Smyrna times., 1884-01-30
Missionary Day.

Missionary Day.
sunday dawned the most beautifn,
OF 1854, Il crisp, sharp, health inyiporot-
ing air mellOwed by an atmospbera
that had the vernal sOftness char,ct.r-
ls'lc OF the first days of opening Spring
! Everybody said beautiful to have
oright skies and pavements for the first
time in the year comparatively free
from ice. To thus open the door. T., .
number who had been 50 long i,nnris-
ohed at home would have of itself in
sured full house, but with the ,dd;
uonal fact that it was Missionary Dav
at the VI. r. Church, with two VISITING
uiFines from opposite points of the
compass, it is not necessary for -. -
say that that church contained a very
large congregation. Opening with an
anthem by the choir, the prominent
part Oh which was soprano solo by
one OF the lady members. the services
were OF decided int rest till the ,Iosa
Df' John a. Roche the preacher Of the
hour whom the pastor, Rev. Mr. Rigg
SAID needed no introduction to
smyrna congregation, acknowledged
the relation of the pulpit to the neu IN
the speaker and the audience: I'm Gew
remarks before commencing on his
SUBJECT he paid warm tribute to bis
naive town and its people. saving it
heid the brightest and dearest SPOT in
MS memory and affections.
Ills text was from Psalms IT cbon,or
9Th verse: Ask of me and | shall give
the heathen for thine inheritance and
the uttermost parts of the earth for thy
possession The subject offered a
broad field for the orator. and the
speaker in his strong, compact senten.
ces, rich imagination and yloxip,,
rhetoric presented his subject as only |
tne man of we'll stored resources but
VINO relies on the inspiration of the
occasion for his coloring. can. HE cor
mon was divided into two parts-tbe
heathen whose degradation was dis
crloed III all of its enormous depravitv
ana their gift to the church througb
'he gospel of Christ. The discourse
aooonded in striking pictures. that
especially in characterizing Tyndal,s
prayer test" being a specimen of
oratory as graphic in presentation as it
was iorclble in thought. The common
,netnous OF sermonizing are too tame
ior Dr. Roche. His tropes and figures
Jump clear over argument except that
argument that they themselves
the more lucidly present, thus
encompassing with GLOWING
impulse, and onward sweep the
whole round of mental and emotionaI
faculties. Possessing an orotund voice
OF the fullest power, he frequently
calls foot and hand to its aid to give II
emphasis. Like John B. Gouoh bo
does not age with years, and there is
not apparently particle of diminu-
tIon OF his physical or mental force
since his pastOrate here thirty fpur
years ago.
Al the conclusion of the services
while the congregation was retiring bo
was greeted by his old friends tsome of
whom were fellow apprentices with
MIN III learning his trade at ih,. time of
the great revival when so MANY were
taken into the church and from which
went out half dozen ministers) and
children OF many of his early friends
almost amounted to an ovation. II
The missionary collection was taken
up by distributing cards through the
on which separate card the
holder wrote his name and amount he q
felt prompted to give.
Rev. DIR. Walter Underwood. of Sea !
ford, the preacher for the evening was
likewise greeted by full auditorium s
with large number of the seats of the
gallery filled. /
His subject was the "Choice of
Moses" his text being the oath, 25tb
zoth verses Of the XIth chapter of
Hebrews, recOunting the wonderful F
Of faith. 1t was fine de-
lneation Of the striking incident in the a
ife of the moral hero and great law
;iver, composition of choice language &
md presented in a manner that attract.
ID and held the undivided attention of m
he audience. The picture of the
plendors with which Moses was sur b
ounded in the court of Egypt, and the
degradation to which the Hebrews had es
een reduced by the years of slavery
lis deliberate forsaking of the attrac. F.
ions OF the one for the denial and re-
trictions of the other in obedience 10 CO
he promptings of his faith, was n fine
rawing of remarkable figure of ey
istoric and religious interest in every d.
pooh of the worlds progress.
The Sunday School had share in Ct
le days proceedings Though not their J.
big " missionary day which. comes ON
he oath prox.) and both of the Reyer. sa saI
nd gentlemen gave them interesting vi
Ilks.
--------.---..----i i've
Reduction in wages has been In nro- US
'ess in all parts of the country and pic
10 New York HIorId ,>,,kl;-L - 20