The Oskaloosa herald., 1899-10-12
IS SAID

FAREWELL IS SAID
Methodists Give Reception to
Rev. M. Bamford.
| The members of the Methodist
church rendered a farewell reception
to Rev. and Mrs. M. Bamford Mon
day evening in the Methodist church.
| About four hundred of the mem
bers and friends of the departing
minister and his wife were present
and there was a musical program,
during which numbers were rendered
by Miss Ware, Mr. Hammond and
Miss Evans, of Creston. The Ladies
Quartstte sang and Mrs. w. A.
Sewers presided at the organ. Mr..
j. B. McCu1dy came forward at the
conclucion of the program and in
| well-chosen words presented the
minister handsome present, copy
of the Standard Dictionary, and a
stand for the book. Rev. Bamford
received the gift that came from the
| people that had been his for five
years past, and he made quite a
pretty reply to the sentiment that
had been voiced by Mr.. McCurdy.
After the talks by these gentlemen
the members pressed forward to
shake the hand of their former pas
tor and the meeting came to close.
MR.. M'CURDY's ADDRESS
was in part as follows:
Bro. Bamford: 1t wasmy privilege
five years ago to be present on an
occasion somewhat similar to this,
with the difference that we were met
together then to welcome you as our
"new pastor" and not to say fare
well, as we do tonight. Each of US,
as we recall that occasion, will recall
many other differences also.
To you personally it must have
been with some misgivings that you
formally entered upon your duties to
us as as people. We can be impar-
tial enough to recognize that, for
| many reasons, it was no light task to
which you committed yourself.
1t had been decided that the best
interests of Methodism in this town
demanded that the two bodies of this
denomination should be united. But
how to bring about a real union was
| a proplem that excited much doubt
as to whether it could ever be sue
cessfully accomplished. A union
which existed only in name could not
hope to erect a house large enough
and complete enough to accommo-
date the needs of its people in fact,
could scarcely do more than main
tain existence itself.
1t is certainly but just to you that
we make public acknowle cement of
our appreciation of those peculiarly
kind and gracious and happy quail
ties of your own which have made
this union an unqualified success.
God in his providence evidently de-
signed you to do great work for
Methodism and what the Methodist
church represents in this community.
We are now able, with some degree
of assurance to look forward to the
time when, having paid the indebted
ness we are under for this beautiful
building, we shall be able to bend
our individual energies to the pri-
mary purpose for which every church
organization exists, that of doing
active, aggressive Christian work,
both in our own community and
abroad.
In an early day in the history of
this town, long before the paved
streets and durable cement sidewalks
of today, the place of the sideswalks
was usurped by little weed known
as "dog fennel." The Methodists,
too, seemed to be numerous enough
to cause some joker to predict that
the "Methodists and the dog fennel
would take Oskaloosa."
Our partner in this prophecy seems
to have vanished from the town.
For ourselves we feel in way as if
we had now arrived
Through your cooperation and
under your leadership we have been
able to erect a beautiful, commod-
ious building in which to worship.
Better than that, and under God, we
feel that we owe it to you. "Our''
church today presents the spectacle
of once divided people now hap.
PLY united and cemented together
| in the bonds of Christian fellowship
We trust we shall be enabled to hold
together the union which you have
| in your passionate here made an as
| sured fact.
We know that even in your new
home you will feel continued inter
| est in the Central Methodist church
of Oskaloosa, and we shall follow
with warm interest your fortunes ane
that of your family. The needs o.
your new people may and probabl,
will be different from our needs
when you came to as. That God, in
his Providence, may enable you Il
do as good work for the people
with whom your lot is cast as 20,
have done for us is our best praye
for you.
| | am charged in behalf of thi
church to thank you, and in token o
our sincere appreciation of your min
istry to US, TO present to you thi
book, that you may carry with yor
to your new home some visible me
mento Of the affection and esteem il
which we hold you Il stands 70
| little IN money value In oomparisoi
TO what We Ieel to be our obligation
60 sou.
enl theirs Is { wealth q good Ail