The Nevada journal., 1858-06-25
FAREWELL SERMON
BY THE
REV. J. III. WARREN.
Nevada, Cal, Sunday, June 13, 1858

II Corinthians, xIII, 1lth, vI.-FrsAILY, BRETHREN
FAREWELL
Finally, that is, after years of mutual
labors and interests, hopes and fears. sue
cesses and reverses, joys and sorrows,
friends and brethren, we must part must
pronounce the sad and painful farewell.
With me, it has been a household word
these years. Many are the friends, dur
ing the last seven years, who have come
to me one by one with this doleful word
Some, who had succeeded in bettering
their fortunes, and glad their time had
come TO return. Some, hopeless of do
ing any better than live, and anxious to
return to their distant homes and live
there. Some, disappointed altogether in
their plans and expectations, and dis
gusted with the country, bound to other
parts, to retrieve their losses, and some,
to leave forever the scenes of time, for
that bourne whence no traveller ever re-
turns Finally, it is for me to say to
You to-day Farewell. Not because l
have made my fortune, and therefore go
to enjoy it. came to you poor, and so
! 60 | came not seeking not yours,
but you" 1t was not gold that tempted
me TO these shores, and / can truly APP
peal TO my conscience, and to my MAN.
ner of life among you, that 81 have COW
eted no mans silver, or gold, or rapparel."
| go not to return to distant friends in
the East, however much have wished
and hoped | go not hence disappointed
and dissatisfied, to find somewhere else
warmer friends or a kinder people
Many ties bind me to you still, and at
tachments are growing to this last mo-
ment. | go, and especially after the
many and feeling expressions of regret
at the departure of myself and family,
constrained by a sense of duty, and urg-
ed by calls, to what, seems to me more
extensive usefulness in the years to
come.
This word Farewell, has always its
antecedents, as well as its anxieties and
hopes for the future. There is history
that gives it importance it is the word
of friends, and the token of their friend
ship.
The apostle Paul, we are told ''frst
visited Corinth, in the year 52.' He
was then on his way from Macedonia to
Jerusalem. He had passed some time
at Athens, where he had preached the
Gospel, but not with such success as to
warrant hin TO remain there, or to or
ganize a church He came to Corinth
and found Aquila and Triscilla, who had
lately arrived from Rome. Upon the
arrival of Silas and Timothy, Paul enter
ed on the great work of preaching the
Gospel in that splendid and Gissipated
city.
His embarrassments and discourage
ments were such, as almost drove him
from the place-but in the midst of them
all, he was met by gracious promise of
the Lord that He would be with him,
and would not leave him, and that it
was his purpose to collect church
there. In this city Paul remained Is
months preaching without mClestation
After while opposition arose, but it is
believed that the very leader of this op-
position was soon after converted In
due time church was organized which
soon became the most famous of all the
apostolical churches. OF course it is ca
sy to believe that he loved the church,
and that too intensely. His labors had
not been in vain, his love not altogether
unrequited, and his farewell, has all the
force and tenderness of feeling which
pertains to a genuine sincere Christian
friendship. His life had been devoted
to the ''care of all the churches" he
had planted and trained them-and as
the time came to bid them farewell, we
can better imagine than describe the
feelings, that wrought in his soul the
conflict and pain of separation.
Nothing is more touching and full than
the farewell the scene at Ephesus-no