The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-04-28

harder fare of military prison. I wanted
to be one Of my people, and one with nv
peope. that might win them to Christ
sougl not yours, bat goa asked OF the
+ L ,rd souls for my hire. Thrs il was in the
Ivy Of adversely. So, too, I claim, whea
the dark clouds passed away. and days of
| prosperity began to return, my desire and
my labor was for your true, your best in
I, rests, temporal and spiritual. And God
did bless Us; our little flock grew and in
creased, congregations filed up the little
church till 1t no longer eoull hold them.
Numbers were baptized and confirmed.
Active workers and helpers increased in
number, 80 that besides large Sunday
school. in which there were as many male
4 teachers as female, we began to have other
4 schools and stations in the county. The
material foundations, too, widened and
broadencd. under Gods blessing, and were
Catholic and comprehensive enough to en-
| brace provision for the hack race as well as
the white In all this work, still, sought
not yours, but you. l can appeal to your
selves. In the language of Samuel, OF old,
Behold, here am; witness against me,
| before the Lord; whsse OK have l taken, or
whose ass have l taken, or whom have de-
| fraudctl? whom have I oppressed? or of
whose hand have / received any bride to
blind mine eyes therewith?" Or, in the
words Of st. Paul in the text, can say, Il
have coveted no mans silver, or gold, or APP
pare," / have tried to labor for the true
interests and real welfare OF this whole
community. OF real estate or earth's pos
/ sessions, ! have no more, that is my own,
to-day, than | had when first came among
! you. | have labored for men and for God,
for Christ and the Church, for you and your
children. And most gladly do l acknowl-
edge and thank God for it, that | have had
most hearty, true and liberal co-workers
among you, without whose aid, and Gods
, blessing, l could have done nothing. You
/ have enabled me to assist the poor and the
needy; you have helped me to build for
God and for the rising generation, and !
| have given, as was able, 10 unite and be
one with you Ia building up the church of
God. God knows, have not striven to add
vance self. / have not worked for popular
ity, but for the right, whether popular or
/ no. haze felt that / had n duty TO every
individual. moved, the very FIRST, for the
educational, and as / believe, the best spir-
itual interests of the colored people when
the field was not Il popular, nor very en-
couraging one. considered ali souls, as to
some extent, at least, part of my cSre.
! The educs tional work that l have under
taken to establish here, and in which. you
have so cheerfllly, so substantially, AID so
muniicentiy strengthened and sustained me,
is an enterprise which 1 have always be-
| lieved, and do Eow believe, will prove in
the future, to have been for the very best
and trucs: interests of this whole commu-
nifty. And instead of hoping or expecting
to make gain for myself, from it, 1 did,
midst of the times OF depression and fnan-
cial embarrassment, was threatening the
success if not indeed the life Of the institu-
ton, did, say, strain my own slender re-
sources To the very utmost, that | might
stand up like brother with my laymen
for the time all / had in the world that
MIGHT help them pull down the scale. and
ne did pull il down and cast the burden
away forever.
But now these material struggles are over.
We have a good parish, church and school
and all ont of debt; we have pleasant rec
tory, and comfortable living. Yesl that
is true. But we must now take another
view.
Has the spiritual growth kept up its
pace? have been painfully conscious of
the waning OF my influence with men for
good, for several years past in graphing
with material burdens and financial de-
mands, felt my spiritual hold slipping
from me. But it seemed inevitable. l had
no doubt as TO the nature of my duty in re-
gard to the pressing matters in hand, My
way was clear in that respect, and yet
WAS much removed from that close, init
mate, and will say blessed contact which
had generally characterized my relations
with the flock over which the Holy Ghost
: had placed me. / have seen my congrega-
tions decreasing, especially as regards the
attendance of men. l have seen my Sun
day-school dwindle, and at last the male
teachers entirely disappear. And finally
= in the presence of many with whom in time
: past | could talk freely, and interchange
thoughts of the soul, have crown to feel
, more or less restrained, and unable tc burst
: through that shell, or crust, or barrier
whatever it is, that separates heart from
. heart. would not be misunderstood There
: are many, very many, thank God, both male
; and female, between whose souls and mine
r no barrier, that l know Of, has arisen, and
, on whom L have leaned, and from whom
] have received strength and encouragement
: during all the trials struggles and discour
! agements. But in the very direction where
, the pastors influence should be growing and
I increasing, there, / am sure mine is no
/ now, whatever it has been in the past. Blu
some may think. Well, now that financia
g struggles are mainly over, why not set your
t self to regain your hold, and recover you
l Influence? l have had time to make tn,
effort, and have, perhaps too feebly, mad,
j it. / see no Improvement. l dc not blame
a the men; 1 do not blame the community
t, Christ died for all the souls that are here
S every man has soft place in his heart, ant
+ can be influenced, by an earnest man, TO
# good. But hold once lost is hard to re
:, cover. The trouble is with myself hav
: lost the hope of recovering it. Although