Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-05-31

49,
church.
"Wei hast thou fought
The better fight. who single haste maintained
Against revolted multitndes the cause
or TRUTH
Mrs. Laura Burr Bushnell faded in
her early loyeliness, but to flower again
in the life immortal. Miss Kate NJ.
Cheesebro went from us in the freshness
and bloom of young maidenhood, but
to live thereafter in a better cline
In the dying of Addison b. Farrar,
the pure, affectionate. conscientious lad
of fourteen years, we beheld fore-e leans
of Immortality, and seemed to have
some intimations of what the future
heavenly alteration and rapture may be.
When the exclamation is heard from
one so young, The magnificent God
who forgivcs sin!' and as if he looked
right up into heaven. "0h, there are so
many of them! Oh! there's Jesus, dar-
ling Jesusr' it affords striking confir-
nation of the sentiment: s'Children
have eminently q simplicity of faith.
which is akin to the highest knowl-
edge. That young spirit flew to
heaven on the wings of the song,
Jesus, lover of my soul.
Let me to thy bosom hy.'
The wife of DIR. John ID. Wood, who
was always devoted to the interest of the
church, and earnest in her personal
Christian life, was called, in the proyi-
dence of God, to new home farther
west before she went to occupy her
heavenly mansion.
In these recent years Mrs. Nancy
Moore, Mrs. Cynthia Farnsworth and
Addison Burr have departed in their
full maturity, but, alas! too soon for
their families and for us. 1t should not
be forgotten that in the past and down
to the present time the church has had
good friends and supporters who
were not members of the organization.
But must not detain you with the
further recital of these annals. These
forty years have history which the pen
can not sketch. The incidents which
have been recalled and noted are triv-
ial compared with that which lies hid
den beneath the surface of superficial
facts. Heart histories are for the most
part known only to God The record
is on high.
Some of the steps of our progress
are marked by decades; for nearly ten
years we dwelt in tabernacles not our
own; about ten years were passed in
the first church building; about ten
years in that house as enlarged, and
the last ten years in the present edi-
flee. The original membership of
seven has increased to a total of three
hundred and seyenty-four who have
been connected with the organization
from the first, while the present num-
Der of members is one hundred and
thirty exclusive of absentees. The
church is represented by its former
members in nearly OF quite twenty diff
ferent states and territories, where
their strength has been added to enter
prises which are generally newer and
more needy than our own. 1t will be
seen that the church would be able to
show much larger present member
ship except for the losses it has sus-
tanned by emigration; also is it evident
that only by pushing their work can
our churches hold their ground in these
changing communities.
Aid from the American Home Mis-
sionary Society IN supporting the minis
try was relinquished in the year 1856,
and the sum of ninety-six dollars has
been paid into the treasury of that
society the present year, in partial re-
turn for the annual appropriation of
about two hundred dollars in our early
history. The churcl, has two sons 10
the ministry, one of them laboring on
missionary ground. Others have en-
tered the professions of law, medicine
and teaching, besides the many en-
gagged in professional pursuits.
No one can question that the high
tone of morality which is a somewhat
marked characteristic of our population
is to be attributed largely to the intlu-
ence of this and other churches. A
man once prominent in the politics of
the county, and enterprising and sue
cessful IN business, remarked, in con-
nection with making an unsolicited
donation TO n church-building enter
prise, that il it were not for the influ-
ence of the churches and schools he
would not be able to drive out upon the
streets in safety. He bore this frank
testimony in favor of the churches,
although in no sense churchman HIM
self
1t may be observed that our day of
small things is not to be despised, as
if it were altogether day of weak
things. The more vigorous emIgra-
ton, like the bravest. soldiery, pushes
to the front where, in connection with
difficulties and risks, the best oppor-
tunities are found. The lead mines of
Wisconsin attracted bright men from
the older parts of the country, some
what us the gold mines of California
afterwards did. The bar has never
been ADLER than at the time of my earl
lest acquaintance with it.
Col. Goodhue, who. at that time, pub
lished The HERAD, soon removed. with
his press, to St. Paul, where he estab-
lished the first and leading newspaper
in Minnesota. Josiah l.. Pickard, who
is u foremost educator in the West,
was principal of Platteville Academy
The ministerial force then embraced
among its members the present pastor
Of the First Congregational church of
Detroit, the Rev. Zachary Eddy, ID. d..
and the present head of Iowa College.
the Rev George +. Magoun, d. d.
The leading characteristics of the
church, as illustrated IN its history, are
stability, harmony, and adherence to
the historic belief of the Christian church
As the years 60 by this church does not
make haste to change its pastor, or
deacons, or Sunday School superinten-
dents, or trustees; it is not rent by fac
tions, it has not, as body, OF in any
considerable number of its indivi-
dual members departed from the
faith at first delivered TO the saints
regarding the being and projections of
demption by the Lord Jesus Christ.
The church may with truth be said to
have needed the counsel of the wise
man, NEEDLE not with them that are
given to change Ii we have erred,
it has been in not being quick to know
our time and seize our opportunity
But if there have been faults and
failures in the course of this history
they are not recalled at the present
festival. Yet | would not imply that
any of us have passed these wears with
out blame, or that all have been equal
ly good and useful. We know but too
well how much need we all have of
charity from one another and forgive
ness from God.
1t is startling for some of us to con-
slider that this is review of our life
work in the furtherance of the Gospel;
by it we shall be justified and by it we
shall be condemned. We remember
when we were full of the young life and
high hopes of youth; now we must re-
fleet that while the church with which