Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-05-01
Communicated. ]
Rev. D. w. Gilmor.

Or beautiful Sabbath morning in May,
three years ago, with many others, I took
seat in the Congregational church of this place,
to hear for.the first time, young minister
whose services had been engaged to fill its
pulpit for year. He was fresh from the
Chicago Theological Seminary. inexperienced
in pastoral work, and knowing this. all felt
kindly toward him and disposed to receive
whatever he might say with the utmost con.
sideration and indulgence. l had never seen
him before, and as he walked up the aisle
and assembled the desk that quiet Sabbath
morning, there was pleasantness and gentle
ness in his appearance, that Immediately won
my affections and gained the favorable .opin-
ion of all present. A longer and more init
mate knowledge of the man, has but strength
ened my first impressions and increased my
respect for him. Modest, unassuming. thought
full, loving nature and retirement more than
the mingled crowd of men; meditation an6
! study with the great minds Of the past rather
! than frivolous conversation with idle men Of
the present, some may have thought him de-
void of proper sympathy for and disdanful
of the interests of his fellow men. Such how
ever is not true. You have only to gain ac-
cess to the inner man to witness the warm
impulsive throbbing of his nature and see
that he has a heart to feel for others woes,'
and a generosity that would bestow all he
hath in charity. There is no shelter of pow
erty so humble that he would not visit and no
man so fallen and degraded that he would not
seek to save and restore. His constant de-
sire to make himself worthy of his sacred pro
to promote the cause of his Divine Master and
no sorrow seems to take so deep hold upon
his heart as when he fails to accomplish his
work. His freedom from sectarianism only
as it binds him 10 be true to the religion of
Christ-his bold utterances in behalf Of truth
and justice, show him to be progressive in
mind and spirit and the constant improve
ment manifests in his ability to give force and
clearness to hin views and thoughts, will soon
place him, if they have not already, among
the first grade of our Western clergymen.
| For some tine he has felt that there were
other and perhaps more congenial fields where
he could go and do his Masters work and re,
ceive larger reward in the conversion of
souls. With this object in view he terminus
ted, last Sabbath evening, his pastoral SER
vices in Potosi A large and respectable au,
dience attested by their presence, at his
farewell sermon" their continued and grow
ing respect for his worthiness and many feel
ingly expressed their regret that he is not to
remain with US longer.
new parsonage bears witness to his en-
ergy and industry, and the well filled church
during the past winters evenings, shows that
his lectures and discourses, both religious
and temporal, were of such character as to
attract and interest his hearers As further
and more substan.i al testimonial, purse con-
tanning many voluntary dollars was handed to
him by a friend, and as the gift was unex-
pected, it was received with deep emotion
and unfeisned words of gratitude. That he
and his amiable christian lady may be blessed
and prospered in all the walks of life, as He
would wish to see them, is the humble PRAYER
of their many Potosi friends. S.
Potosi, April %, 1879.