The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-06-03

cdtloHS, ny giving up a year ia
tic guidance OF Il Classical school,
he came out victor in the strug.
gle and graduated from College
in September, lSi9. at is good
for man to bear the yoke in his
youth, " and the sharp discipline
of the five College years was a
splendid preparation for more
than half century of service
that followed
After leaving College, Mr.. West at
once entered upon his Theological
studies at the Western Theological
Seminary, Allegheny, Pa, pursuing
the full three years course and gradu-
ating in the Spring of 1852. Here also
during the three years he continued
the double work of studying and teach
ing. 1t was my happy fortune to meet
him during the last year OF his semi
nary course, as u fellow student. We
were not thrown together in the class
room. He was a high senior, cal
/ low junior, and the most ! now recall
of him is that of a sober, earnest,
warm-hearted young man whom / met
at the preaching trials under the in
spoction of the faculty, Rev. Drs. Nc
GIL, Elliott, Jacobus and Plummer.-
1t is very likely he heard the first SER.
mon, fifteen minutes in length. that
ever tried to preach, and to his gener-
osity may say he did not pounce up
on the poor, little first born in lofty
criticism, as some OF his classmates
did. ] thank him to-day. 1t opened
the way to lifelong friendship.
MIR. West was now ready for his life
work, and on April II, 1862, he was
licensed to preach the Gospel by the
Presbytery of Carlisle, at Hagerstown
Maryland. The eight years of toll in
preparation had so undermined his
health that it seemed to be quite doubt
full whether it would be worth while to
attempt the labors of the Ministry. But
wise counsels prevailed, and, after
supplying a few vacant churches for a
brief time, he accepted an invitation
to become the stated supply of the Up
per Path Valley church for six months
its pastor being in i'll health. He enter
ed upon his work in September, 1852.
On account of continued illness, Mr..
Graham was released from the pastor
al care OF the church in the spring of
1853. and Mr.. West was at once un-
animously called to be his successor
in the pa-torate, and on June ,, 1853,
he was ordained and installed as the
pastor Of the church. Here he remain
ed for more than twenty years: they
were peculiarly happy years. 1t was
a model pastorate: il was amid Il warm
hearted, intelligent and noble people.
They returned the love and devotion
of their pastor with an unchan ging
friendship and deep affection. They
wanted no other leader and teacher
Their homes filled the beautiful region
where their lot was cast. The minutes
OF the General Assembly from 1853 to
1873 give us some hints in bare figures
of the fruits of this blessed Union, but
only the stories told in the Heavenly
world can reveal all the charm and
beauty of it.
On the 10th Of November, 1853, Mr..
West was united in marriage with
Miss Jane Mcclellan Waddell who
walked by his side for nearly half
century, loyal, helpful and true, win
ming love and praise of all who were
so happy as to know her.
After twenty years of successful la
Dor in the Upper Path Valley church,
Mr.. West was persuaded by the urgrn-
cy of personal friends to resign his
charge and undertake Missionary
work in the city of Harrisburg, under
the auspices of Market Square and
Pine Street Churches. He entered up
on the new field Of work on February
/, 1913, and continued in it until April
1880: a period of over seventeen years,
when the state OF his health compelled
hlm to resign These years were the
years of his most vaI led and exciting
tolls. Successes and disappointments,
sunshine and clouds attend it. The
heart of the stOutest man might have
failed. His brave and wise and low
ing wife shared fully in his anxious
tolls. Within a year new church
was organized and handsome brick
chapel was erected at a cost of IS, 600
At the date of his release from the pas
torate he left a church of about $50
members and Sunday School of
$50.
After leaving Harrisburg, Mr., West
took charge of the 2d Presbyterian
Church of Carlisle, during the absence
of its pastor, Rev. DR.. George Nor
cross, serving it somewhat over year
Believing that his work as a pastor
was now at an end, he returned with
his family to his old home in Path
Valley, expecting to spend the rest Of
his life among the beloved people of
his first charge. T. was a quiet, coun-
try home, under the shadow of the
mountains Rest was inviting. Sor-
rows and farewclls had come to the