The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1890-01-09
Pleasant Occurrences.
Writtcn for the Posi-.

and with II many merrimentS on this
Evangelical circuit. Exercises were
conducted in the following churches :
Smithgrove, Middleburgh, Paxton
Vile. Kratzerville, and Centreville,
all of which proved to be n grand
success but the grandest success
was that of giving Rev $. Aurand,
pastor, "A birthday surprise on 2nd
Xmas, Dec. 26th When Brother
Aurand and family returned home
from Middlcburgh, where they had
received quite II donation, which the
kind friends had brought into their
neat little Chapel for them, they
found their house occupied by the
energetic members of Smithgrove.
After Brother Aurand was escorted
by one of the numbers into the par
lor, he was asked to occupy very
handsome rocking chair, which he
did, after which Miss Lille Smith
delivered the following presentation
address 1T becomes my pleasant
duty To address YOU at this time in
behalf of your many friends who
have come here to do YOU honor
We are working with you in the
great cause. You are our leader.
We have sworn allegiance to the
church. You have been sent among
us TO preach the word of God
When YOU are discouraged we will
encourage you, for encouragement
is an element to success. We know
that the best of lives are bcset with
difficulties, trials, and hardships.
We have come here to renew our
pledge of friendship, not only to
profess but TO prove. The people
among whom you labor appreciate
your christian zeal and energy, your
exemplary character, and rs n token
of our esteem for you, / present to
you this chair, i'll behalf OF your
friends The present is very sug-
gestivc 1t is indicative of rest
Time has already sprinhled your
head with it's SHOWS. that elastic
step has given way to the measured
and careful tread of old age. That
strong arm that SO long defended
the truth, has lost some of its
strength. When your body must
yicll to natures demands may YOU
find rest and comfort in this chair.
Old age is beautiful. The morning
of life may be full of expectations
the noon may be fruitful of good
works but the evening of life is the
time of calm rcposc and holy medi-
cation
To this our venerable father re-
spondcd. He said Friends of
SmithgrOve Il cannot find words
to express my gratitude for this
token of your appreciation of my
feeble efforts IN laboring among you
as your pastor | always enjoyed
myself among you. For "a years
am in the ministry. | have laborcd
ON different fields, and was always
kindly treated. but nowhere have |
laborcd with greater satisfaction
than in my native county among my
faicuds. And now in the evening of |
my life, for YOU have well said that |
time has already Sprinklcl my head |
with It's SHOWS and / may soon |
have To retire from efficient work in |
the ministry. This, my G2nd birth
day will ever remain one of the most |
pleasant spots of my life | shall |
the more enjoy this beautiful chair
as | may rest my weary limbs in il.
| AGAIN say, thank you
Scarcely had the excitement sub |
sided when II party from Kratzer |
vile dropped i'll upon us, also bring
ing number of valuable presents.
which we would like tomention, but |
space will not permit. After icing |
permitted to enjoy n bounteous meal !
the day was spent III pleasant con
versation and music. Ere our dear |
friends took their departure, we
sang that grand hymn, God be |
with us till We meet again, after
which the writer led in prayer, fol- |
lowed by another short address by |
Rev. Aurand, in which he said, II |
am as firm i'll Gods service as ever"
How very true, indeed. Although |
"a years Of his life have already been |
spent in the itinerancy, yethe travels |
this circuit with as much ease and |
vigor rs the youngest. Long live
our father in the ministry, and give
him many more such birthdays.
Allow us, his associate on this cir |
cult, to state that the dear people |
did not forget us, but also gave us
many valuable gifts for which we
are yeiy thankful. Our prayer is,
with Bro. Aurand and family, long
live the people of Middleburgh cir
cult, for they have all been very
kind to us. Eraternally.