The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-03-02

followed Mr.. Hudson in a brief minis
try as supply, and he was succeeded
by the Rev. ID. M. Barber, o popular
preacher and useful man. Mr.. Bar
Der had established a boarding school
for young ladies at his farm, above
Washingtonville, and be found it not
expedient to give up bis school, while
the people of Bloomsbnrg wanted q
minister to i've among them; hence he
withdrew, and the field was again left
vacant. In 1888 q unanimous call was
extended from Bloomsbury, Berwick,
Briar Creek and the Fishing Creek
Mission to Mr.. ID. J. Waller, licen-
tlate of the Presbytery of New Castle,
who had been about one year out of
the Theological Seminary at Princeton,
N. j. They offered him a salary of
5000 per year. the same that had been
offered to Mr.. Hudson, which was in
those days considered good and suffi.
cient support. He accepted the call
aud was ordained and installed on May
lst, 1889.
Thus commenced pastorate which
lasted more than thirty years, compre-
bending vast range of country, aod,
as Mr.. Waller himself says, ''full of
labors, of trials and of love" This
pastorate proved great blessing to
this extensive charge, both spiritually
and temporarily. The pastor held on
his way bravely, amid discouragements
of a formidable character, conquering
obstacles which to many q man would
have been insurmountable, and lifting
the church and the community up in
the scale of mental, moral aud reli-
gious development, as few men could
have done. Mr.. Waller proved him
self to be the right man in the right
place throughout his long ministry in
this charge. Doubtless the providence
of God sent and kept him there throu yh
all those years of toll and sacrifice,
because he was in all respects 80 per-
fectly adapted to the exigencies of the
field. He had several opportunities of
changing the locality of his labors,
having received calls to churches of
greater apparent promise and of light
er lab, IRA than this; but he remained,
lad iferent to all human inducements
VI the contrary, where the Master had
placed him till his work was done, and
now in his declining years can con-
template, with comforting satisfaction,
the fruitful results of his protracted
pastoral life. Under his ministry the
church at Bloomsburg not only became
amply self-sustaining, but at length,
stepped to the fore front of all the
churches of the Presbytery in the de-
partment of benevolent contributions,
which position it maintained till the
churches of the city of Williamsport,
through the great increase of that
place in population and wealth. were
recently enabled to outstrip it. Mr..
Waller resigned this charge in April
1871, and in October, 1872, the present
pastor, the Rev. Stewart Mitchell, was
called and installed, who has efficiently
taken up and prosecuted the success
full work of his predecessor. This
church ia not strong in the number of
Its communicates, reporting only 40,
but it worships God by giving of its
substance to benevolent objects every
Sabbath, and its liberality is worthy
of the highest commendation. Last
year, 1887, it gave nearly 500 to for
eign missions, nearly the same amour,
to domestic missions, and with proper.
tionate liberality to all the other Oh
jeets of benevolence presented by the
General Assembly to its churches tor
their support.
NEW COLUMBIA CHURCH.
This church was organized june
18th, 1925. 1t was included ih the ok.
ten-ive field belonging to the Brial
Creek Church, which the Rev. ASS
Durham so often supplied previous to
1916, has always been feeble, irregular
ly supplied and inactive. Severa
times it has tried to maintain a pastor
in connection with other charges, hui
soon became weary of the effort
Once or twice revivals have occurred
in it which seemed to promise bette
future, but have soon died out and lef
it stagnant. Its great sin seems to b,
the absence of the spirit of giving t.
the support of the Lords work. 1t
existence is precarious. In 1886 it re
ported to Presbytery thirty member
and no gifts to benevolent objects.
sUGARLoAF CHURCH.
This church was organized 10 1853
1t ia located somewhere in tho vicinit,
of the old-time Briar Creek Churcl
territory. 1t is not reported on tn
minutes of Presbytery of recent year.
and may be regarded as extinct, or
perhaps, has become identified will
Ravens Creek Church, which reports
seventeen members and a Sabbatl
School of fifty members, with abou
S73 raised for religious purposes il
1886,
| RHoRsBURG CHURCH.
This churcl. was organized in lS47
1t reported, in 1886, five elders, thirty
seven communicates, eighty eight mem
bers in its Sabbath School, and raised
about $i36 for all religious purposes
An Excellent Medicine.
"My wife and myself were in ba