The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-06-18

sociation and pastor Of the Methoalst
Protestant Temple.
The following oulogistic paper was
read by n. G. Tough as q represe ntatye
from the deacon board Of the church:
Capital and hears about it. he has
Twenty years! How fleeting when
they have passed; how long they seem
when contemplating the future. Look
ing back over period Of years Is IKE
casting the eye to the valley below an.
er long and weary struggle to hill
top. We wonder how it took SO long
to climb the hill when the distance 70
the valley appears so short. LOOKING
backward and forward over a period
of time is like looking through the
small end and large end Of q tele-
scope. Looking through the small end
the object is enlarged and the distance
looking through the large
end the distance is immeasurably in
creased and the object very greatly d.
minished. Today as we look back over
the twenty years since our pastor came
among us we seem to be looking the
short way for the time SENS very brief.
Yet, when viewed from another angle
the distance back stretches out tire.
i said, just now, When
oul pastor came among US" but strictly
speaking there were not very many OF
"us" here when he came. The writer
and the pastor are almost twins in
point of time of our connection with
this church, the pastor having come
in June and the writer in September,
1897. At that time there were 121
members belonding to the First Bap.
fist church. The church was hardly
out of its swaddling clothes. The audi
forum and library room took care OF
the church, Sunday school, B. Y. P. IT,
Ladies Aid and every other organiza-
ton meeting. Today we occupy these
rooms; the large basement rooms ana
the spacious addition next to the par
sonage and If the congregation would
get busy and come half way up to our
possibilities we would be greatly
cramped for space.
We could say many things along this
line, things which you all know and
which have, been referred to often but
time forbids going into detail on sta
ttstics. We have different purpose
in this brief paper, that of expressing
our appreciation of the faithful and
whole souled service given to the
church and the community during the
twenty years which Rev. Eddy has
served as pastor of this congregation.
When we look upon our junior congre.
CATION and realize that all these boys
and girls and young men and young
women have been born into the world
since Rev. Eddy became pastor of this
church we can have some appreciation
of tie period he has been ouI spiritual
counsellor and guide. Rev. Eddy has
shared with US both our sorrows and
our pleasures. He has been at our
homes when the wedding march was
sounded and all were merry and glad:
he has been with US in the sad hour OF
bereavement, giving comfort in our
time Of trouble. In fact very few OF
US realize just what his work and life
has been to every family in the con-
gregGtion and it was to emphasize his
constant pastoral oversight that the
Deacon Board asked to have paper
expressing as best it could
be in brief way the high esteem in
which Rev. Eddy is held and the ap.
probation of his devotion to the work
with the congregation. We can no:
close this feeble attempt at expressing
our appreciation of Rev. Eddys labors
among us without also volcing our love
and admiration for his estimable wife.
Her life has been an open book for us
all to read and we feel that her influ.
ence has always been Of the very high
est and best in every department of
the spiritual and social life of the
church. We might also add in closing
that the influence of Rev. and Mrs.
Eddy has not been confined to the con-
gresation Of the First Baptist church.
Their work has been broad and liberal,
their, policy has been such as to win
the confidence of the people of all de-
and we believe we state
what is generally recognized as true
that no other pastor and his wife are
held in higher esteem by the people in
general in Fairmont than are Rev. and
Mrs. Eddy.
We congratulate them and the COLI
on this the twentieth ami.
verssry of Rev. Eddy's pastorate and
hope that his remaining service in the
church whether it be long or snort may
be just as productive of good to the
church and community as it has been
during the twenty years which have
his naY haen hrnMr To a nlnnn