The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1849-11-24

| self some years ago assigned by the bishoT
who, on that occasion, presided at the an
nual conference. The change was felt as
pretty severe, he having been on a comtort
able station for two years. But as he
must take evil, with the good, Mr.. Odel
conscientiously repressed all natural re-
grets and murmurings, and as in duty
bound, started at the close of the confer.
ence for his new field of labor. A day OF
two before leaving, and after the appoint
ments were announced, Mr.. Odell said to
the brother who had ridden this circuit du'
ring the previous year:
so am to follow your footsteps'
1T appears so, was the brief reply.
How did you like the circuit
i am very well pleased to change
Not much encouragement in that an
swer.'
"We cant'tall have good places, Some
of us must take our turn in the highways
and byways Of the land
True. am not disposed to complain.
| have taken up the cross, and mean to
bear it to the end, if possible, without a
murmur.'
AS we all should. Well brother OdelI,
if you pass the year on the circut without
a murmur, your faith and frmness will be
strong. can assure you that it will be
more than | did-a great deal more
i have been among some pretty rough
people in my time
so have |. But and he checked
himself-'however' will not prejudice
your mind. 1t would be wrong. They
do as well, suppose, as they know how,
and the best can do no more
Truly said. And the more rude, igno-
rant, and selfish they are, the more need
have they of Gospel instruction, and the
more willing should we be TO break for
them the bread Of life, If your Master had
not even where to lay his head, it i'll be-
comes US TO murmur because every natu-
raj good is not spread out before u.s.
In this state Of mind Mr.. Odell went to
his new circuit. Having deposited his
family, consisting Of a wife and one child,
in the little village of S, with kind
brother who offered them home alta mere
nominal board, he mounted his horse, and
started forth on three weeks tour among
the members of church to whom he was to
minister during the next twelvemonth in
holy things. The first preaching place
was ten miles distant, and the little meet
ng-house stood on the road side, nearly
mile away from any dwelling, and in an
exceedingly poor district of country.
Before leaving S., Mr.. Odell made
inquiries of the brother at whose house he
was staying, in regard to the route he was
to take, and the peploe among whom he
was going. As TO the route, all that was
was made satisfactory enough; but the ac-
count given of the people was not encour-
aging in a very high degree.
'The fact is,' said the brother, rather
warmly, it's my opinion that they don't
deserve to have the Gospel preached among
them
TO this, however, the preacher very
naturally dcmurred, and SAID that he was
not sent to call the righteous, but the wick
ed, to torepentance.
Where will | stop, tonight he inqui-
red. 1t was Saturday afternoon, and on
Sunday morning he was to preach at his
frs! appointment.
WELL said the brother, slowly and
thoughfully, 4 can tell you where you
ought to stop; but | don't know that you
will be so welcome there as at poorer
place. Brother Martin is better able TO en-
tertain the preachers comfortably than any
one else in that section: but | believe he
has never invited them home: and they
have generally gone to the house of good
widow lady, named Russell, whose barrel
of meal and cruise of oil deserve never to
fail. She is about the only real Christian
among them
is brother Martin farmer?'
Yes and is tolerable comfortably off 4:
but how he ever expects to get his load of
selfshness into heaven, is more than can
tell
you mustn't be unCharlable, brother,