The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1872-11-01
Athens s;fnfIOs..


The present Conference year, with all H.
varied experience, has come TO close Io
the faithful nborpr, whose soul hns Travelled
dNy and night for. hi, people, and learned to
love and sympatIZt with them ~ only the
| faithful pastor can do. this season brings win
| IL many serious reflections and rNcitr' Hlnny
runhcin. emotions. lie feels ~ II he were
about 10 luy his urmOr by nnd cuioy tempo
rary rcposc from the shock and hurry Of II long
and prduouS campaign, ~ i the summer wrr,
over. the harvest gathered into the garner, and
now the sickle may he hung up ana the IlbOrrl
rest from the "burlrn and heat Of III" day.
Thus far the feeling /, rcstiul ana the close oi
n Conference year jOyfully welcomed; butIhcrc
il another side To This picture which carries
something Of ,adnrSS with II. II Is the aIirnN-
ton, perhaps forever, Of the pastor from lis
people. tho severance Of those tender tie, and
mutual attachments which everywhere exist
between the minister and HI, flock. And though
we yield 10 none III our loyalty 10 McthOdi,ln
and Methodist usage, though wc heartily nl'
prove our system Of itinrrnury. and believe II
one Of the grandc>t elements Of strength. we
never apprOlrh the end Of Il Conference wear
without u feeling Of sadness and such rrlrc-
tiOn- rs these: "Ilnyc felt rs much >olicilul"
for my people this year as ought to have felt
How many sinner, have been brousltto Christ;
How many hlack,iderS rcclaimcdE How tar
and how successfully have we led the Church
on in her searches after truth and in her march
toward the spiritual Canaan? AMI how much
confidence and respect have We secured for her
from III" world and from her curmir>V These
questions Will naturally crowd Themselves upon
the mind OF every sincere minister alta tnrlikr
this. III trtroSpncting our poor lnhorr. We urr
reminded that, two years ago, we were sent by
Bishop kINannugh to this station. We had
heard how much our Church wa, hclnborcd 10
mnintaiw hcr,cfin the face Of so many dlIlirul-
ties from ~ many quarters. and must confess We
came with some falling. of heart u 10 tn" final
Issue: but "" met Mind people ana cordial
welcome, and that gave u some heart TO work.
Fbr h5rralty Of our proplc provided an excel
lent hiatt, handsome orgnn. rnd with our de-
voted band u southern Methodist, TO rally
around us, we entered upon the year dctrrNu-
ed. hy the grace oi God. ~ DO what we could.
oar congregations were good. cur or NniHatluu
compact ourmrclng> pleasant and SOMETIMES
refreshing; bnt quarterly meeting, District
Conference, all came md went and no revival.
ana "" were panied to 90 MP to Couicrcnrrand
report no revival during the whole year. Con-
ference adjourned AnI we were rrnd ont again
to Athens station. WithuO prr,nnnrnt house o!
worship and many discoura""m"nt> Stll hover
inn over uS, we entered upon our second year.
soon God smiled propili0u>ly and moved The
hearts Of our Northern friend, to surrender orr
Church, SO long withheld from IT.. and present
~ our second quarterly mcrtin" came round.
sui with it came the baptism Of fire. ihc grtn,
Of heaven were upliIlrd, God erected the ladder
in cur mi 1T and throucclit with Iii, minister,
Of grace, and for nearly three weeks "" lived in
almost perfect communion vita ih' thronr.
Oh il wa. good 10 be here: never can "" forget
it. Ninety conversions aai 'prty nrrr>-on>
crowned THIS gIoriou, revival. and from that
good hour we have enjoyed almost unintrr.'ut-
ed prosperity ~ u Church. and the border, %.
our Zion have been constantly enlarged. The
| Church now numbers one hundred and seven
teen members and one oithr best element, 0hc
found anywhere in the Conferences. To H. thi-
has been happy ycHr none more so. To Goi
be- all the praise! and to our noble people pl
honor tor the heroic endurance aLd unAmrhns
integrity with which they stood hy the Church
in her hour of deepest pcrlI aud srycrrSt suffer-
in"! No trucr people ever lived than III" pcn-
p" who represent southern Mclh0d,m in ihi>
community. They richly merit, and We trust
the Bishop will give them, Just such preacher
n, they want. We anticipate tor our successor
ascor1i u welcome and Hs happy - home Is
any station in the Conference" can promise.
And now, Mr.. Editor. we bid You adiru until
we hear, at the lip. Of the Bishop. thd irrcyoc-
able sentence that shall send II, "" can't tell
where. Il. II. PARKER.