New Pastor Makes Bow — 'Don't Talk About Me To Others'

Ada, Oklahoma, 1922

Rev. E. O. Whitwell, new pastor of the Presbyterian church, desires to make his bow to the citizens of Ada and the surrounding community in general and to members and friends of the church in particular.

"In beginning the active work of shepherd of the flock permit me to say a few things to be remembered.

"I am not here only to serve the church, but to use the church as a force in serving the city and community and thereby make the church popular by reason of the good it does to as many people as possible.

"To accomplish this we must first become well acquainted with each other and with the needs of the field of operations, thoroughly organizing ourselves to give each worker plenty of definite tasks to keep him so busy with valuable services that there will be no time to make trouble in idleness.

"I most cordially invite the full co-operation of the members and friends of the Church, specially in the following ways and as many more as you may think of.

"Talk to me about what you think I should do and do not talk about me to others regarding the things I fail to do.

"Call me, write me, send for me when you or your friends are sick, in trouble, in love, or for any other service of a minister. I am not a mind reader and do not communicate with spirits to find your needs.

"Let us all be boosters not knockers, workers not shirkers, soldiers not slackers, seeking by all possible means to prove worthy of the honor of citizenship in the country in which we live and the kingdom of God.

"To do my duty among you as a Christian and a citizen shall be my every day purpose, but my highest ambition will be to inspire and lead as many people as possible to victory in the battles of life thus helping to make our city and country a better place in which to live the life that now is and prepare for the life that is to be.

"Command me when it is possible for me to serve you and be ready at all times to assist me in serving others; thus may we be coworkers together with God and with one another in being the friend of man. Remembering that he is the friend of God only who is the friend o£ his fellow men, let us seek to be greatest of all by being servants of all.

"Hoping to see multitudes of you each Sunday morning in the City Hall taking part in the Bible school and the church services, I ask the privilege of subscribing myself your humble servant in Christ.

"E. O. WHITWELL,
"Minister Presbyterian Church."

—The Ada Evening News, Ada, Oklahoma, May 6, 1922, p. 6.