Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-12-01
DIR. Charles Manly.

Wo havo heard with sorrow tho part
Ing words of our much esteemed pastor
and friend, DR.. Charles Manly, one wo
have, from long and tender association,
learned to love as dearly as those with
whom we wear tho chain of human ties,
and VINO Tceis closer to us than blood
links withal.
Ho came to our church twelve wears
ago with n mission of love to it and
charity to others, his Christian character
bcing such that the confidence Of all de-
nominations was soon won, and he was
pointed to rs a leader in tho cause of
Christ that mono need fear to follow.
He now leaves us for another field,
following tho footprints of duty at the
call of tho Master. Like tho shepherds
of old, without doubt or disputation he
sees tho signs and knows tho star whose
beacon light will lead him to the fountain
whore blessings can be secured and work
in tho cause to which ho has consecratcd
his life found to do. With Christ as his
guido and man of his counsel we feel
assured that an abundant harvest will be
tho result of his obedience to this sum-
mons. No matter what the sacrifice, he
is willing to induro, yea to be offered, if
found necessary, so it be in the cause of
his blessed Rcdccmcr, in whose service
he mover tires in laborng We know and
feel that when the final hour of atone
ment comes with him he will be found
as he has always lived, at his post in
discharge of tho duty with which ho has
been intrustcd, and like tho great apostle
he will be able to exclaim, 81 have fought
tho good fight, 1 have kept the faith, I
have finished my course, hcnccforth
there is laid up for mo crown of right
oousncss."
1t is hard to give him up or for our
short weak minds to SEQ the wisdom Of
his removal from our midst, but without
murmuring VIC submit, believing that tho
ways Of Providence arc inscrutable and
past finding out and that this seemingly
irrcparable loss to us will be gain for
thom to whom he goes, and wo know that
his prayers will be for us, and that
heavens blessings will bo ours if we
strive earnestly to press forward toward
the mark and prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus, where he has
so long pointed us, and to which we have
been called, for we know that tho Lord
docth all things well and makes no mis-
takes. When We consider this, tho scpa-
ration though sorrOwful, yes painful, is
not an inconsolablo iamcntation, and
with him who goes out from among us it
is strain of triumph and an Affirmation
to both that the Lord has purpose to
servo and for him n special duty to
fulfill.
His life among us has been So pure and
will inflict deep and incurpblo wound,
not only in the Baptist church, but with
all tho Christian people of Seneca.
There will be ono to foloR, q successor;
mono can fill his place in tho church and
still less in our homes and by our fire.
sides, for he has erected q monument of
good deeds here, there and everywhere
ho has served which will be moro lasting
than brass and loftier than the pyramids
of KINGS We NAV cu1 1tiyoto wi th
care and encourage with Christian grace
tho work to follow, possibly after q
WhilC cheat ourselves into tho belief that
all is we'll but with somo of us, at least
when with grief subdued, token will
como to remind us of him who is far
away, and that we have been watering a
heart whore the fairest flower has been
plucked and the newer or later growth
cannot fiji the void.
Tho JOY of having tasted tho better
things of life makes it much harder to
lndure the sting that always follows
deprivation, than if wc had never en-
joycd those higher and better blessings
which fortune bostows, so the
privilege of living under the influence
ling and Christ-liko in his charac-
tor, leadership and example, will make
it peculiarly hard for us to be satisfied
with less, and with our circumstances it
will nover again be our good fortune to
find another like him. Ills mission was
to comfort in sorrow and rejoice with us
in happier hours, all of which wo havo
long since learned, and which did not
have to tako thomsolvos wings and fly
away to DC appreciated.
Now, in conclusion, we should, through
faith, ondcavor TO embrace the promises
of our Saviour, obey and observe with
Christian trust his injunction to take up
our crosses daily and follow him, and
looking to tho silent and unknown future.
rely with implicit confidence on tho most
impressive and momontous assurance o
over delivered to tho human race: "IIo
that bclievoth in me, though dead, shall
live, and he that livcth and bclioreth in
me shall never dio."
NJ. w. COLEMAN