Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-09-22
Nh. Nice responded as follows:


r 3car Mr. Jameson and brethren and
1ea You. expressions have been so hearty
l4r, b en- anticipated by so many per-
SOFA expressions of the same kind during the
, .,w days that [ must believe that they
represent the true sentiments Of the conSrer
-.uu AND l can assure you that if you
as missed me have missed you. |, too
t5l-. valued and loved my people before
t'r too.discovercd that mad not known
ho, oayiug how much did love you.
ave wrote home as little as | coald
.- rv Homosickmess. But do not mind tel
l.. SOL. BOW that was sometimes "dreifu
.nes.ck Dr. Moore IGopld look blue and
u IL OF Mrs Moore and Walter And another
member OF the party would sigh fot & certain
a,s With black eyes aud brown hair in a far
southern Stale. Still another would talk of
mother and friends But [ had no one to
,igh fox save father and sister and my church.
Yell think had the best of it, for enc men,
1er OF that trio consisted of nearly four hun.
ired people. In spite of inconsistencies, how
ever had profitable trip, aud think. on
.he whole The exp srlence has bGen prolta-
bic one to us all. You know that when we
are separated from onr loved ones we can do
nothing bu; pray for them. have done
good deal Of earnest praying for you all these
uusrateful, 100. not to see and confess that God
has answered more graciously than had
hoped When we separated l was almost sure
should not see some of You again IL the
lcsh and vet not onc'of You has been taken
Not one change is nccdful on the manual
roil of COMMITMENTS. Moreover. in spite of
all our forebodings and fears of harm coming
to the congregation through the long separa-
ton, | think We may sec All actual improve
ment aud growth III our membership. God
has given you acceptable preaching and your
own power to manage the church affairs in
the absence of pastor has hcen exhibited
conspicuously and developed by the exercise.
! have come back from the absence with a
good many gains hope which will bear d.
Iectly upon the work have 20 do | trust
YOU do not need to be assured that did net
start out on this trip in The spirit Of an idle
pleasure seeker. / went with an earnest pun
pose 10 increase my efficiency for Col IN the
service Of His church. And come back eager
TO bring into the service OF Gods church ev-
erything have enjoyed and proiitei by.
shall not be satisfied if it benefits only me.
want to make all my gains contribute to the
good OF Gods people.
| am grateful TO you for praying that
may be filled with the Holy Spirit. That is
the essential thing. For after all our study
and all our experience and all our travel and
acquisitions of any kind, what prof is there
if the Spirit of God breathe not through the
strings of the prepared instrument?
thank the Young Peoples Union for this
welcome. ! thank all of you who have been
KIND enough 20 come out and welcome Us
lack. ] especially appreciate the presence
here OF some who are not members of our
congregation | thank you all Ii do not
grasp every hand it is not because l shall not
seek TO do it.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Rice's reply
the following programme, under the
direction of the musical committee, was
given Piano solo, Mrs. o. F. Carter
violin solo, Mr.. Courtney Houck; vocal
solos, Miss A. Uhler and Mr.. G. b.
Kennedy; male quartette, Messrs. G. B.
Kennedy, P. j. Dempsey, o. While and
i Lambert; accompanies, Mr.. II. F.
Wheat, Mrs. Ashley Dempsey and Miss
Mai Uhler. After hymn by the con-
aregation and benediction by tho pas
tor, the more than happy people left for
their homes feeling how much good it
was to obey the command OF their King
and Master, Love one another"