THE LATE REV. ALFRED NORTH

Evening Star, Issue 18810, 8 December 1924, Page 10

THE LATE REV. ALFRED NORTH

Y ESTER DAY’S SERVICES. Impressive services were held in the Hanover Street Baptist Church yesterday in memory of the late Rev. Alfred North, who was ior eighteen years minister of the church and during the past seven years an honorary elder. In the morning the Rev. R. .11. K. Kempton based his remarks on Revelation i,i, 7; “To him (hat overcoin clh 1 will give io oat of the tree of life in the paradise of God.’’ r Jhe Christian, life, he said, was a life, of conflict, and Mr North had throughout a long life waged a war with evil and fought, the good fight of faith. He had carried on personal evangelism and was uniformly loyal to iho church to which he belonged. He faced difficulties with courage and an irrepressible optimism. Victory was gloriously possible in the Christian life, and .Mr‘North had won by virtue of Ids great natural equipment, reinforced by the grace of God. The reward of the victorious life was Hie enjoyment ot the favor of God and perfect blessedness in the life beyond. The future life was not stagnation and monotony, but tireless service, .stainless worship, unbroken security, and unalloyed happiness. At tiio communion service the Secretary of the church (Mr 11. 11. Driver) referred to the sources of the blended strength and graciousness of Mr North's character. He was very sure of God. He trusw-d very simply in Jesus Christ, and rejoiced l in'llis incomparable companionship. He bowed before iho mystery of the atoning Cross. Ho excelled in the art uf prayer.' He closely studied the Word of Truth. So he. came to face the, last evening with calm courage and intrepid faith. Ho was a Greatheart among the pilgrims to the celestial city, and had inspired many to faith and fortitude by his shining example. In the evening the Rev. Charles Dallasten dealt with the challenge of a consecrated life, basing Ids remarks on St. John’s Gospel, xii, 32: “ If any man serve Mo let him follow Me.” Jesus Christ had presented the great pattern of a consecrated life. He had devoted Himself first to the Cross and then to the service of humanity. Mr North had yielded himself in early life to Jesus Christ and had spent a long life in His service. It had been Ids (the speaker’s) privilege to know him for forty years, and ho had ever found in him the union of truth and tenderness, which Emerson declared to be the chief elements in friendship. His character was uke a temple-pillar, crowned with the lilywork of gentleness. His convictions were deeply-rooted He believed in an inspired Bible, a divine Christ, a vicarious Atonement, and those gave strength and solidity to Ids character. Such a life of sustained nobility and fidelity presented a challenge to all—to the members,of the church, calling them to deeper loyally and completer self-sacrifice, mid to young men to consecrate their lives with all I heir promise mid possibilities to the service of God mid humanity Mr North’s influence and usefulness had sprung from his early surrender to Jesus Christ, and he had left a, splendid example for others to admire and emulate. At the, morning service the choir pang ■ The Homeland.’ and at the, evening service 'The Requiem.' At the close of the evening service the organist, Mr Upton Harvey, played Chopin’s ‘ Funeral March ' very feelingly.