Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-05-24

In herman text the words, 'InOu snalt
remember all the way which the Lord
thy God led thee these forty years." a
silent and reverent reminder of the debt
due that great omnicient power in whose
hands are held the destinies of the uni
verse. The church was filled to over
flowing, even the aisles being occupied
with chairs.
The exercises of the evening were
opened with singing by an excellent
choir of seven voices. Still another
song followed, after which prayer was
offered by Mr.. Geo. Howe, the old and
honored superintendent of the school.
Previous to the prayer Mr.. Howe in
dulged in few retrospective re-
marks, abiding with feeling to the
former years of the school in the old
church and his own term of twenty
seven years service terminated last
January.
The next number on the programme
was reading by Miss Helen Strong,
who rendered in fine form centennial
poem. first read at an eastern anniver-
sary.
Superintendent Baxter then ANNOUNCE
ed Hon. A. T. Bushnell, who, he said,
would make a few remarks and also
read letter from former member of
the Sunday School, Rev. Jas ID. Eaton,
now doing missionary work at Chihua-
hua, Mexico.
Mr.. Bushnell began his remarks,
Fair and forty. This church is about
10 celebrate its fortieth anniversary.
Forty years ago the church had its be-
ginning. Its children have grown up
to manhood and womanhood. But few
of the original members of the church
are left. The Children of Israel wan
dered forty years in the wilderness and
only two of the original members of the
tribes remained to take possession of
the promised land" Of the number
left of this church, the speaker was not
familiar enough with the church history
to tell, but it would be brought ont DUR
ing the anniversary exercises of the
week. "These forty years. continued
Mr.. Bushnell, shave brought many
changes which we can hardly appre-
ciate. l hold in my hand letter from
one of the children of this church, now
down in Mexico, in one of those por-
tions of Mexico which greatly resemble
the promised land of which the Children
of Israel took possession. This letter
breathes the spirit that filled and fills
the hearts of many or all of the child
| rem of this church and will be especi-
| ally interesting to the children of the
Sunday School, The letter was as
| follows:
CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO, April %, 1888.
TO the Lancaster Congregational Church.
OUR DEAR MoTHER:-It rs reported
to me that your fortieth birthday is
| soon to be celebrated by the children
| and friends who are living with or near
you. should count it a rare privilege
to be permitted to be with you and them
on the anniversary day, but the distance
and the nature of my present engage
ments have placed that Joy wholly be-
| yond reach.
| Although not able to greet you in
person and thus to present my con-
gratulations in view of the happy past
and my earnest hopes and prayers for
your continued and increasing well
being, l may, at the least, send mes
sage of affectionate remembrance.
Your sons and daughters may be
scattered far and may be engaged in
| building up other homes, yet they never
can forget the happy years spent at
your side, and the loving watch-care
exercised over them. You do not need,
dear mother, formal declaration of
our love, for of that you must be well
assured; and, moreover, all words seem
cold and feeble when the heart would
speak. But, at time when others.
my brethren, are expressing their
thoughts towards you by means of elo-
| quent look and tone / should like to al
Jude to my grateful recollections of the
past and my tender regard for that
household of faith in which | was
reared.
My earliest memories are connected
with the family meeting we used to
have every Sunday for worship in song
and prayer, and for receiving instruction
in the duties we owed to each other
and, above all, to our Father in Hea-
ven. But, with especial clearness do |
recall those gatherings for bible study
when, according to your wise plan.
some of the older brothers and sisters
were set to teaching the Younger ones.
and we learned Il great deal about Jesus
and his disciples and the remark
able men and women of the old and
new testaments.
In this way my older brother James
became for considerable time my
teacher. and he was faithful as father
in impressing lessons of good upon INV
young heart. There were so MANY Of
us occupying the large room at the
same time that you asked one of the
Oldest and most dignified of your sons
to exercise over us a general supervis-
ion. That was our good brother
George, and well remember with what
kindness and gentleness he kept us in
order and encouraged us to study.
But, besides furnishing US with bibles
and singing books, you purchased many
interesting volumes of stories and biog-
raphy. Parts of these which were read
by me can never be forgotten, and am
sure that very helpful teacher was
that library. The books were for a
long time given into the charge of your
son Robert, who had neat and ingeni-
Gus way of taking care of them.
There came time when your family
had grown to be so large that vol,
said you thought it was my turn to try
and teach some of the children still
younger than myself. So you brought
three or four very little brothers and
told them to say their lessons to me.
They were dear little fellows and |
wanted TO help them to become Chris
tians. but ii seemed as if [ knew very
little of the truth when | attempted To
instruct them.
All of these things and a multitude
of similar experiences are associated in
my mind with the old frame house.
that was first erected for a dwelling.
and that was once enlarged when the
needs of the growing family required.
There was nothing very fine about that
building, with its plain. square win
dows, wooden steps, small cupola and
monotonously white interior. sli1h.lr