Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1912-05-01
Mt. Shaeffer's Farewell.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE FIVE

service, however. the uppermost
thought in the minds of the listeners
was that this pastor, who had become
so dear to them and who had reached
so many hearts, was leaving. No
longer was there the privile ge of
hearing the inspiring, uplifting SER
mons that he had always given them
every Sunday morning and evening
for so long a time. During his pas
torate here Of six and a half years,
108 persons have united with the
church, So of them on confession of
faith. Following a short address on
the sublimity of loving service for
others and it's ennobIing influence and
power, Rev. Shaeffer spoke the fol-
lowing farewell words:
"And now. one final word and I can
best express the thought in the Ian
guage of the great apostle, as he
speaks to the Corinthians in his second
letter. Finally, brethren. farewell.
Be perfect, be of good comfort. be of
one mind, live in peace, and the God
of love and peace shall be with you.
IL Cor. 49, We have come today
to the fork Of the road. and our lives
of earthly life shall again diverge.
for moment, what the result has
been and shall be God alone knows.
I have tried to bring to you the truths
of Gods Kingdom of eternal truth
! have endeavored to gladden. and uplift
you in your sorrows and Affections ; if
have failed, remember not the fail
ures and let me sink out of your re-
| membrance; only remember Him
whom | have endeavored to hold be-
fore you. I wish to thank you in be-
half of myself and Mrs. Shaeffer for
the kindly way you received Us into
your hearts for the royal spirit of fell
lowship that has prevailed; for your
many expressions of ppreciation; for
your many kjndnesses and courtesies
manifested in our short stay among
you. They are all most highly ap,
preciated and are among the abiding
things imprinted upon loving hearts.
There is one perfect rule of life
which | would like to leave with you.
one that will ever keep your true in.
ner self from the ravages of sin. 1t
is this: Be perfectly obedient to the
revealing will of Gods own spirit; al.
ways seek the best and highest that
life affords, be true to God, to your
self and to your fellows. Cultivate
and enlarge and develop your capacity
for judgment and true selection. and
then ever look for and select out of
everything in every sphere of life,
whether physical. mental. moral OF
spiritual, that which is good and pure
and true and beautiful; and God will
surely lead you into green pastures
and by the still waters of quietness
even in the midst of life that is full
of toll and hardship, of sorrow and
affection. leading you until he takes
you to his own eternal home. There
are many things in this life the pos
session of which can add a degree OF
dignity to life and give at least sem
blance of happiness. But there is
only one thing that can give US true
happiness and true and genuine dig
i nifty and that is Gods blessing. My
parting prayer is that He may pour
out the riches of His blessing full and
free upon each one of you. May his
great and abundant love embrace you
in ali its fullness, giving you thereby
richer indwelling of bis spirit. LII
i the days of adversely OF dlsappClnt.
ment. Of sorrow and of affection may