Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1868-02-08


AS a brother to the last.
Msstt hA5 .s-------S
From tho Greenyillo Mountainccr.l
Letter from Rev. a. B. Stevens
MEssRs. EDlrors: Please allow me
through the columns of your paper to say a
word to the Church under my my charge
Dear Friends and B,sthrcn:
We are now entering upon the labors Of a
now year., The old year, (lS67,) with all its
tolls, its hardships, it's privatons, as we'll as
it's pleasures, is. past, buried, where it shall
rest undisturbed till with our fathers, it and
they shall be, at tho last day, walked by the
mighty angel and brought to judgment Let
us ask ourselves tho question, in thovcry be-
ginning of this new year, what record will the
old year bring in that great day against me
Against me as minister, against mo as a
member Of Christs Church? Have I dono
all the good l could Have preached and
prayed aud watched ovor the flock as faithful
aly as I could? Have as layman of the
Church sustained those whom God in his
providence has scnt'or appointed, to break to
me tho bread of lifc as far as I have been
able; to do 2 Havo the various interests Of the
Church, which arc dependent for success sole
lyupon tho contributions of her membership,
received literally Of tho means with which
the Great Head Of the Church has blessed
nc? Brethren, these are the important in
quiries. May God holp each member of the
Church to ask and answer them as in tho pres
{sence of his or her Judge.
4 1t was resolved at our last Annual Confer
encc, that we b gin our collections, particular
! ~ our missionary collections at an earlier day
than has been our custom. The Grccnvillc
presiding Elders Dist lot is expected to raise
at least 81 100 for missionary purposes all of
which amount will he expended on the Dis,
{ trct Therefore all who contribute for This
cause or to this call may be assured that they
are contributing to tho support of tho gospel
in their midst, OF, in other words, at homo
\ Ours is indeed missionary fcld-a field
where eyefy mcmbor and friend Of the Church
may work What would be moro appropri-
ate and becomins to usall, as Christians, than
/ to presentto God an offering, new years
gift, for the support Of his cause in our midst,
here at home, The missionary work,is en-
phatically the cause Of God. All are invited
to give a little--a mite and thus identify
themselves personally with the benevolent en-.
terprises Of the Church of God. The poor
of$the Church, in their gifts, become as great
, powerin tho Church as tho rich. Let those
who are rich givo8lberally of their great
abundance nom boring that God loveth
3chee.fp! gi7cr.
4 Let the poor boar it in mind that their Of
fering, though but two mites, will be estecui.
ed by the Almighty as highly as tho large
amounts given by tho rich. During the
I christmas season just past many thousands of
dollars wore expended for elegant presents,
to, be presented to friends as tokens Of estcem
and sadmiration. Shall we not in the mean
time remember God and his. cause, and as a
token Sof our love and admiration for Him,
under d deop scnao}of gratitude, bring holy
offering, a valuable Gift, and lay upon the
saltarof the Church and say, Here, Lord,
\ is my new years gift to thee"
The times indeed are hard, but they are
much harder whore there isSno gospel He
that hath pity upon the poor lendcth, unto
the Lord, Around your emp tho mama
stfalls. For you tho rock has been smittcn,
and tho purosstrcam Of tho waterofllifc flows
from under the throne Of God.
whose mon of God who work hard on a
small allowance and half pay, and yet un.
slnurmnringly go to thor appointments, and
sl,o..