Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-02
BAPTIST ANNIVERSARY.
DIR. Sears Passes Another Mile
stone on the Journey
Of Life.
The Members OF His Church Fittingly
Celebrate the Occasion With
Speeches, Music and
Banquet.

proud last evening, celebrating Dr.
Sears eighty-seventh anniversary
and the silver wedding of church
and pastor. Space at command is in
adequate to describe the affair as il
deserves. 1t was simply grand nc
similar affair has ever occurred in
GAINESVILLE to compare with it, and il
il doubtful il such an event has ever
happened in the United States.
DR.. A. ID. Sears has served the First
Baptist church here twenty-five con.
secutive years, honoring God in
building up the cause, increasing it
ten.fold in every direction, growing
in the affections of his people and in
the favor of God. No pastor was
ever idolized to a greater degree by
his congregation, both old and young.
And then it is wonderful how he has
been blessed with health and vigor OF
manhood. His noble wife is no less
honored and beloved. She is a re-
markable woman, now nearing
her ninety-third anniversary and
still bright and happy as
girl of eighteen, charming in her
social qualities, quick at repartee and
sparkling wit. The combined age OF
this grand old couple is $50 years,
and Trey will soon celebrate their
siXty.third marriage anniversary.
The ladies of the church determined
to celebrate this event in becoming
manner, and the effort was a greater
success than could have been antici.
pated. The decorations were bril-
liant beyond description, all that
beautiful flowers, evergreens and the
hand of fair women could make
them. The services were held in the
audience-room and the banquet in
the Sunday school room, A life size
picture of DIR. Sears rested in front of
the chancel beneath a beautiful ever
green, with white dove lowering
over. These were surrounded by
myriads of rare flowers, plants and
immortelles, interspersed with
bleaChed majolica lea yes representing
snowhakes. On the right of the
chancel appeared the date 1866, and
on the left 1891 in large silver figures
beautifully wreathed. The windows
were also beautifully decorated with
flowers.
Drs. Sears, Inman, Whitsett and
Eaton, Baptist ministers Drs. West
and PEBBLES, of the Methodist
church DR.. Hendrick, of the Pres.
byterian church Revs. Mr.. Burney
and Sullivan, of the Cumberland
church DR., Pettis, of the Episcopal
church, and Elder Farley, of the
Christian church, occupied the chan.
eel. By some sort Of coincidence DR..
Sears occupied the right and DR..
Hendrick the left, the combined
ages of the two being l6S years.
Deacon W. j. Ely was master of
ceremonies and announced Dr. w.
&. Inman, of Humboldt, moderator,
and M. Y. Ingram secretary. The
program opened with music, "Praise
God from whom all blessings f0W,"
followed by an eloquent prayer by
DIR. j. b. West. Music, "All hail
the power of Jesus name.'
Here followed an incident not on
the program. A committee from
Forbes Bivouac, consisting of Presi-
dent j. J. Crusman, Capt Il. H.
Smith, c. II. Bailey, W, II. Bring
hurst, Thos. j. MunGord and Prot Il.
Il. Massie, marched to the front, and
facing the audience, Capt. Crusman
in pretty speech, just such as he is
capable of making on an inspiring
occasion, put in prior claim to the
church and the right to take part in
the proceedings of the evening, and
then addressing DR.. Sears as follows,
presented him with an elegant gold
headed cane-something that he has
no earthly use for, but which never
theless was appreciated
Ladies and Gentlemen
1.-THE committee before you are rep
resentatiVes of Forbes BiVouac. We
are here this evening as portion OF
the delighted guests of our dear good
Baptist friends and would join them
in placing the honors they are SO
gracefully and worthily bestowing
upon their venerable and beloved
pastor, who is our chaplain. Because
of this remarkable doU5ie anniversary
and the unusual interest with which
it is invested, we have seen tit to
bring with Us a memente to mark the
event.
1--WE bring good, stout cane-a
stuff for the support of our beloved
officer. Vet how earne thy do we
hope that it shall be long, very
long time, ere its practical use is at
all necessary to his comfort.
1--WE have thought that this would
be a fitting time to draw nearer to
our hearts this devoted officer of our
association, and within that fond
embrac would also entold his dc
Al, ri