The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-10-12
Farewell Address 10 the American
Board, by Rev. James Gibson
johnson

Johnson.
We publish the following address to the
American board of commissioners, at the
close of the session, on Friday. We made
every reasonable and honorable effort to
procure a copy for Saturdays edition, but
failed of so doing and now lay 1t before
our readers;
1t falls to my lot to say what will very
family express the feelings of those whom
| represent. thank you, sir, for your kind
words thank you still more for the oc-
casion which makes them possible. 1t has
long been the dream of Rutland that we
might have the annual meeting of the
American board We have shared the fears
felt by SO many that such numbers find
spiritual refreshment in these gatherings,
that only the great cities could have the
honor and the blessing of receiving them.
But am glad osay for the benefit of many
who also hoped for this meeting. that we
have had no difficulty in finding room for
the fifteen hundred guests who have APP
piled for our hospitality.
More homes have opened their doors than
have been blessed. Tho only regret of the
occasion is that more have not come. But
we thank you that you are here. We
thank you for the remcmbranccs which
you cannot carry away-for the pleasure
you have brought to our homes-for the
words there spoken, words Of tender re-
mlnder of solemn duties, of gentle SYM
pathy--words of comfort and strength
for words spoken not alone to us, but in
prayer while we knelt together to Him who
confers all grace.
But we thand you for more than this
Our hearts are grateful for this display of
christian work. We are not so far from
the centre of the worlds work ms to be
free from the worlds worship. 1t is not
the materialism of Tyntall or of Huxley
that we dread. We are content to leave
these to one who has taught us so well that
Tyndall cannot abolish prayer. We dread
the first as the deadly and more degrading
materialism of mammon worship
rejoice to have my people and the peo-
pie WHO have gathered in these audiences
see what this platform exhibits--men
whose peers sit in the worlds highest
places, whose superiors do not exist, giving
thought and time and substance TO this
work which brings no return of personal
wealth which has its incentive in the com
mand of the crucificd Nazarene and its
reward in the joys which eye hath not
seen nor car heard
II is sorrow to those who stand rs watch
men upon the walls to see men of noble
possibilities turning to the world, with the
conviction that nothing is worth winning
but good gold and broad lands. Here are
men who are kings in the realms of thought,
and kings in the realms OF commerce. who
are giving the life of their bodies, the ener-
gies of their souls to the establishment of
the kingdom of Christ. That it is work
worthy the highest capabilitiy is shown be-
You'd doubt. The fact is displayed in forms
not to be forgotten. We thank you for
those influences not to cease, these scenes
never to be forgotten. We cannot as
semble at our communion table without re-
membering that vast assembly of yester-
day, when we sat elbow to elbow, heart
with heart, a multitude who will never
meet again. We cannot forget that some
will be in the distant corner of the earth
holding up the banner OF the cross, aud
our affection and sympathy and prayer
will go with our thoughts. We have
known your names these years and have
prayed for you, but we love you now and
shall pray before. One missionary speaks
of his sister in Japan. l have assured him
that, as near as could judge, he has seven
hundred sisters in this audience, and all
who arc not his sisters are his brothers.
The very name of missionary touches my
deepest feelings.
When | was with group of them in
Constantinople few years since-somc of
whom are now hcre-I found myself much
in the condition of the man who went
down to Jericho. | had fallen among those
who stripped me of my notion that the
kingdom of Christ required me at home
and threw upon me the burden of proof
that l ought not to be a missionary. At
such times as this am very fearful that
have not made out my case,
We thank you again that you are here
and for the good you have done us Let me
say for those whom represent-and those
are not Rutland merely--it is Vermont
which has received you-let me say what
goes out OF so many houses and hearts, to
| you who bear the cross on sea and land to
| the darkened heather, and to you who
| guide the great work which we love so well
the full form of the old phrase-God be
with you; good by, God be with you,