The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-02-26
rrv s. s. Roszrn1, who has been in charge of

REV, S. s. RoszELL, who has been in charge Of
the Staunton station, NJ g Church. South, for the
past year, preached on Sunday morning and eve
| ming his last sermons for the Conference year
Next Sabbath, being the 4th quarterly meeting
of the year, the pulpit will be filled by Rev : H
Waugh, the presiding Elder 1t is not known
whether or not DR. R. will be appointed again to
this station, as this is matter entirely control
ed oy the Bishop. It has been customary as a
general practice, to keep minister at a station
at least two years, but some times this pple is va
ried, when in the judgment of the appointing
power, the interest of the church requires it -
We believe it to be the general wish Of the con-
gregaion that DR. Roszel be returned. At least
that is the expression so far as we have learned.
Certainly if ever minister preached the gospel,
DR. Roszell has, to his congregation. He has not
withheld ugly truths when he has deemed it due
to his ministerial ofic that they should be spo-
ken. He has Faithfully pointed out the only path
the sincere christian can walk, and has plainly
rebuked those who fatter themselves that they
can creep into heaven by pleasant road and
side door. In this we think he has been the in
strument in improving the religious knowledge,
if not experience, of many The great bane Of
the church is rose tinted sermons, in which the
path to heaven is strewn with flowers and carpet
| ed with velvet. About half the membership ct
the churches now days, think they have secured
their passports to eternal bliss, when they have
enrolled their names on the church book, and
paid their filthy lucre for the support Of the
preacher; and many of those, il they depend
upon the rugged truths to the contrary to be told
by their minister, will slip into perdition before
they know it. For it is fashionable not to ''hurt
the feelings of members. by exposing the excee-
ding sinfuness of sin, but let them slide along
under fatal delusion until the devil nabs and
appropriates them to his own use. There is no
grander duty, than a minister preaching the
GOSPEL TRUTH fearlessly, let it hit and hurt whom
it may That DIR Roszell has done this, all must
acknowledge He has invoked his wonderful
his duties, and with a power of logic and learn
lug and oratory. never before equalled in the
Methodist pulpit of Stauntoa laid before his hear
ers the PLATA, unyarnished, stubborn truths of
christianity, accompanied by the rewards that
will surely follow the faithful follower.
We should regard it a great misfortune to his
congregation should he be assigned to another
field eflabor. We Are not, sorry to say,
a member of his church or any other, but we
have nied his preac hing, regularly during
the year, and we must say. that he has preached
more genuine religious truths than wehave heard
in all our life, notwithstanding we have been a
pretty regular church goer. His sermons, Sum-
day morning and evening. from the 18th chap,
l3th verse of Reveations-'sHe was clothed with
q vesture pped in blood, and his name was the
Word, were the most remarkable exhibition of
vigorous mentality aud original comprehension
to which we have ever lisened-sugges tiye e.
ncugh to keep man thinking for twelve months
If his hearers would only live up to the standard
CT christian character, that he presents fer their
imitation auI enforces with so much power and
seriptural research, christianity would soon be-
come living essence in the community, and
church membership something more than hol-
day attire.