The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1908-01-02
The LATE REV.
". c. WH|SNAND.

The committee on neurology of Far
go Presbytery made the following re-
port.
For several years your committee
has had no reports to make but we are
sorry to have to make a report at this
meeting Of the Pr~esbytery. It is on
the departure of our brother Rev.
William 9. Withstand, a member Of
our Presbytery. He died soon after
the springmeeting Of the Presbytery at
Jamestown, but we were not informed
of this until recently. His death oc-
Cured at his home in Monmouth, Ill,
April 26, 1907, at the age Of 73.
He was born near Bloomington,
Monroe county, Ind, on May ID 1884.
He was raised on a farm and had only
a common school education. In his
childhood days he united with the
Methodist Episcopal church and from
the first of his christian life he became
an earnest, Jealous worker for his
Master and for others. God gave him
a splendid voice for singing and he
used his talent to the glory of His
praise and to the e%difcation of his fell
low creatures. AS a result of his first
marriage there r two sons living,
William E. Withstand of Wenatchie,
Wash, and Robert B. Withstand of
Hope, N. D. He moved to Piper City,
ILL.,, in 1872 and was married to Miss
Margaret R. Pope in 1914, who sur
wives him. He was postmaster here
for a number of years but his health
failed him and hearing of the healthy
climate of North Dakota, he with
many friends formed a colony and set
tied in Cass county and carried on
farming for a time. This was in 1882.
Here he did not find the school, the
church and the Sabbath school as he
had found in his former places of res
idence, but he found Sabbath desecra-
ton and wickedness in many forms.
He realized perhaps as he had never
before, the need of religious services.
His devotion to his Master and his
great love and interest in the saliva
ton of immortal souls, placed him in
a condition to:hear the call of God to
do the work which was at his door.
Rev. j. 81. Baldwin, that pioneer
saint, who has since entered into his
rest, came and preached in the neigh
borhood and urged Mr.. Withstand to
go on with the work which he had been
doing without being licensed. He felt
called to the work and the Lord was
with him. The people heard him glad
ly and many were led to accept Christ
as their Saviour.
Rev. F. M. Wood, synodical mis-
sionary, after hearing him preach
asked him, "Where did you get your
authority to %preach?" Mr.. Withstand
replied, "From the Lord" MI. Wood
said. $50 on preaching. That Is
higher authority than man can give"
He was licensed at Fargo in 1887 and
was ordained at Buffalo in 1888. He
served as stated supplying the follow
ing fields: Pickert and Ayr, N. d.,
1887; Broadlawn and Colgate, 1888.
He was pastor at Broadlawn and
Galesburg from 1883 to 1897. His
voice failed him in 1897 and he return
ed to Monmouth, III. But on account
OF his health he returned to North Da-
kota and settled at Page. He served
the Baldwin church for two years,
but was not strong enough to endure
the long drives in winter; so he re-
turned to Monmouth, but he longed to
return to the work he loved so dear
ly. In January and February 1905 he
was greatly interested in revival meet
ings conducted in the city and attend
ed twice a day. EIe took a severe
cold and suffered greatly from a cough
which had troubled him for years.
He gradually grew weaker until he
fell asleep in Jesus, April 26, 1907.
Although his sufferings were intense,
he sang, prayed and quoted the scrip
ture a great part Of the time. st to
the hills will lift mine eyes," s'The
Lord is my sheperd, I shall not want"
and many others sweet passages. The
funeral was held at his home by his
pastor, the Rey. W. r. King who read
the fourteenth chapter of John which
he had requested. The text was from
II Timothy Al, II have fought a
good fight: I have finished my course:
have kept the faith" He was laid to
rest in Glendale cemetery on Saturday,
April %, 1907.
He was a kind, genial and sympathiz-
ing man who made friends wherever
he went and though being dead yet he
speaketh. His influence will live long
and his memory will be cherished by
those who knew him. It is fitting that
we as q presbytery should pause for a
time and that prayer should be offer
ed for his wife who shared with him
/ T. H. -.1- L. .H. -