The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1899-10-11
ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
Delivered by w. G. Summers Before the
Bogue Chitto Association at Topisaw
Baptist Church Sept. 23, 1899.

bogue ehftto Association at Topfsaw
Baptist Church Sept. es. 1899.
My Friends. Brothers and Sisters:
Since we met you at Mt. Zion church
twelve months ago, and you agreed to
meet us and each other here at Topi-
saw, we have looked forward with
anxious expectation and bright antic-
ipation to this good hour, when the
vague suspense incident to a know
ledge of the uncertainties of mere
human arrangements has given place
to the realization of that which is true
in the providence of God. You are
here and we are glad. Amid the cares
of this busy life we have been careful
all the while to care for you when you
came, and make you feel at home
with us while you stay. In thinking
how best to do this we have thought
of nothing better than to give utter
ance to the feeling that thrills every
heart-and now, through me, we ex-
tend TO you warmly, tenderly, loving
ly, a hearty welcome. Fearing that
this old English compound, though
one of the sweetest words in our Ian
guage in its primary sense in this con-
nection, does not express quite
enough, we therefore assure you that
the spirit which prompts the utterance
is susceptible of expansion, not that we
would reach out and take in the Phili-
ppine Islands, and embrace imperial
ism-but just enough to take the dele
gates, messengers and visitors to this
| Association into our hearts and homes.
! To make you believe this by living out
the declaration shall be our aim and
efforts. for some truths hard to ex.
/ f,lain in Unp1S CHM rNln nnnnnh in
actual experience.
Now we welcome you for every con-
ceivable reason in the premises, but
mainly because of your mission here,
for we know that you are here not so
much for the "flesh potts." to shake
| hands with old friends and have SIM
ply good time: but for the honor and
the glory of God, the advancement of
the interests of His kingdom here
and the betterment of human kind
Without attempting to offer a single
apology for any suspected shortage on
our part, my friends, do declare to
you that in some respects this has
been a hard year with us-too dry
and too much wet weather, some sick
ness and a full crop of candidates, but
amid it all we have realized the truth
of the lesson Mr.. Spurgeon learned
when he visited his old farmer friend
in the country. That friend had built
large barn, and on that a cupola;
thereto he attached a weather vane.
On that he put the text "God is love" "
Spurgeon looked in wonder, and f.
nally Brother, why did you
put that text ON the weather vane; do
you mean to say that Gods love
changes like that weather vane, with
the breezes?" His friend answered
mo. but do mean to say, God is love,
no matter how: the wind blows" So
you see the issues belong to God; to do
right is ours.
We have thinned out the candidates,
almost every one is we'll now, we have
gathered some hay, some corn
and some cotton-and we have
ceiled our house, the bill is paid and
we did not extort the means from the
candidates, so we have nothing of
which to complain after all. Now, my
friends, if any doubt remains as to the
extent of this welcome, we will settle
that by telling you the story of the
made his will. Meeting his favorite
have made my will" "Yes, father, and
how did you treat me?" "Oh! i did
you up handsomely, John: | have willed
you the whole State of Virginia in
which to make your living, with the
privilege of going elsewhere if you
can do better" So after this manner
we will you all the regions round
about Topisaw in which to get your
living and homes in this emergency,
with the privilege of going elsewhere
if you can do better, but we trust the
preparations which we have made will
prove to be amply sufficient for the oc-
casion and second to none you may find
elsewhere.
Dear Friends, who have honored
US by gathering here. ] trust your
stay shall be so pleasant and
our meeting so harmonious and so
profitable, that as the years roll by
you may sometimes think of us and be
willing to come again some day; but
we know many hours and many days
shall pass before this. But even if we
never meet again on this earth, may
we all meet in that bright world where
will be no parting, and we will never
say goodbye.
"The angels stand on the heavenly
strand
And sing us welcome home"
The address was responededt to on be-
half of the association by Rev. l. HI.
Anding, who made very pleasing and
appropriate speech. He said, among
other things, 1--WE are here at Topisaw
and | want to say that speech tops any
thing | ever saw"
The hospitality of the people in the
neighborhood of Topisaw was un-
bounded. A long list of those prepared
to receive company was read, and 1t
seemed that the name of every body
who lived within reach of the church
was on that list. Dinner was served
on the ground each day, and every
delegate and visitor received from one
to a dozen invitations to spend the
night, with some one in the neighbor-
hood.
1t was our pleasure TO spend two
nights in the delightful home of that
large hearted, whole-souled, Christian
gentleman, Mr.. A. NJ. Summers, who
lives within sight of the church. All
the delegates from Magnolia church,
and about twenty others were enter
tanned by him and his excellent wife
during the session, and still they were
not crowded. Mr.. Summers is pros
porous farmer, and believes in living
at home. Most every article of food
placed on his long table was home
product, and he sells 800 bushels of
corn a year. Cotton is "A SurpluS crop