The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-06-06


, letter, Rev. Joshua Barbee, now living il
/ Saline county, went to Syracuse to pur
, chase the house of the rightful owner
The fraudulent claimant had ealso gon,
on the same mission. When Mr. Barbee
arrived at the house of the man, he found
that he was of in The timber, some two
miles. The mud was deep but the time
was not to be lost and the minister hurried
ON. The other man got lost and returned
to the house. So did Mr.. Barbee, but &C.
companied by the rightful owner, and from
whom he had Just purchased il. The
sharper from Sedalia and Mr. Barbee re.
turned together, the latter preaching pri.
and christian integrity. The building was
feet added TO its length.
1t was in this same house. In 1860, tina,
/ made the first political speech of my life
Well do recall the timidity with which
arose ON that occasion. / was like Lord
Derby's young member OF parliament who,
when he attempted his maiden speech In
that historic chamber, did not know what
to say, did not know how he said ii, and
when he was through did not know what
he had said. | can only say that those
who knew me then and know me now, can
find no better illustration of the truth Of
the old alage, that time brings about Won
derful changes.
cannot but recall the faces and names
of the original members of the little band
which worshipped Gsd in this humble
temple in the beauty of holiness. The
elders of this church were men of holy
| lives, devout, earnest, sober-minded. The
members lived in the fear of the Lord,
and took delight i'm His service Some of
them are living yet among US others of
the number are out yonder, in Gods acre,
sleeping in their silent homes. They are
beneath the low green tent, whose curtain
never outward swings"
No one, not participant in the stirring
scenes Just after the close of the war, can
appreciate the conditions which encom-
passed us in those days. When the fury
of that internecine struggle burst upon the
| land, and the bugle call 10 arms was heard
on every hand, this little band OF chris
tisns drew close together, and were bound
TO each other as by hooks of steel. This
was moi only the First Presbyterian church
of the city, il was the church.
WHAT CROWDS FLOCKED
to its doors and listened i'm transport To the
story OF the Cross, as il fell i'm magnetic
eloquence from the lips of the grand men
who stood before them as Gods messen
gers.
want TO refer only i'm historical way
TO the division which has been spoken of
by Mr.. Heard. The Synod of Missouri
wanted to stand aloof from the qnarrels
and strifes which were disturbing other
portions of the church. / wanted il, and
my voice was ever raised for peace and
union. / wanted this Synod To ne the
golden link which would bind the warning
but | was disappointed. The strife came
upon Us and there was a division. care
not to dwell upon he past.
We have struggled forward from a weak
beginning until to-day there is much to
encourage us / look with mingled feelings
of sadness and pleasure at these old walls,
and take part in these exercises. Sad, be-
cause this old church-hOme, where have
had SO many seasons OF rich spiritual bless
ings, is soon TO be forsaken. Pleasure ut the
thought that such prosperity and gifts have
been bestowed upon us as 10 enable us Ia
erect more betting temple. We are on
the eve of giving up this old house, and il
is fitting that We recall the past.
GREAT DEEDS HAVE BEEN WROUGHT
here, great men have spoken here. There
are grand and stately temples of worship
i'm this state, but question ii in any of
them loftier eloquence has ever been heard
than has charmed and thrilled and stirred
the crowds which have gathered within
these walls.
Here We have heard DIR. Montgomery,
superb and grand, here have preached
Lacy and Brooks and Wiccolls and Others
of golden tongues and silver speech and
that prodigy, Bishop Marvin, of the
Methodist church the tall sons of Ahab,
the old men eloquent, and the young men
burning with zeal and devotion.
These are precious memories to me, and
made more precious because | too am
about to leave this old church and YOU.
But shall not forget you, and trust you
will not forget me. 1t will be with feel !
ing of sadness when | return !
here and find the old church |,
gone; but will be in part compensated to
find you i'm your new and beautiful temple. |
YOU HAVE MUCH TO ENCOURAGE
you. Be strong i'm the Lord. There are 1
the very elements of strength i'm this con- !
gregation. There are harmony and zeal. |
Keep them both. You have a pastor Of
learning. piety and conservation, with |
strong practical sense. Hold up his hands,
support him and cheer him, and the little
cloud, now no larger than a mans hand,
will grow and overspread you, by Gods |
grace, until from out of it shall drop rich |
showers OF blessings. May that time soon
hasten"
Col. Philips was listened TO with closest
attention and his words, a, times, drew
forth tears from many eyes. When he sat
down, Mr.. Nesbit arose and thanked the
colonel for his words of encouragement,
and, expressing the wish of the audience,
asked Gods blessing to go with him to his
new home. The benediction was then
pronounced.