344 John Bachman. 



ant or the painful occurrences on the road. He hopes 

 to be profited by the recollection of the past failures 

 or successes. He looks forward with intense anxiety 

 to the end of his journey, and anticipates the pleas- 

 ure of meeting again with those, from whom he 

 has been separated for a brief season. In the same 

 manner, the Christian traveller has his periods 

 sacred to thought ; and with regard to his spiritual 

 life, he often pauses to ask of the days that are past 



In the life of your aged pastor, this is one of those 

 solemn periods, pregnant with recollections, through 

 & long series of years, in his ministry. Come then, 

 my Christian friends, let us calmly, earnestly, and 

 prayerfully, ask of the days that are past. 



It does not become me to dwell on my own labors 

 in this congregation. I feel how imperfect are the 

 best efforts of man ; wherever there have been suc- 

 cesses, let us ascribe all the praise and glory to God, 

 to whom they legitimately belong. Men are but the 

 instruments, and He, the Master, often gives the 

 blessing, while the servant is unworthy. 



There are at present 352 whites entitled to com- 

 munion in this Church. Of these nearly 100 have 

 removed into various parts of the country, but still 

 retain their membership with us. The colored com- 

 municants amount to 198 making in the aggregate 

 550. 



During my ministry of forty-three years, I have 

 baptized 4,085 children and adults, 1,835 of these 

 were colored. I have confirmed and received into 

 the communion of the Church 2,100 $00 were col- 

 ored. I joined in the holy bands of wedlock 910 

 couples, of these about 300 were colored. I buried 

 1,210 whites (I have no account of the funerals of 

 the colored communicants, as their funeral services 

 were generally performed by their leaders.) * * * 

 It is scarcely possible to preserve a perfect accuracy 



