The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-10-30

Hayden, X. Ell. Knight, Mrs. NJ. B. Knight.
N. Fay, Mrs. Fannie s. Beebe, Mrs. s. @.
Austin, @. O. Wilcox, Mrs. M. J. Beckley,
Mrs. Polly Hovey, Mrs. Ann s. KING,
Andrus May, Miss Helen May, Mrs. Car
oline A. Sawyer, J. II. Pendleton, Mrs.
Alvira Hardy, Mrs. @. A. Holmes, Mrs.
GA. Babcock, 7. Beardsley (eighty-seven
years of age), Mrs. Temperance Beard
eley, Mrs. Delos Smith, Merrick Burton.
Daniel Briggs, Mrs. Daniel Briggs, T. G.
Briggs. Mrs. Harriet Spicer, Hon. John
r. Buchtel-in all %.
Some of the above named persons are
not yet past the prime of life, being pres
ent merely to represent the crying ba.
bies" whom the Rev. DIR. Sawyer request
ed should be taken from the church, as
they greatly annoyed him while preach
ing; the said "babies," however, refusing
to obey the request.
Among the clergy, the oldest was Rev,
DR.. Balch, now past eighty years of age,
and among the laity is the good old
brother, L. Beardsley, who, though eighty
seven years of age, is better preserved in
both body and mind than many at seven
ty. The oldest of all is Br. Andrus May,
who has reached the very unusual age of
ninety years of age. Nearly all of
the clergy present, and some of the leity,
both men and women, made short talks
reciting interesting "reminiscences and
tender memories relating to that great
Convention.
Among the most affecting of these talks
was that by Rev. @. l.. Shipman, during
which nearly every face was bathed in
tears. Father Sbipman alluded to what
the fathers had done, and plead for those
of the present to do better, by not only
giving of their love and their labor, but
of their money. He wished that the Gen.
eral Convention might have millions of
money, not to enrich the treasury, but to
use in aiding weak churches. He recited
an instance wherein the Convention had
in this way accomplished great good
Father Clifford also spoke feelingly and
with vigor beyond his years. "Let u.s."
he said, shave the spirit of the Master
when he prayed for his murderers. Let
every effort be put forth that good work
be done for our glorious cause"
Rev. T. p. Abel desired to be recorded
as one who loves his fellow men. He
said that he felt younger than he did
forty-three years ago. Then he was an
invalid, given up by five doctors to diel
He also related the case of Rev. j. M.
Cook, who preached at the Convention,
who was a somnambulist, preaching,
praying and singing while asleep; and
these sermons preached during sleep
were said to be even grander and ADLER
than those preached while awake. At
Mr.. AbelPs home in New England the
peighbors would sometimes come in the
night to witness these unusual proceed
ings.
Laurel Beebe said that he came fifty
miles in wagon, with wife, mother and
sister-in-law, to attend the Convention of
1S43. Hon. M. L. Edwards, of Iowa,
remarked that he was present at the ded-
ication of the old stone church (now used
by the Baptists) in 1888. Rev. f. NJ. Al
word reported Horace Greeley as saying
that he stopped during the Convention
at house where there were five dele
gates, neither one of whom used tea, cot
fee, liquor or tobacco" which he regard
ed as strange coincidence.
Rev. DR.. Balch travelled long distance
to attend the former Convention and was
richly rewarded by the spiritual inspira-
ton which the meeting afforded. DIR.
Emerson remarked that he and Brs. Hull
and Doolittle had travelled more miles
together III the Western Reserve and
slept together more nights than any other
ministers. He told an incident illustrat-
ing how little ministers know, at the
time, of the good they do, by a gentle
man, whom he met in after years, telling
him that his conversion to Universalism
was through his (Emerson's) preaching.
Brs. Hovey and Hull both made feeling
and appropriate remarks. The meeting
closed by singing the doxology, and ben
ediction by Rev. @. l.. Shipman.