The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-09-11
1S24-t9OS.
Rev. George w. Harlan Passes His
Eighty fourth Birthday
Anniversary.

\ tribute to one whose long life
filled with usefulne ess has been
benediction not only to this com
munity but also to other places and
people. II was in Cadiz, Kentucky,
on September 7th, 1924, that George
William Harlan was born. On last
Monday, in our own city, he cele-
brated his eighty fourth birthday.
Here he has made his home since
May, 1865, ever actively interested
\ in whatever tended to the advance
ment OF his home town and the
things that made for its best inter
ests.
For the younger generation 1t Is
difficult to form an adequate con
ception Of the span of these years.
Only reflection points the number
OF important events that fill the
measure Of time. In the life that
| he has lived his own country has
rapidly expanded. Born only TWEEN
ty one years after the cession of the
louisiana Territory, in his life and
young manhood the State of Texas
was annexed; the Oregon Territory
discovered and California ceded to
his country by Mexico. In the
prime of life he beheld his country
torn by eternal strife. More re-
Gently, he has looked upon the ad-
dition of territorial possessions.
What is true of the territorial ex-
pansion of his country is also true
of its material progress; the rapid
strides made in the arts and sci
ences; the quickening of inventions.
From the tallow dip to the arc light
is long stride but made in the
duration Of one life.
Attractive as speculations along
such lines might be, showing the
material meaning of such lapse of
years, his many friends are think
ing more of his life itself. 1t has
been life of wide and varied ex-
periences and of one whose years is
crowned with honor. His educa-
tional equipment for life's work was
thorough. From the Illinois College,
the Same institution from which
William Jennings Bryan later grad
uated, he received both the degrees
of Bachelor and Master OF Arts.
I To nIt tIn
ceived in the Andover Theological
Seminary, New York. He was H.
censed to preach the gospel In 1851
and In April, 1856, received his or.
dination. From that time his life
has been devoted to the work of q
Minister OF the Gospel and, Mt times
to educational work in which he IL
keenly interested today. He has
been principal of the Usage Acade'
my, the Pleasant Hill Academy and
of Elmwood School, the latter the
forerunner of Elmwood Seminary
As minister he has successfully
had charge OF churches in Carroll
ton, Mo-, Brazeau. Mo, 0scela
Mo-, Pennington, Clark Creek and
Syenite
. Beginning the last Sabbath In Jan
uary, 1867, and continuing for fifteen
years, he discharged faithfully the
duties Of minister over the Presby.
terlan church OF this place. After
relinquishing that office, so earnest
In his zeal In his work, he preached
to the smaller churches that could
be reached from his home. 1t is
one OF the stories that live, how in
all kinds of weather, unmindful of
his own personal convenience, faith
fully he withstood the fatigues of
long drives and horseback rides to
meet his appointments at these
churches. 1t is only in the more
recent years that this work has been
given up.
With reference to this same char
acteristic of faithfullness to duty,
Mr.. Harlan enjoys the distinction
OF having attended every meeting OF
his Presbytery, with but two excep-
tions, since he became connected
with it. On one of these exceptions
he was delayed by high water and
the other, within the past few years
was unable to attend because oi
sickness. Honored among his fel
low ministers, he has for number
of years been the Stated Clerk ant
Treasurer Of the Presbytery
Such in brief Is bare outline o
his life. In IL is condensed the story
NJ a mnn faithful tn aXerN trusf re