Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

up."me."church."TRIBUTES FOR THE REV. R. W. PIPERAN APPRECIATIONIn the oldSeminary Building, the students haddouble desks and it was the fate of Bert Piper tohave me for a seat mate during his senior year. TheNegro church on Boyle Street was without a pastorduring part of that time and used to get some of theseminary students for occasional supply. After theyhad had Mr. Piper, they asked always for him. Hisspeaking voice was good, his preaching clear anddirect, and he spoke with enthusiasm. When a fewyears later I heard him preach on Synod Sabbathin Chicago, he had the same appeal.In the early twenties at the suggestion of theForward Movement secretary, Synod tried to consolidate congregations which were near together,and among the recommendations was one that BelleCenter and United Miami should be united underone pastor. It was reported that Rev. R. W. Piper,pastor at Belle Center, was ready to cooperate, and acommittee of Synod was appointed to try to workout the union. I was a member of the committee. Mr.Piper did resign ; those congregations were united in1924. It was a mystery to him and a deepening sorrow that he never obtained another pastorate in theCovenanter Church. Others were troubled for himalso.In our seminary days during a student discussion, Mr. Piper began his remarks with the passionate declaration, "I am a Covenanter, the son of aCovenanter."I have never doubted the truth of thatassertion. His name remained on the roll of OhioPresbytery until last March when he heard and accepted the call of his Lord.Dr. Paul ColemanBERT PIPERI wish to pay tribute to my friend of manyyears, Bert Piper. To some he may be the forgottenman. To me he has been a steadfast friend. Since Iheard of his unexpected passing to the EternalHome, I have been trying to evaluate him. Perhapsthe following "seams itI first met him as he was beginning his secondyear in our Seminary. It was my first. While he hada mannerism or two not common to most, he impressed me as a genuine Christian and one who will beworth having for a friend. I never had occasion tochange that estimation of him.Another admirable quality was his high sense ofvalues and loyalties. He had an excellent sense ofhumor and with it high standards of life. He wasloyal to the great principles of life as laid down inGod's Word. So far as I know, he never deviatedfrom that. He was deeply grieved after voluntarilyresigning his pastorate at Belle Center to make wayfor the union of that congregation with UnitedMiami, that he did not receive a call to another congregation. He was a good preacher and an excellentpastor, and it was hard to understand why no congregation in our Covenanter Church called him. Hegrieved long over it. He came to feel that some sinister influence was at work against him. He turnedAugust 18, 1954to a sister church and was warmlyappreciated. For many years he shepherded two conreceived andgregations of United Presbyterians with great satisfaction to them.However, he never left the communion of theChurch he loved but retained membership in ourchurch to the end. He said to me on our meeting, afew years ago, "I love our church and the great principles for which it stands and I have never brokenmy vows during all the years I have sought theopportunity to preach the gospel in anotherIt was his high sense of honor, his deep loyaltyand estimate of true values which held him in ourcommunion, even though Covenanter pastorateswere closed to him. He said, "I just can't leave theold church, nor can I cease to preach the gospel. Ihave put my hand to the plow and I will not turnback, even though my church has turned her back onAs long as he lived he preached the doctrinesof the Purity of Worship and the Separated Lifethough he had to do it in another denomination. Henever violated either in his practice. I have greatlyadmired him for this strength of character. He neverlost his balance. His memory is precious! May Godbless and comfort those who mourn his passing!Somehow under the circumstances, I feel his is amore abundant entrance than can be for those of usfor whom our ministry has 'been so much simpler.He was a strong, loyal spirit.J. D. EdgarREV. R. W. PIPER, A SERVANT OF THE LORD.Some one has said, "Every man's heart is astorehouse and his words show what he keepsthere."If it is true that Character is revealed bothby conduct and speech, the statement could well bechanged to read "Every man's heart is a storehouseand his LIFE reveals what he keeps therein." Mr.Piper must not have treasured envy, jealousy, strifenor hatred in his heart as none of these manifestedthemselves in his life; but on the other hand: love,sympathy, kindness, good-will, friendship must havebeen there in abundance, since they were so evidentin all his relations with other people, and especiallyin his church connections. He had a strong desire tohelp every one in need and firmly believed that theway to help was to minister to them.My first acquaintance with Mr. Piper was in1905 when he entered the Seminary to begin hisTheological training. Though he had a special friendin his room-mate and class-mate we soon found hecould be friends with many. Since that time I havecounted it a privilege to think of him as my personal friend.Early in his first pastorate I was with himthrough Communion services and had his assistancein like service. On these occasions, as well as in Seminary work I found him to be a faithful servant ofthe Master and of the Church. He was diligent inall his preparation for the pulpit, ever ready to forego pleasure that he might be the better fitted forhis Chosen calling.103