172 A HALF CENTURY. 



If his voice could be heard to-day, it would give no uncertain utter- 

 ance touching his love to you all, and his deep and earnest desires for 

 your spiritual welfare, and if his prayers for you were unceasing 

 while he was yet with you, how much more, now he is nearer the 

 Father's ear and beholding His glory ? 



I doubt not he is saying, even now, " I thank my God upon every 

 remembrance of you " — the people of my first love — " always in every 

 supplication of mine, on behalf of you all, making my supplication 

 with joy for jour fellowship in furtherance of the Gospel from the 

 first day, .... being confident of this very thing, that He which be- 

 gan a good work in you, will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ ; 

 even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, be- 

 cause I have you in my heart." 



It was a little over thirty-three years ago that the Lord directed our 

 way to this beautiful town, and to this church who received the young 

 pastor with his bride to their homes and hearts. A generation has 

 passed since then, and in the place of the fathers are the children now 

 occupying the posts of honor and responsibility in this Zion. Oh, the 

 unwritten history of those years ! How pregnant with anticipations 

 and hopes realized ! Of this church the words of the prophecy have 

 already proved true, "A little one shall become a thousand, and a 

 small one a strong nation." 



But of the blessed years of our sojourn among you, it is my privilege 

 to speak more particularly just now. The joyous spring was opening 

 in beauty and loveliness when we came ; the apple blossoms perfumed 

 the air and gave promise of abundant fruitage — a happy symbol of 

 the sphere of spiritual seed-sowing and harvesting of souls which was 

 opening to earnest hearts. 



The hospitable home of one of your esteemed members, on the hill, 

 which overlooked the other homes of the parish, received and sheltered 

 us for about ten months. The kindness and considerateness with 

 which that dear family ministered to us can never be forgotten. And 

 in all the years that followed, not only they, but many other loyal and 

 true friends endeared themselves to us by their timely assistance in 

 the new and untried experiences, and by their loving sympathy and 

 counsel in planning for the good of all. In our hearts, as well as in 

 God's book of remembrance, their names are written, and can never 

 be effaced. 



It was in that home, in those first months, that we gained our early 

 impressions of this people, as tltey came and went in their visits to the 

 new pastor ; no doubt they, in turn, were getting thei?' impressions 

 too ! But impressions, on our part, soon deepened into a settled con- 

 viction, that our lines had indeed fallen to us in pleasant places, and 



