The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-28

FAREWELL WORDS.
Rev. Mr.. Ceuey Delivers His Gesd Rye
BY the Standards Special Wire.
BUTTE, July 1.-THE STANDARD re-
porter still continues to attend church
and each time tries in vain to discover
among the worshippcrs any representa-
tives OF our professedly religious contcm-
poraries. This evening he church ut
tended was the Methodist Episcopal
church south, on the corner of Idaho and
Galena streets. BY 8 o'clock the little
church was well filed and q few moments
later chairs were brought in 20 accommo-
date the congregation.
The occasion was one in which all feel
n sad and tender interest. IL was the
farewell sermon Of the Rev. A.. G.
Couey, who has FOR the past
four years faithfully served his
people. After th. usual opening ex-
ercises. the pastor began his address,
speaking substantially as follows: My
dear friends and members of the church.:
j q never before preached n farewell
sermon. have never before served up
To the limit of our law. Young men are
usually moved about every year. The
people get enough OF them i'm II months.
] once wanted to be great. | once thought
that l might be the pastor of the first
Methodist church of New Orleans. But
now my conception is to present the gos-
pei faithfully.
have nothing in Butte over which to
glory so much as the conversion of n few
SOULS. | might have given my attention
TO my ermon aud nave become the first
preacher in Butte. might then have ne
elected the homes. but l have not. The
few souls that have been brought 10
(hrfat txipa M MORN .,nsplat fnp than atr-
thing else.
We have e~ndeavored to give YOU the
gospel as il is believed and taught in our
church, while l think the grace of God is
sufficient to discover true Christian char
acter in all denominations, yet we say
that we love our church better han any
oil earth. feel convinced that
il is not the only true church,
but i do feel that she is
true. and by the grace of
God. we have endeavored to present from
this pulpit the compass Of her doctrines.
l AVE endeavored to preach the hole
truth and | am answerable TO God and not
to man. On September -, 1856. l preached
'Seek We first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness and all these things shall
be added" On the morning of my ar
rival | felt that / had landed in q new
when two copper cents have been my
stock i'm trade, but i have grown i'm health
and in spirit and 1 thank God that | was
sent to Butte.
As the representative OF the Methodist
church south, | felt that IL was a great
task to make myself understood. Some
thought me n negro preacher, Others that
] came TO preacL slavery. After ! had
been here a year some said. Brother
Couey Is discouraged and going to leave.
Three times have l been appointed else
where and you have recalled me, and l
thank God for il. To me this church has
more of genuine friendship than any
church ! ever knew. And we have been
a peaceful church as compared with other
churches. One word of complaint, | have
for ! am contentious and a the last
ord. You thiuk you are compliment
ing me i'm saying that you do not like
the itineracy because l am compelled To
go away now. i am sorry that you have
not been taught during my Passionate To
low the itineracy system. This may be
said in defense that outside of the Epis-
copal church during the last four
years each church has had from one to
five changes. You always have n
preacher while they have not always.
Two years ago, in n non-itiner-
ant church, there were 1,J0O
churches without pastors and 1900
pastors without churches. This could
never be true of the Methodist church.
Don't stand off and look at my successor
tANHs .hl ttAAah Ieaa - Is tsAtE - otNaa
see what he can do. ! want you To receive
him as you received me. i thank God
that such has been my relations with the
other churches here as TO have preached
in nearly every church in Butte. | thank
God that have friends in every church in
the city.
What have we done in Butte? Some
one has said that before 1
came here we had no organization,
but we did have an organization.
We had seven resident four
years ago. In all tonight we nave en-
rolled ~. Only two of our members have
died during the past four years.
j want to apologize for the little work ]
nave lone. / have preached In Butte
from 600 To 40 times. ! have visited each
family of the congregation about once in
% or 30 days. Two years Y we inauRu'
rated a conference paper u to my sur
| prize i was elected editor. In doing this
work l have served Helena and other
places as well as Butte. | have given
from six to ten days a month Ia
this paper. So those who con
plain that | have been "A poo preach, Z
in Butte should remember that IL is be-
u ! IN preached to the people OF
the whole state.
We AVE lifted 81 900 of debt from the
church. We have built a parsonage and
have now but "a few hundred dollars OF
debt on il. When "a nan has "A faithful and
loyal band of members, any preacher can
succeed. The day will come when this
church must be torn down. l expect this
will be done in the next four years.