The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-01-29
From lie Glrenr.Nr E5un'aia,er.
Let ter from Rev. A. 3. Stevens

I
ME>sRs. EnIr!Rs: Please allow me
|! through The columns Of your paper TO say
Il word To The Church under my Charge.
Dear EricndS aMi Brethren:
We are now entering upoa the aborS OF
a new year. The old year. (iSG7 with
all its tolls. its hard>hi),s. its privaion>.
lis well as its pleasures. is past. buried.
where it shall rest un'!i,lurhcd till with
our fathers. it and they >llal be, ut the
last day, walked by the mighty angel !nd
brought to jud gmcnl. Let us ask our
selves the question. i'll the "c"y beginning
of this new year what record will The old
year bring in that great day against me !!
Against me as IL minister against me as
Il member of Clri>t's Church? Have |
done alI the good could? Have |
preached and prayed and watched OYER
The flock rs faithfully ;is could? Have
us IL Iavman ol the Church sustained
those whom God in hi, providence has
sent, or appointed. to break to me the
bread Of life, us far as have been able to
do? Have the various interests OF the
Church, which are dependent Tor success
! solely upon the contributions oi her mcm-
5crshp. received librrally of the mcars
with which the Great Hc;iG OF the Church
has blessed me Brethren. ti,ese are ir-
por,ant inquiries. May God help each
member Of tie Church to ask and answer
them rs i'll the presence OF his or her
Jud &c.
1t was resolved ut our last Annual Con-
ference. that we begin our collections,
particularly our missionary collections, 1T
an earlier day than has been our custom.
The Grecnvile Presiding Elders District
is expected to raise nj le;ls, S! .lpU for
missionary purposes; all of 'rhichamonnt
will be expended on the District. Tlere-
fore ali who contribute for This cause or
to this call may be assured HAT they are
rontrbutin. to the support Of the gospel
in their midst. or in other words. ut home.
Ours is indeed i, missionary field; field
where every member and friend OF the
Church may work What would be more
appropriate and becoming to us I'll. as
| Christians than to present To God All Of
icrin". Il new years gi:t, for the support
of his cause i'll oar midst. here ut lo"Ie.
The missionary work is emphaiicaliy the
cause OF God. All are invited to give Il
iittle-a miia-;lnd thus identity them
selves personally with the 5c,sey"lcnl ell
terpiscS Of the Church OF God. The
poor of the Cl,nrch in their gifts. become
as great power in the Church us the
rich. Let those who are rich give liber-
ally of their great Abundance. remember
ing that God l"veth cheerful giver.
Let the poor bear ;n.mind that their o.
fering. though bni TWO mites. will be- es-
tcemcd by The Almighty IL highly Us the
large amounts given ID, The rich. During;
the Christmas >ca>on Just past many thou
san,i> of dollars were expended for cle-
CANT presents. to be presented to friends
as lo!lcn> OF esteem and admiration.
Shall we not in the meantime remember
God and his cause, and. Us Il token ot our
love and admiration Tor Him. un'icr Il
deep Sc,isc Ut gratitude, bring Il holy of
icring. u valuable git.a'l lay il upon the
altar OF lhc Church and say, Here. Lord.
is my new years 4itt To ticc:"
Tie times indeed are hard. but the.;'
are much harder where there is no gospel.
He that hath pity upon the poor lrtdcti'
unto the Lord. Around Your camp the
mamma falls. For YOU The rock has been
smittcn. and the pure stream vi the water
of life flows from under the throne nf God
Those men ot God WHO work hard on
il small allowance and half pay. and yet
unmnrmuringlv SO to theiraPpointmenlS,
and faithfully Sc. We the people. should re-
ccivc the l,ro!ivred aid o th. Missionary
Board. Some of your circuits nave been
,,,,l,r.roI rnI iui,r,.slinr mission fields
nave been formed. and partially workri.
Bat for lack Of means they are lett Enoc.
cnpicd So far as my own observation
extends. iIir preachers in my charge are
all Jealous and faithful. Our circuits and
stations are growing grneraliyi i'll strength
and numbers aud unc of the most cnconr
arinr features in onr work is the perfect
cor,lality OF feeling and seeming brother
" :ilrclion aclualiny the members of tn"
different branches of Chri>t'S Church.
The District Meetings lately instituted
in our Church is worliin" wonders for
Mcthndi<m. Our land pro'Inccs :,hun-
clantlv We have bread and we live
thanI Heaven.
Permit me to propose that in all our
circuits and stations a collection he taken
at an c:riv .lay-%ay we BEGIN the I'D
day of February for the purpose above
named May our good aid true friends
respond with generous offerings.
\. b. STEPHENS. p. Z.
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DEArL-Wc have never ready any
thing more beautiful tlan tie following
r.,,, ,Io NM, NJ i,nnr,rn Is prru,;cn.