Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1892-10-06
FROM SCOTLAND.
Letter to the United Presbyterian
Sunday School.
Written by a Missionary En- Route to
Egypt via Scotland Sage Ad-
vice and Observations

The Rev. j. K Giffen, who lately, with
his wife, started for the mission field of
Egypt, writes the United Presbyterian
Sunday School of this place an interest
ing letter, part of which we produce this
week, and part of which we will give
next week:
GLASGOW, SEPTEMBER, 10, 1892.
Dear Friends of u P. s. s.. St Clairsville, o.:
L remember a promise to write to you
oftener than did during the past years.
A very rash promise, no doubt, and one
made at time of excitement. But |
mean to try to keep that promise, and to
not allow you to forget u.s.. We need
your prayers and sympathles.
1t was September 7th-the last sad
good-byes were over at the old home the
last affectionate kiss of a fond mother
and dear sister-a few familiar faces met
us at the Railroad station; hands were
pressed silently, but it meant much-the
train moves off, and the places and scenes
most familiur and most dear are lost to
view. Will it be forever? God only
knows. On we go, and each minute
speeds us from these familiar things; we
have set our faces toward Egypt, and
each stage of our journey finds faces and
things less familiar, and so our journey
will continue until again we near our
journeys end, when again trust famili-
ar scenes will re-appear. And, my dear
young friends, this is the whole scene of
life in one act. You will find childhood
associations and home friends the dear
est, and most lasting. But new friend
ships must be formed, new places must
became familiar, as old ties are broken
and early associations are severed. The
home must often-oh, very often-be
given up that our best energies and best
gifts may find the place God has fitted |
them for. There are many struggles
some victories wearisome jour
neys, with but few familiar faces often. |
One by one we sever old ties; one by one
we lose dear friends; day by day we jour
ney onward, and at last, as we near the |
journeys end, familiar things appear. As
we pass the valley and shadow of death |
there is the face of Christ AS He guides
us over the rolling river, we meet on the
other shore the dear loved ones of child |
hood, youth, manhood, old age. How soon
that meeting will bel To Him a thous- |
and years are as one day and one day as
a thousand years. 1t is goodnight here,
good there. May God help you
to act your parts well; may He fit you for
every trial; aid you in the journey, be it |
long or short, and bring you each into the
haven of rest with all His redeemed.
We did not delay much until we reach |
ed New Y York-an hour or two at Pitts |
burgh, day in Philadelphia, day in
New York. Business ended, preparations
all made for the journey-a nights rest,
and we early in the morning of Septem-
Der 10th, reached the docks at the foot of |
street, where the steamer |
in which we had taken passage was lying
in dock. The "City of Rome" of the
Anchor Line, is fine vessel-one of the |
finest steamers that cross the Atlantic
She is $50 feet long, and 80 feet wide
Any of you who might wish to do so,
could measure off these distances in some |
field, and thus help your imaginations
fill up the measure. We had few passen-
gers on board-only about 25 or 80 cabin
passengers; and promptly at s A. NJ. the
vessel backed ont of the dock,
and turned down North River as quietly |
and dextrously as if she had been an an
innate intelligent being. One or two shrill
whistles that shook the very vessel, and
almost deafened the passengers, and then
she shot off toward sea-out past hun
dreds of other vessels, on past houses and |
lighthouse stations; past the Statue of
Liberty Enlightening the World past the
six monster vessels, whose unfortunate |
passengers were quarantined because of |
cholera, and before noon we were out in |
to the great ocean.
Concluded next week.