Smyrna times., 1889-12-04
sociable at the M. E. Parsnnare.

Inc members OF the Society of Chris
tian EndeavOr, (the young members
of the church) to the number of about
thirty repaired to the parsonage
Monday evening to have "socia-
BILE" with Rev. VIM. S. Robin
son and his excellent lady.
prompted by the realization that
in a week or so they will have de-
parted for a distant field of labor.
There was in it further recognition
of the fact that he had organized them
in a society, had cared for and watch.
ed over them and that they were
about to lose their guide and counsel
or The most of the company met at
the house between eight and nine
| O'Clock, occupying the hours with the
social pastimes incident to such com
panies. The cake and cream which
the visitors had carried with them was
| spread on the tables between half-past
ten and eleven o'clock and the pastor
and his wife with the other members
| escorted thereto, and a pleasant time
spent at the festive board. During the
evening Miss Lizzie Mcdowell secur-
ing silence approached the pastor and
in the midst of profound silence pro-
ceeded to read as follows:
ADDRESS TO REV. W. s. ROBINSON.
| Dear Pastor:
The Young Peoples Society of Christian
EndeavOr of Asbury Methodist Episcopal
! church desires to give expression to the
feeling which has been aroused in it by the
knowledge that you are about to depart for
another and distant field of labor. That
| feeling has in it so much more of personal
| Ic llxyo -,
resolutions, that we have chosen this mode
of free and unrestrained expression.
Our society is the child of your planting,
and we doubt not has often been lifted
| upon your prayers to the throne of grace.
From you came its initial impulse
Because OF this peculiar relation which
you bear to the society, you must be held
by US in peculiar affection as its founder,
| so long as 1t continues to live and work in
the Masters vineyard. No one who
comes after you can hold the same relation
to the society.
/ We are indebted to you not only as the
founder of our society, but also as the con-
slant and sympathetic friend and helper.
Never have we called upon you in vain
for help and counsel.
1t is, therefore with a sense of personal
bereavement that we face the future in
which you are no longer to be with us as
pastor and friend. But we assure you that
we face the future with unwavering deter
minatlon and courage, relying upon our
Ever Present Help, to do all that we can
to advance our holy cause. Youmay have
the satisfaction of knowing when you are
in far off Dakota laboring with and for oul
flock there as you have labored here fol
us, that this society is persevering in the
work which you have begun among US.
While we feel so many reasons to regret
your departure, 1t Is q satisfaction to US &c
know that you are going to a large field o
usefulness. We trust that the field in
which you labor for the Master may grow
wider and wider until it may be the ful
measure, of your ability. When life,
work Is done may you return to the har
vest home of our hopes with many soull
garnered to eternal bliss
EMMA WELDON,
HESTER G. RUTLEDGE,
j. b. DEFOBD,
T. L. MASON,
LILLE II. PRATT,
LAURA A. BELL,
LIZZIE MCDOWELL,
Executive Committee.
Smyrna, DEL, Dec. 2, 1889.
In reply he spoke of the organiza.
tion of the society and said there had
never been a moment since it was or
ganized that he had wished it out o
existence; that his relations with them
had been pleasant and it was will
feelings of sadness that he severed hi:
, connections with them, for he haC
: learned to love them; he exhorted tn
association to ever bear in mind tn
chief end for which the Society wa
brought into existence-to work for tn
cause of God and the church, to b.
f loyal and true to the church, to rail-,
around their new pastor and give hin
3 to feel from the start that he had tn,
support of the young people and tha
3 he could rely on them for help. Tha
there had been young people reaches
/ and touched by them that would no
otherwise have been reached, and tha
D in his new home his mind would oftel
on Sunday evenings with pleasur
wander to the lecture room here an
the meeting which they would the
: : be holding
He thanked them for this mantle,
tation of kindly regard, which
: hoped would ever exist between then
= The time passed so pleasantly tha
y twelve o'clock had come ere the mos
: knew how fast time was flying.