Missouri Valley times., 1901-08-15
Old Peoples Day in M. +;
Church.


Church.
"Call him not old whose visionary
brain
Holds Der the past Its undivided reign
For him in vain the enormous seasons
Who bears eternal summer in his
soul"
a certain old New England philoso.
pher called iifty-Jwo the "chlldnood OF
old age" but Rev. W. l.. Douglass
pastor of the Nj. l.. church, decided
that DR. Holmes was two years slow
IN his estimate and concluded that II
an ordinary mortal was not old at
fifty he or she ought to begin prepar
ing for old age, accordingly special
Invitations were sent to all who were
supposed to have climbed the heights
and reached that golden point, to be-
come guests at an old peoples meeting
to be held III the church ON Sunday
morning, August 11th. The church
was elaborately decorated III the ma
tional colors and the chancel was filled
with potted plants. Across one cor
ner stretched motto bearing the
"A hoary head is a crown
of glory" Another on the opposite
side enjo!ned all to "I.earn how 10
grow old" Around the altar railing
were placed about dozen easy chairs
in which sat a number of dear old men
and women who have SO long walked
along life's pathway that their years
have become matter of pride to
themselves and their children; those
who look back through life's years as
through mist and feel the unseen
and invisible eternity very near and
much desired Two of these old peo-
pie had passed the 90th milestone. All
had long since left behind them the
number of mans allotted years
Nothing in the entire service was
more impressive or beautiful than that
row of old people who we're the guests
of honor.
The choir was composed of four
teen men and women, who certainly
could by no means be called old, but OF
those who still are bearing the heat
and the burden of the day. The
hymns sung we're the old familiar
ones, sung to the sweet old melodies
of Boylston, Sloan, Sweet Home, etc.
MIR. and Mrs. w. U. Newton sang s'By
Cool Siloam's Shady Rlll" as duet.
The pastor then spoke upon the
trials and consultations of the aged
taking for his text IA hoary head is a
crown of glory If 1T be found in the
way of righteousness !" The speaker
rapidly sketched an imaginary con.
trast between the surroundings OF
thess aecG people in their carly days
and the present. Then he called at
tent!on to the fact that whitened locks
were not of themselves glory, but
when surrounding the head of those
who have walked in the paths OF
righteousness in compliance with the
divine idea they become coronel
beside which the crown of Kings anC
diadems of emperors are poor. lie
then spoke of the tendency of the age
of the young people to be disrespect.
tul and irreverant to years. Then he
led those whose footsteps are growing
feeble and whose eyes are growing
dim along the alsles of green pastures
til he left them at the gates of peace
with the promise cat eventlde il
shall be light" AT the close of the
service the pastor excused all under
fifty but asked all over that age to
shake hands with him at the altar. A
request being made that all over sc
years of age register, was pretty gen.
orally complied with. OF those be
tween so and 60 years there were over
67 per cent of the total. Thirty pei
cent between GO and 10. and less than
3 per cent between 20 and 100 The
number in attendance was large anN
everyone seemed to enjoy the NOVELTY
of the idea and pronoun ,e the O.o
Peoples Meeting Il great success.