The Nevada journal., 1858-06-25

o'oo ous shio Poiu"i icStoTdtlOn OF the
idea of rest on one day in seven had
been accomplished, this would have been
'lenough to repay the years of anxious
prayer and effort. You remember some
of you the first meeting in the old church
in '53, to request the merchants to close
on the Sabbath promising our patronage
to those who did. A day of small things :;
then the agreements and disagreements
of the merchants about closing, then
the petitions to the Council, then to the
Legislature for three years in succession,
how only inch by inch, the great work
has progressed, till to day we rejoice in
quiet Sabbath, Sabbath. some of you
never expected to see, this side of the
Rocky Mountains. Honor to tie people,
thanks to the good and shrewd sense of
their representatives, not to their hearts
remember, which gave way to the man.
dates of their ",Souereigm Constituents"
and Praise to God, who in His good
Providence overluled in this matter
We can rest now and we can worship
with no one to modest us. We have not
SO many exclusively professional politi-
clans who for their own personal aggran-
disement got up cliques and parties, fer
menting the whole community with an
cry passions, sectional animosities. The
day is over, and man now is expected
to have some merit if he applies for an
office; and one may say "North," with
out standing in danger of his brains, or
say "South," and yet pass for something
else than fire eater, and a madman.
In 1851 it was really difficult work
to persuade men to believe in the expe-
diency or necessity of building churches
in the mines-and it was no childs play
to worry few dollars for such an ob-
ject: In footing up what has been done
for churches, parsonages, ministers, mis-
sionary and bible societies, Sunday
schools and religious interests of various
sorts, by the people of this place, not
withstanding their numerous reverses,
amounts to no less than S69, 9,O0O-S69,-
900 in seven years. True most of the
money has remained in this place and
the people have not been materially i'm
poverished in the end nevertheless it is
golden monument Of praise to the public
spirit and liberality of the people.
But have not time to dwell longer
on all the events, changes and times
that press on the recollections of my
Nevada life. To think of the past it
seems as if it was twenty years ago, that
| first came here men, places, times,
have changed SO completely, that l can
hardly realize l am in the same place.
OF the host of lawyers that were here,
. only three remain. One who used to
turn the Nindlass, has since filled the
office of Attorney General of the State,
and has quite distinguished himself in
his rofession-another who used to sell
books, somewhat tinged with yellow COW
ers-for three years has been a District
Judge, equal to any in the State for in
dustry, executive ability and dispatch;
the third is still pursuing the even tenor
Of his way--breaking from it only once
to figure as a candidate for the office of
Supreme Judge. Of the whole tribe of
Doctors only two, Knor g. Ocyton, re-
main to remind us of pioneer days. Of
ministers who have preached to you in
different churches as stated. supplies fol
longer or shorter time, l have count
ed 10, only two beside myself remain,
to preach, we know not how soon, their
E farewell sermons. This church has re-
newed its membership twice since its
organization. Of the original members,
beside my family. only two remain. So
it has been from the first; friends, ac-
quaintances and strangers have kept
coming and going, with the coming and
going of every day. And here 7 must
turn to the sad record of your dead
Weeping around the remains of dear
infant, of beloved wife, husband or
parent, I have stood with you, in prayer
commencing you to God for the consola-
tions of the riches of his graces. Gath
cred around the coffin of the acquaint-
ance and friend have bowed with you,
and then pointed your faith to Him, who
is "the Resurrection and the life." The
dead, oh how many, taken off in the
prime of life, in the gloryings of hope
and in the full strength of manhood.
How many strangers have lain down
before youreyes, and you have gathered
them to their long homes. l have
n