Lexington gave Rev. R.E. White, pastor of the First Baptist church for the past four years, a great send-off Sunday night in honor of his early departure for Roxboro to take the pastorate of the Baptist church there. A great congregation from all the city churches, which suspended their evening services for the union meeting, overflowed the auditorium and balcony of the First Baptist church and made it necessary to open the Sunday school room back of the pulpit. An inspiring program, marked by many touching references to this departing minister and much praise of his fine works here, was rendered. All the ministers of the city churches took part in the program, the principal address being made by Rev. W.L. Hutchins and short talks by Rev. P.J. Bame, Dr. L.T. Wilds Jr., Rev. W.S. Holmes and Dr. J.C. Leonard, the latter as the dean of the local ministerial union presiding over the service. Al most excellent musical program was rendered, featured by the singing of the Lexington Male Chorus, a large band of trained men singers under the direction of Prof. B.F. Sink. To those who had not previously heard this chorus its work was a revelation and the organization bids fair to be one of the most popular in the city.
Rev. Mr. White briefly spoke a few words of farewell to the people of Lexington near the end of the service. At the morning service in his church his sermon was in the nature of a farewell and the congregation then formally took leave of their pastor, who during the four years of his service has seen a remarkable growth in the church. Several splendid presents were presented and other touching testimonial furnished of the regard in which he is held by the congregation as a whole.
The following resolutions were adopted:
“In the providence of God, and the changes of human relations, separations are the common lot of mortals. We are now as a church called to a separation from one who has been our guide and leader for four years. Always ready and ever willing in any undertaking for the growth and development of the high aims and the true conceptions of life, our pastor, Bro. R.E. White, has been a real tower of strength and enthusiasm to this church.
“Coming to us in our weakness, he has led us to faithfulness, fidelity and vision to a true realization of our duties and privileges. In these four years our growth in numbers and vital activities has been a source of pride and encouragement to our entire membership and enabled us to vision more clearly the possibilities that lay out before.
“And now that it is Brother White’s conviction that his work and future shall lie in other fields, this church bids him good-bye with regret, appreciation for the love and affection which he has bestowed upon us: An earnest wish that God’s richest blessings may follow him and his splendid family in their new home and that the coming years may hold for him full measure of honored usefulness and happiness.
“We ask that a copy of this above be spread upon the minutes of our church, a copy be sent to our city paper and The Biblical Recorder for publication, and a copy be forwarded to the Baptist church at Roxboro.”
L.A. MARTIN
G.F. HANKINS
DR. C.R. SHARPE
From The Lexington Dispatch as reprinted on the front page of The Roxboro Courier, Wednesday evening, April 26, 1922
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