Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-07-22
cLARSSKLLE. TENN


br0HH.-neH PROVIDENCE Churchi
Baptist Reflector.
Endeared by thousand memo.
ries to Clarksville, the beautiful city
on the Cumberland, have thought
ii in place TO make hasty mention
of some of the things that impressed
me during late trip and days
!, sojourn.
The city-like appearance of the
private and public buildings, indi-
Gates the taste, enterprise and judg-
ment Of its inhabitants. Ii the ex-
trinsic merits of Clarksville, by
which l mean il environments, rs
railroads, tarnpikeS, and agricultu-
raj advantages, were equal to its in
trinsic merits--by which ! mean,
its business men, its beautiful and
cultivated women, its fine schools
and magnificent churches, rs capa-
cious well appointed business
houses, its ice, gas and water works,
besides other things worthy OF men-
tion; If the former we say were
equal to the latter, surely the future
of Clarksville would be upward and
onward.
l have always regarded the socie-
ty of Clarksville, whether viewed
from a social, moral, religious or
intellectual standpoint as second To
none in Tennessee, and am glad
to find in it now much of the social
grandeur which so distinguished il
in ante-bellum days. From 1917 10
1854, l lived and labored in this
city. aided in teaching her girls
and her boys. worked in her
schools-her Sunday schools, her
churches and several of her benevo-
lent orders. Ispeak heartily Ia her
praise, for such i claim TO be my
right. .-.r
Among the objects of my late
visit the Baptist church, OF which
was an humble member, interested
me much. Our venerable and be-
loved brother Sears is the pastor,
and never did one more deserve the
affecti0nate cooperation of his
membership, which | am glad to
know he SO cordially receives. Such
church and such pastor cannot
| but be in n prosperous condition.
| The Lord sets his seal of approval
upon such labors. j regard the
Baptist church ia Clarksville, in
many respects Il model church
and DIR. Sears as one of the best
pastors | have ever known. AL
! though by reason of strength he is
now about ending his four score,
still the Lord is enabling him To
labor and giving him strength ac-
cording to his day.
This day, while sitting for an
hour under the hospitable roof of
brother and sister Sears, recOunting
with them the labors and pleasant
memories of the past, for j sat ma
ny years under his ministry, we
were startled by the hasty entrance
of brother WIN. Ely, bearing In his
hand a telegram from Lebanon,
Ohio, giving the sad news of the
death of our venerable and long
loved brother, Joshua Brown, the
oldest member OF the Baptist church
in Clarksville. When 1 joined the
church here in lS47, brother and
sister Brown were towers of
strength. They extended me true
christian friendship, and in all the
church work, encouraged me on
in the divine life. The friendship
and affection formed then have
lasted through life and now as the
sun goes down in cloudlcss sky,
we can only feel while standing
and gazing as the light shall fade,
another one of our best lifelong
friends and brother is gone! Broth
er Brown was an humble, sincere,
devoted christian, wholly incapa-
BILE Of intentional wrong and leaves
behind more than ordinary life
time of proof to the sincerity of his
faith. ...
His remains, accom- panied by his
daughter, Miss Eva, arrived on the
$50 train, Wednesday morning and
were conveyed to the residence of
brother Ely. Here many were per-
mitted TO look upon the face and
form of brother Brown for the last
time. The features were natural
and no evidence of decomposition
had appeared. At 10 o'clock under
the escort of Masonry the body was
conveyed to the Baptist church, of
which he had been n member 81
years, and the knights Templar
performed the funeral services, con-
Quoted by his pastor, DR.. y. ID.
OcitIS. 4 Hc CllOll SuilS
beyond the smiling aud the weeping;'
and Asleep in Jesus
DIR. Sears selected Job 7, 10. ~
would not live always" as the foun-
dation of some touching remarks.
lie briefly reviewed byother
Browns long and beautiful life and
the just tribute paid to the memo
ry of this man Of God found n
hearty response in the hearts Of
those who had known him longest
and be II. The Sir Knigh' closed
the services and all that IL mortal
of brother Brown was committed
to the tomb, there to remain under
the sentinelship OF angels till the
great and notable day.
Some three miloJ below Clarks-
vile is spread, for more than n mile
along the road and river, the viii
lege of New Providence, whose
destiny, owing to the friction of
railroads and the abrasions Of COM
merce, has not been upward Of late
years. In it, however, survives a
Baptist church, with some excellent
members and at the present time,
with an encoula aging outlook.
Our talented and accomplished
young brothern, w. III. Ryals, of
Virginia, is the pastor and his Ia
bors are not only gratifying, but in
the highest degree acceptable to the
church and community, clearly
pointing to him as one OF our COM
ing men. Having but little taste
and less capacity for theological
tournaments, logomachic tilts-and
adverse criticism, all of which may
be well enough in their places,
shall esteem it privilege aud
duty to leave these matters to the
clergy, proper, and from the road
side and the hedges from the floors
of the Associations i may visit, aud
the churche' may attend, shall
take pleasure In giving to your
readers, during my vacation, such
things as may seem good.
Before closing allow me 10 say,
am the guest OF my brother.in in-law,
Mr.. j. j. Carrot, whose opinion OF
the crops. j esteem worthy of cred
it. The harvesting of wheat which
is now In progress, will, he thinks,
reveal the fact OF IL IS yield per acre
than some think-will not average
above twelve aud half bushels per
acre. .tE.
The tobacco crop Is fair average
and well advanced. Corn lo0Es
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