sunday morning, the 8th of October, our community was deeply moved by the death of Mrs. Agnes Huston Clements. Mrs. Clements had been a resident of this city and acomraunicant of this church for upwards of thirty years. She was confirmed in this Parish in 1862, in the rirst class presented by Bishop Gillespie when rector of the Parish. During all these years, Mrs. Clements was a faithful and devout member of the church. She was a lady of singular beauty of character, ever patiënt and kind, ever charitable in her thought and gentle in her words. She was an ideal wife and mother. She was a warm and faithful friend. She was good to the poor. In every experience and relation of life, she exhibited those Christian virtues and graces by which the highest womanhood is adorned. So completely was her character formed and her spirit animated by the mind of Christ, that that character and that spirit were imaged and expressed in her very countenance; and no one could look into her face without seeing that here was a Christian women, who lived by faith and wrought by love. On the gth of October, we were called to give up a young soldier of the cross, Clarence E. Keith, a member of the Sunday School and a member of the choir. He was a boy of sweet and lovely character, a joy and comfort in his father's home, an exemplar and cbampion of all that was right and good among his companions. It is very hard to lose these lambs of the fold; but of such is the kingdom of heaven. On the 13H1 of October, Mr. James M. Stafford entered into rest. Mr. Stafford had been a well-known and respected merchant in this city for many years. He had the f uil confidence and regard of all his business associates. He was a warm hearted and generous man, a kind and affectionate husband and father. In his country's need, he answered her summons to arrns and did valiant service in her defence. He was a faithful member of the church, and he has left behind him a good name. By the death of Emanuel Mark Stabler, on the' 9th of November, anotheryoung life wasstricken down. Mr. Stabler was born and reared in this town, and at the time of his death was a student in our University. He was a young man of staunch and strong character, pure in life, high-minded and noble. He was an exemplary son and brother, and his frank and nianly character had established him in the esïeem and friendship of a large circle of acquaintances. He was a faithful communicant of the church, and by his death we have lost from our naidst a young man of high promise. By the death of Mrs. Georgia Adams McPherson, on the i3th of November, we lost a young life of singular strength and power. Mrs. McPherson possessed traits of mind and character rarely found in one so young. Her streugth of purpose, and her masterful persistence and perseverance, joined, as they were, with all that is tender and winning in womanhood, made her a remarkable character. To her the voice of duty was the voice of God, and no personal inconvenience, no toil or suffering, could cause her to halt or waver in what she feit to be the course of duty. She was kind, generöus, frank, free of all conceit, untainted by worldly pride, simple and straightforward in her thought and in her character. She loved the church and served her Master with a pure heart and fervently. On the i7th of November, Mr. Artemus W. Adams was called to his rest. He carne into our midst in the evening of life; but there was no darkness or shadow on his pathway. Themanifold experiences and lessons of life had pointed his gaze to the bright realm of perpetual day, and though he spent his closing years in bodily weakness and suffering, his spirit was unbroken and his faith was strong. Dear friends, less than one yeai ago all these companions and comrades were at our side. The) have gone from us, some in the morning of life, some at high noon, some at the setting of the sun. Shall we not heed the solemn waming, "Be yealso ready; watch and pray: for ye know not at what houi the son of Man doth come." The parochial report which now follows is that which I presented al the Diocesan Convention in June. As I have explained on a former occasion, the financial year of the Parish extends from Easter to Easter, or more exactly, from April ist to April ist; and it is practically impossible to malee a financial statement for the church year, which extends from Advent to Advent. Since the date of this report, there Jjjhave been losses and additions in the number of families and individuals in the Parish, but the number of losses and the number of additions practically balance each other, so that in these matters the report n ay be taken as a fair statement of our present condition. FACTS FROM THE PARISH REGISTER. Baptism : infant, 20; adult, 27; total, 47. Confirmed, 76. Comraunicants: last reported, 601 : admitted in the Parish, 76; received from other parishes, 30; total added, 106; died, 4; removed from the Parish, 53; total lost, 57; present number, 650; students not othervvise included, 180; total number of communicants, 830. Marriages, 8. Funerals, 14. Public services: Sundays, 156; holy days, 48; other days, 116; total, 320. Holy Communion: Sundays, 52; holy days, 28; private, 8; total, 88. Congregation: families and parts of families, 358; students not otherwise iftcludad, 300; total of souls, 1510. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. RECEIPT3. Cash on hand in various treaiuries, Easter 1892 $1,731 74 Pew rente 3,217 5U Subseriptions and glfte for renovation of churob 2,038 00 Interest from investnients.126 Ou Offertory at all services X7 72 Sunday .School offerlnes 91 5(i Subscriplions for Missions.. 817 90 Ry Ladies' Aid Society 413 75 By ChaDcel Society 60 47 By Woman 8 Auxiliary 242 71 By Junior Auxiliary 17 32 Total . 8:, 634 92 DISBÜRSEMENTS. Parochial Objectx. Current expenses $3,645 IA llepairs and improvcments, includinir memorials 4,416 77 Mtalntainlng Sunday Scliool, 159 (10 Jomrnunion Alms 137 31 Exieii3es of Fund for MisHionn and Charittos. 19 75 Expenses of Ladies' Aid Society 50 32- $8.428 89 Object without tlie ParUh. Diocesan Assessment 5" 00 Dlooesao Misions and Missionary objects 727 49 Domeötic and Foreign Missioiis 335 39-51,112 83 Cush on hand in various I treasuries, Easter, 1893 93 15 Total 9,634 92 The large balance on hand at Easter, 1892, may require a word of explanation. That balance was composed, for the most part, of funds in the hands of the Parish treasurer and in the hands of the treasurer of the Ladies' Aid Society, which had been gathered for the renovating of the interior of the Church. I should like again to acknowledge my indebtedness and express my thanks for the invaluable services of the many helpers by whom the various activities of the Parish are so efficiently carried on: to the choir; to the superintendent and teachers of the Sunday school, and to the teachers of the Bible classes; to the Mission workers at Geddes, at Fosters, and at the County House; to the Brotherhood of St. Andrew and to the Society of j Women workers; to the Woman's ' Auxiliary, to the Junior Auxiliary,to , the Ministering Children's League, and to the Subsrribers to the Fund for Missions and Charities; to the Ladies' Aid Society and to the Chan . I cel Society. To these workers and j organizations of workers I can never adequately express my sense of obligation and gratitude for their devoted and loyal service in our common work. There is still another body that serves the Parish, serves it with devotion and self-denial, and yet which does its work so quietly that perhaps many of us are not conscious how greatly we are indebted to it, and that body is the Vestry; and I wish here to make public acknowledgment of the care and fidelity and wisdom with which the Vestry of St. Andrew's Church executes the important trust which is placed in its hands. And I wish in particular to make acknowledgment of the long and faithful services of one member of the Vestry . to whom this congregation is deeply indebted, and that member is our present senior warden and late treasurer (Mr. Edward Treadwell). For fifteen years he served this Parish as its treasurer, served it gratuitously, and served it with scrupulous fidelity, and at an expenditure of a large amount of time and labor; and, therefore, on your behalf and mine, at this first opportunity after his retirement from that office, I would offer to him our most sincere and hearty thanks for his invaluable and devoted services. And now with a new year before us, let us not look backvvards but fonvards. Let us not rest satisfïed with any achievements already made; let us advance our standard, and press on to still higher and greater things. We have only begun, only entered upon our work. We cannot rest, we must not stay. On and ever on must be the Christian soldier's watchword.