The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-30
AN IDEAL COUNTRY NEIGHBORHOOD
Editorial Correspondence


standing. 1t is an inspiration to hear
eight hundred voices in singing
with clear notes, How Firm a Foun-
dation." and the man tired of operate
church music who will worship here
on Sunday, will think he has caught
the notes of the music in the man
sions in the skies. The deaconS OF
this good church are: S. G. wilson,
j. II. Mills, A. r. Olive, H. c. Barker
and w. f. Upchurch. The pastor is
Rev. William Olive, the ideal country
pastor. He is as modest as he is
worthy and his ministry here or near
ly twelve years has been blessed IN
every way. He is a good farmer and
loves to till the coil. Though a grad
uate of Wake Forest and Louisville
Theological Seminary, he has never
forgotten that he lis a fisher OF men,
and he studied men more than books,
and he studies both. He has done
more than studied men; he has loved
them, sympathized with them III
trouble and rejoiced with them in
their joys. Latterly you hear great
deal of affeotatio about The Simple
Life by men who can hardly leave
their finger bowls and their luXurieS
for a weeks outing. 1t has come to
be fad with some to affect the Sim
pie Life and patronize it, as they go
Summing or join some fashionable
charitable organization. That sort of
affected simplicity is as disgusting as
dawdling is sickening. If you wish
to see the Simple Life, of which
Wagner writes so beautifully, come to
Olive Chapel, spend the day with the
studious, industrious and gulleless
pastor, who is too busy and too deeply
absorbed in his work to think whether
his life is simple or complex, and then
visit the good homes of these substan-
tial and lunpretentious people, and
mark the pure ambitions and noble
faith that lifts up the humbleSt task.
Do these things and you will find
here the Simple Life in it's perfection,
handed down from father to son.
And they do not pose as setting ex-
amples to Others but are worthy of
emulation, because they are striving
to walk uprightly and bring up their
children worthily from the highest
motives.
Here you find "old time religion
that is good enough for me-" The
people are prosperous, they have good
homes and every comfort, they arc
mainly the men who were born here,
and they love the land and all about
It, There is no land for sale here"
said a thrifty farmer. why should
we sell land upon which we can make
500 an acre per year," Why, In
deed and why should the youth SO
fortunate as to be born in this rural
environment wish1to seek homes else
where? .ee
l wish / could write as feel about
this church, this school and this peo
pie. At a great educational rally
here today fully six hundred were
present-as splendid a body of men
and women as l have seen in North
CarOllDd. lney nedrQ tHe SpeeCHeS
of Hon. ]. Y. Joyner, County Superin-
tendent Judd and this writer with IAN
interest born of their zeal for the ed
ucation of their children. Mr.. JOY
ner was at his best and made a mast
erly and eloquent address. Mr.. Judd
whose home is in an adjoining town
ship, made a fine impression. The
singing was grand, the refreshments
delicious, and the hospitality and
kindness were so beautiful as
to make one wish to remain
to learn the secret of the content
ment happiness and neighborly love
that abide here. 1t is in such neigh
borhoods that the simple virtues.
truest patriotism and highest faith
have their best manifestation. The
going to town of such people is a
change that no lover of his State could
wish. olives Chapel and like sections
train men to conserve the church and
the State-to preserve oldfashioned
religion and pure politics. j. d.