Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-09-04
The Reception given 10 Rev. e.
Hills.


M zoos, "a of the yestry were elegantly
with eve D' "H' to"eiS'
great taste on the p.. ol the
Baptist ladies. A good company were
present and every one seemed to do their
share to make the welcome to Mr.. Mills
d hearty one.
E. W. HorneF, in behalf of the ch6i,rcSh
and people, extended to Mr., Mills a
formal welcome in the following re-
marks:
Dear Pastor and Friends We meet
tonight to celebrate the first grand re-
union of the Baptist Society OF Rutland,
not since the return of peace to our land,
but since the return of our loved pastor
from Europe.
In behalf of the friends here present,
and the many not here, l am delegated
TO say to you, dear pastor, the word of
welcome, most gladly and heartily do we
welcome you, We remember, with res
uoo. ON, > love. Rev, 3. w, Field who so
faitbfnIIv served rs - YOUR absence, but
he was not the pastor. We have sS9iy
IHiSSGu HOlig Sill JbCSC IOAll AAAO4ANNS1
in our homes and by the way side, at the
couch of the sick and by the bed of the
diving; we have missed your instruction,
vour prayers and voIr singing. We
have missed you in our work of finish,
ing our new sanctuary. Friends have
wanted to subscribe, but not when the
pastor was away. Friends who have
subscribed wanted to pay, but not till
the pastor came home. Some of our
number are old enough to be married,
and perhaps ought to be, and possibly
would have been but the pastor was
gone, Babies have been born and are
not christened yet, for the pastor was
away. Friends have died, and we
buried them without the pastor. 9th
ers have sickened and come down to
deaths door, and these fingered in the
very shadow of the dark valley, though
their peace was made nth i-"d God, ' &C. tley
fingered until many said they are wait
ING for the pasIsr, ap4 this conviction
gains strength as the news spreads that
the pastor has come, and these waiting
ones Immediately pass over the river.
Many heart wishes are gratitied, many
prayers are answered by your timely
coming. And with joy we welcome you
by thesc fragrant flowers and by these
WIeaths Of evergreen, native Vermont
ar50y gitae. We welcome you by these
| loving hearts and smiling faces. We
welcome you to your home and friends,
With united hearts, we say, In the Ian
guage of the motto over our heads,
| "WelcOme.'
Mr. Mills was taken by surprise, not
having been notified of the programme,
and replied as follows:
Dear friends Il fully appreciate the
| kindly feeling that has conceived, and SC
beautifully carried ont this public recep-
ton, and the only drawback to my en-
ioyment of all that you have done in my
! behalf, is the painful sense of my uu,
worthincss to receive it; but | can, al
least, assure you that | am deeply CRATE
full for the opportunity afforded me OF
Injecting YOU once more and taking yOU
each by the hand.
| While sOiourning in distant lands, anC
denied the privilege of Sabbath worship
and christian association have interest
ed myself conjuring up the pleasant
scenes that were transpiring in this room
and | have frequently wished that
could mingle In your sweet songs OF
praises.
| have no desire to discuss at this time
the efficacy of prayer. | am cOnten
to say, that, unworthy as / am to receive
it, God has surely heard your prayers IL
my behalf, for l have been mercifully
preserved, by land and sea, and have
been treated with great kindness every
where. | have never missed train
steamboat or diligence; have never los
INV way, have suffered no Infringement
of nv rights, and have no ground o.
complaint against any person with whom
| have come in contact. My recen
home voyage was a stormy one, and w
were fearfully tossed by the angry
waves, but no harm came to our vessel
or death to any one on board, and in al
this see the hand of God, in answer tt
prayers.
have travelled fast and far. | hav'
seen much. My head and heart are tull
and have many things to say to you
but cannot say them now; but pro
pose to spend social hour with yol
once in two weeks during the winter
and, as well as | can, tell you the stor.
of my wanderings.
One of our number who has impatient
ly fingered on the shores of time, in tn
hope of seeing his pastor once again, ha
this day closed his eyes in death, so tina
while surrounded by these emblems 0
immortality we are reminded that W
all must die, so that it behOOves us so t
live that we shall be prepared for GU
last great change.
Knowing that you are anxious, lik'
myself, to taste the good things that hav
been prepared, close my remarks will
sincere thanks for all your kindness, ant
especially for this very grateful recep
ton, and / can only express the hop
that in the future / shall deserve NOR
at your hands than l do now, and tina
the bond of union between US will b
closer with every returning year.
Singing by the choir as follows:
With grateful hearts, happy throng,
Most joyfully we come,
To give our Pastor, in our song,
A kindly welcome home.
Welcome home, welcome home,
Welcome home, welcome home,
To give our Pastor, in our song,
A kindly welcome home,
Our hearts were his as he went forth,
In foreign lands to roam;
Our prayers that he might soon return
In safety to his home.
welcome home, welcome home,
Welcome nome, welcome nome,
We give our Pastor in our song
4 hearty welcome home,
To God be praise, who rules the storm
That beats the waves to foam,
That he has brought our Pastor dear
Back to his sabbath Home"
sabbath home, Blessed home,
Sabbath home, Blessed hOme;o
Praise God who brought our Paste
dear
Back to his sabbath Home"
Ourhearts are his, as he returns
From old Cathedral dome,
To work, to watch, to pray for those
Who greet him welcome home.
Welcome home, welcome home,
Welcome home, welcome home
To work and watch and pray 10
those
Who greet him welcome home.
We journey in a foreign land;
Awhile DER earth we roam;
Wehope to grasp our Pastors hand
In Wonder Heavenly Home.
Heavenly Home, Heavenly Home,
Heavenly home, Heavenly Home,
We hope to grasp our Pastors hand
In Wonder Heavenly Home,