Middletown transcript., 1914-08-08
FORMER PASTOR REVISITED

mao "a uCOAAC ~
once more at all my former pastorates.
On the afternoon of April 18th, 1914,
was most cordially received at Plymouth,
Pa by Mr.. Charles Shupp, Mr.. A. D.
Shank and by Rev. B. N. Johns, the
nastor of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Mr.. Shupp, whom l had mar
ried to Miss Mary Levi, thirty-tve years
before, delightfully."- entertained me dur
ing my stay. On Sunday morning ana
evening, April 18th, preached to con-
gregations of about seven hundred
peoDle, in the church which l had been
instrumental in building in 1877. Just
preceding the morning sermon, the
pastor requested all to stand who were
members of the church thirty years
before. Seventy persons were counted.
Atthat time, the membership was about
three hundred. In has since increased
to more than one thousand. l shall
never forget the warmth of my recep-
ton at the close of the service. Amid
smiles and tears, joyous recognitlons
and hearty handshakings, expressions
like the following were uttered: Il was
converted in the great. revival you held
in the Opera House while the new
church was building" "YOu baptized me
when was but little child. 81 was
one of your Bible class. Il sat beside
your son Lincoln in the infant class when
we were but five years old. - II expect
we will meet next time in glory" 81
am the only one left of our family. "
''You attended the funeral of my dear
boy" eve will have a great reunion
when we get home"
The memories awakened that morning
will never be forgotten. 1t seemed like
the beginnings of the fellowship of the
saints in glory. After visiting many
friends on Monday and Tuesday who
had been unable to attend the service,
and responding to invitations to visit
friends in Wilksbarre and Kingston, l
left for Binghamton, N. Y, where the
Wyoming Conference began its session
in the Tabernacle Church, which had
been built during my pastorate thirty
one years before. l had left the society
with three hundred and fifty members,
which, like Plymouth, had developed to
one thousand.
My heart was filled with rejoicing at
the wonderful progress of these two
churches. l found here the answer to
the question of ten propounded, 'Is
Methodsm passing away" or "What
is the matter with churches?" They
are certainly grandly marching on to
the conquest of the world for Christ. 1t
is is only in certain sections of our
great cities that progress seems i'm
peded.
During my visit here, was enter
tanned by the pastor of the church, Rev.
Robert L. Clark. His delightful family
showed me the greatest kindness in
every way possible during my visit.
1t was my privilege to meet many Of
my former associates in this conference.
One said to me, "When you were pre-
siding Elder in California, you licensed
me to preach. Now am member of the
Wyoming Conference. Another said,
EEYou gave me my license to ex-
hort when l began in the ministry
thirty-five years ago." Another said,
81 was converted in your revival meet
ings in Plymouth, N. Y. Soon after
entered the ministry and am now a re-
tired minister of this Conference"
Three clergymen who have become dis
tinguished in the work of the Master,
were converted in the old Tabernacle
while the new building was in the pro-
cess of construction. One, William H.
Hitler, is an honored member of the
Wyoming Conference. Irving Bristol is
now leader of the Anti-Saloon League
forces in California, and Rev. George
P. Eckman. the editor of the New
York Christian Advocate.
The Glee Club from the Wyoming
Seminary, double quartette, charmed
the Conference with its thrilling songs.
One of the most taking numbers was
''The Little Brown Church in the Dale. "
While they were singing this song,
became deeply impressed, as I thought
of the eight churches 1 had been in
strumental in building in the pastorate,
and about twenty as district superin-
tendent.
At Owego, twenty-five miles west of
Binghamton, the scenes of the visit at
Plymouth, Pa, were largely repeated. |
On Sunday, April 26th, discoursed at
the morning service and addressed the
Epworth League in the evening. pre-
faced my remarks in the morning by
reading the engraved words on the gold
watch case which was given to me
thirty-two years before. 1t read Pre-
sented to Rev. E. W. Caswell by his
Owego friends, 1882" I said, no more
appropriate and useful present could be
made to clergyman than the one which |
l have looked upon nearly every hour
of the day since that time. Keeping |
the right time in this world will help |
you to be in time in the life to come.
During my pastorate of three years
in this beautiful town, witnessed in a
single revival service of thirteen weeks,
the conversion of four hundred persons.
Not a large number compared with
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